The Texas A&M University College of Engineering has been selected as an anticipated awardee of the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC) Workforce Partner Alliance (WFPA) program. With $1.28 million in anticipated funding, Texas A&M Engineering will lead a transformative workforce development initiative to address critical workforce and skills gaps in the U.S. semiconductor industry.
The WFPA program is administered by Natcast, a purpose-built, nonprofit entity created to operate the NSTC consortium, established by the CHIPS and Science Act of the U.S. government.
The anticipated funding will support Workforce Advancement in Verification and Evaluation of Chips (WAVE-CHIP), a program designed to tackle the critical shortage of skilled verification engineers in the semiconductor industry by expanding education and workforce development opportunities.
“As leaders in engineering education, we are proud to shape the future generation of engineers with a global impact and a strong tradition of research and innovation," said Dr. Robert H. Bishop, vice chancellor and dean of engineering and director of the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station. "This award strengthens our leadership in the semiconductor industry, and we look forward to its continued impact."
The initiative focuses on hardware functional verification and security verification, a key part of the chip development process, using a curriculum developed by industry veterans with over 50 years of experience. The program aims to train over 7,500 individuals, including students from four-year universities, community colleges and working professionals seeking upskilling opportunities with essential hardware verification skills, addressing the industry's urgent need for qualified engineers. Additionally, more than 100 university and community college instructors will be trained to ensure a continuous pipeline of skilled engineers.
As leaders in engineering education, we are proud to shape the future generation of engineers with a global impact and a strong tradition of research and innovation. This award strengthens our leadership in the semiconductor industry, and we look forward to its continued impact.
This will significantly impact the industry's workforce development ecosystem and reinforce U.S. leadership in semiconductor technology. The WAVE-CHIP program was one of seven selected from over 100 proposals to receive anticipated WFPA funding.
“We are honored to be selected by Natcast to be a part of this vital national initiative,” said Dr. Aakash Tyagi, professor of practice in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, affiliated faculty member in multidisciplinary engineering and lead investigator for the WAVE-CHIP project at Texas A&M. “Through the WAVE-CHIP project, we will empower students, educators and industry professionals with the necessary skills in hardware functional and security verification to succeed in semiconductor-related fields. Over the last decade, our industry-recognized curriculum, developed alongside leaders like AMD, Intel, Synopsys and Siemens, has consistently produced graduates ready to contribute from day one. With this program, we're expanding these efforts to meet the evolving demands of this rapidly growing and critical sector, serving as a model for implementation nationwide.”
The WAVE-CHIP team is comprised of faculty with deep expertise in semiconductor-related fields. Mike Quinn, an associate professor of practice in computer science and engineering and affiliated faculty in electrical and computer engineering, brings decades of industry experience in hardware verification. Dr. David Kebo Houngninou, an instructional associate professor in computer science and engineering, focuses on formal and emulation-based verification. Dr. Jiang Hu, professor of electrical and computer engineering and affiliated faculty in computer science and engineering, is a renowned researcher in electronic design automation. Dr. Jeyavijayan “JV” Rajendran, an associate professor in electrical and computer engineering, is a leading expert in hardware security.
As part of the initiative, Texas A&M Engineering will collaborate with leading chip design and electronic design automation companies, state and local agencies, and community partners to ensure the training aligns with industry needs. This industry-focused approach will provide participants with valuable employment and career advancement opportunities in the semiconductor sector and help employers fill critical workforce needs.
“As the Director of the Texas A&M Semiconductor Institute at Texas A&M, I am thrilled to see the WAVE-CHIP program selected for the WFPA Award. This recognition seamlessly aligns with our commitment and our mission to drive innovation and workforce development in the semiconductor industry,” said Dr. E. Steve Putna, associate vice chancellor for the Texas A&M University System and director of the Texas A&M Semiconductor Institute. “We are eager to enhance semiconductor education and create opportunities for underserved communities through this initiative. This award underscores our shared vision for a prosperous future for the U.S. in the semiconductor field.”
Through the WAVE-CHIP project, we will empower students, educators and industry professionals with the necessary skills in hardware functional and security verification to succeed in semiconductor-related fields.
The collaboration between Texas A&M Engineering and industry partners highlights a strategic alignment between educational innovation and the growing demands of the semiconductor sector, ensuring that the program not only meets the immediate needs of employers but also fosters long-term growth and inclusivity within the industry.
“We’re proud to partner with Texas A&M University to apply our technological leadership towards advancing education in this critical area,” said Katy Crist, director of workforce development at Synopsys, a key partner in executing the WAVE-CHIP program. “Over the past decade, the Texas A&M team has developed a robust, industry-driven curriculum, and we are excited to support its expansion to colleges nationwide.”
"The WAVE-CHIP initiative will expand Texas A&M's robust curriculum in hardware verification to more institutions, enabling companies like AMD to continue hiring graduates who are ready to excel from day one," said Amit Goel, corporate vice president of server platform solutions engineering at AMD, Inc. "We are excited to assist in scaling this initiative and supporting the growth of a skilled workforce in hardware verification."
ABOUT TEXAS A&M ENGINEERING
With nearly 800 faculty members and more than 24,000 students, the Texas A&M University College of Engineering is the second-largest engineering school in the country. In U.S. News & World Report rankings, the college is ranked eighth in graduate programs and ninth in undergraduate programs among public institutions.
ABOUT NATCAST
Natcast is the purpose-built, non-profit entity created to operate the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC), established by the CHIPS and Science Act of the U.S. government. The NSTC is a public-private consortium dedicated to semiconductor R&D in the United States. It convenes the U.S. government, allied and partner nations, and organizations across the semiconductor ecosystem—including academia and businesses of all kinds—to address the most challenging barriers to continued technological progress in the domestic semiconductor industry, including the need for a capable workforce. The NSTC reflects a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the U.S. to drive the pace of innovation, set standards, and re-establish global leadership in semiconductor design and manufacturing.