Virginia’s Semiconductor Industry Gets a Boost with Launch of Career Training Program

The Virginia Alliance for Semiconductor Technology (VAST) has taken a significant step towards reskilling and upskilling adult learners in the semiconductor industry with the launch of its Fast Track to Semiconductor Careers certificate training program. This initiative is part of VAST’s mission to position Virginia as a leader in the semiconductor industry.

Image: Semiconductor manufacturing process

The training program is designed to provide internship opportunities that create a pathway to employment in the semiconductor industry. To achieve this, VAST has made some key additions to its staff, including four process engineers who will be instrumental in the instruction of the hands-on portion of the chip fabrication and nano characterization certificate training program.

Image: Semiconductor chip fabrication process

Swarnanjali (Swarna) Bose, Makhes Behera, Akib Jabed, and Moheb Sheikhi are the new process engineers who will be located throughout the state at VAST’s partner universities. They will provide hands-on training in Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), Charlottesville at the University of Virginia (UVA), and in Norfolk at Old Dominion University (ODU).

“We are thrilled to have Nate join the VAST team,” said Masoud Agah, VAST founding and executive director. “Nate plays a pivotal role in helping connect industry, academia, and communities to position Virginