By Bia Hamed, Ph.D., Jeana Harper-Kirkland, and Rick Vanittersum

The SEMI Career & Apprenticeship Network (SCAN) is SEMI Foundation’s flagship initiative that supports customized training programs for microelectronics employers and semiconductor career awareness activities to students throughout the country. SCAN Michigan, launched in partnership with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation in 2022, is a powerful collaboration born out of Michigan’s commitment to invest in a talent pipeline to fill current and future roles within the chip industry. The SCAN Michigan team has developed a broad range of partnerships with employers, higher education institutions, community-based organizations, and PK-16 schools and has participated in over 30 unique outreach and education events in Michigan since launching “Chips in Michigan,” a career awareness campaign, in the Fall of 2023.

These events have created strong connections between students, prospective employees, academia, and industry, and are excellent examples of the potential for SCAN to make a strong impact in building the next-generation workforce. Highlighted below are initiatives, events, and educator trainings from SCAN Michigan 2024 which can be replicated in other regions.

SEMICONDUCTOR DAY

On October 22 and 29, 2024, SCAN Michigan welcomed nearly 350 students to its first Semiconductor Day events in Michigan held at Oakland University and Wayne State University. Eleven Michigan companies participated in Semiconductor Day events including Altair Engineering, Design Systems, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Hemlock Semiconductor, Infineon, KLA, k-Space, and SK Siltron CSS.

Students and community members learned how to prepare for careers in the semiconductor industry. Semiconductor Day showcased the advancements and career opportunities within the semiconductor and mobility sectors and highlighted the importance of collaboration between industry leaders, academic institutions, and emerging talent.

View this video summarizing Semiconductor Day Events in Michigan.

Semiconductor Collaboration and Industry Awareness Abounds in Michigan | SemiSCAN

“The Semiconductor Day program was an exceptional opportunity for students and stakeholders to gain insights into the industry directly from professionals. This event was more than just a career fair; it was a comprehensive experience. Many individuals I spoke with expressed that they learned a great deal and showed increased interest in the field.”

–Jenny Geno, Ed.S., Workforce Development Specialist at Hemlock Semiconductor

Semiconductor Collaboration and Industry Awareness Abounds in Michigan | SemiSCAN

SEMI Foundation staff members Rick Vanittersum, Bia Hamed, Ph.D., and Jeana Harper-Kirkland, along with graduate assistant Kaityn Tracy, enjoyed a day of networking at Semiconductor Day.

Semiconductor Collaboration and Industry Awareness Abounds in Michigan | SemiSCAN

Participants at Wayne State University’s “Day in the Life” session listened to industry experts describe their day-to-day activities.

High school students worked on a STEM project involving breadboards.

SEMICONDUCTOR DAY JR.

On October 22, SCAN Michigan hosted Semiconductor Day Jr. for 76 high school students from Oakland County in partnership with Oakland University’s School of Engineering and GEAR UP program. Students in attendance were from three underserved high schools: Pontiac High School, Oak Park High School, and International Technology Academy.

During this program, faculty members Amanpreet Kaur, Ph.D. and Hongwei Qu, Ph.D. (along with their graduate students) presented hands-on programming around semiconductors and demonstrated the high-tech equipment used in the on-campus cleanroom.

Check out the video from the event.

iDRAW DAY

On November 1, the SEMI Foundation Michigan Team hosted 100 Detroit high school students at the University of Detroit Mercy’s Campus. The students came from three inner city high schools: Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School, Mumford High School, and Cesar Chavez Academy.

Students learned about what a semiconductor is and how it is used in products that impact our daily lives. They learned about the need for skilled workers at every level of manufacturing to produce semiconductors. The students were also taught the basics of coding by using the SEMI Foundation’s High Tech U micro:bit STEM kits, and each student took a micro:bit and a flash drive with micro:bit resources home to further their learning.

SEMI Foundation Program Navigator, Jeana Harper-Kirkland, helps participants try their hand at coding using the SEMI Foundation-sponsored micro:bit STEM kits.

Washtenaw Community College – From Classroom to Cleanroom

In June of 2024, 15 Ypsilanti area middle school teachers spent a week learning about the semiconductor industry so they could share their insights with students in their classrooms. Math and science teachers gained foundational knowledge and participated in four days of hands-on learning with SEMI Foundation-sponsored STEM kits which they deployed in classrooms in the Fall. The training was hosted in partnership with Washtenaw Community College and was funded by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. On the final day, teachers were taken on tours of the University of Michigan’s Lurie Nanofabrication Facility and semiconductor partner KLA’s second North American world headquarters, both in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

The teachers who attended this program will share this training and career awareness with more than 1,800 students in the region.

Watch this video to learn more about the teacher trainings.

Semiconductor Collaboration and Industry Awareness Abounds in Michigan | SemiSCAN

“The SEMI Foundation’s expertise, passion for advancing the semiconductor industry, and enthusiasm for sharing that knowledge were invaluable. With hundreds of students set to benefit from the program, the impact is profound. We deeply value SEMI Foundation’s creativity, enthusiasm, industry knowledge, and shared commitment to inspiring the next generation, and we look forward to future collaborations.”

–Alison Petersen, Director of Mobility Initiatives at Washtenaw Community College

Semiconductor Collaboration and Industry Awareness Abounds in Michigan | SemiSCAN

An industry panel at the WCC event featuring Mahmoud Al-Nasour, Automotive Tech Advisor, Cre8vantage; Shari Liss, Vice President, Global Workforce Development and Initiatives, SEMI; John McLaughlin, Site Lead, KLA; and Mike Bertan, Senior Manager, Operations MACOM

Semiconductor Collaboration and Industry Awareness Abounds in Michigan | SemiSCAN

Teachers enjoying a tour of KLA’s second world headquarters in Ann Arbor, Michigan. They are joined by Cheryl Gee, Vice President Global Talent Acquisition for KLA.

DIGITAL DIVAS & DIGITAL DUDES

Digital Divas and Digital Dudes at Eastern Michigan University are long-standing programs promoting STEM to middle and high school students in Southeast Michigan. These programs allow students to explore STEM at college campuses and to learn from women and men in STEM careers. The program was created to give underserved students an engaging, hands-on opportunity to hear about and experience various STEM majors. While the students engaged in STEM learning, the SEMI Foundation team conducted a teacher training program for the instructors. The programs depict a near-peer mentoring model by having college students lead the program as speakers.

Check out the Digital Divas and Dudes video.

Semiconductor Collaboration and Industry Awareness Abounds in Michigan | SemiSCAN

During the trivia lunchtime game session at Digital Dudes, participants were able to test their knowledge of what they learned about the semiconductor industry.

“Digital Divas” and a “Digital Dude” learn about electricity and circuits with Circuit Scribe kits provided by the SEMI Foundation.

We had a strong 2024 and look forward to more collaboration with our partners in the semiconductor ecosystem. These events, trainings, and partner collaborations are scalable nationwide, and we will continue to work with our valued partners to create more avenues for integrating the semiconductor industry into the great state of Michigan. The SEMI Foundation is committed to connecting students and workers to careers that promote a wonderful quality of life for all Michiganders. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and all our partners who help make this work possible.

SCAN MICHIGAN 2024 BY THE NUMBERS:

24,375 – Students reached through in-person STEM and career exploration events
469,182 – Individuals reached through media campaigns and other events
585 – Current employer & ecosystem contacts receiving regular updates on SCAN
70 – Educators in Michigan engaged with SEMI Foundation programming
13 – Michigan employers participating in at least one SEMI Foundation event or initiative in 2024

If your company or organization is interested in participating in industry awareness activities in Michigan or in other locations around the world, or if you’d like information on SCAN’s customized training programs, find out more at semiscan.org or reach out to us at scanmi@semi.org.

This year, SEMI will be hosting its inaugural SEMIEXPO Heartland event on April 1-2, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Whether you’re a student, active military, veteran, re-entering the workforce, or looking to change jobs, each day in the WFD pavilion illuminates a different pathway to success. SEMI members from across the microelectronics industry, including HR professionals and talent recruiters, can connect with job seekers and future talent during Day in the Life, Ask an Expert/Flash Mentoring and Resume Review sessions. We hope you join us for this event to learn more about the semiconductor expansion and opportunities for growth in the U.S. Midwest: https://semiexpo.semi.org/

Bia Hamed, Ph.D., is Program Manager for Global Education Initiatives at the SEMI Foundation, focusing on educational programming that supports workforce pipeline building nationally and internationally.

Jeana Harper-Kirkland is the SCAN Michigan Program Navigator at the SEMI Foundation, focusing on K-16 educator resource management and Educational Research and Dissemination.

Rick Vanittersum is the Program Manager SCAN Michigan at the SEMI Foundation, focusing on developing apprenticeships and similar earn-and-learn training programs and connecting companies with tools to grow their workforce.

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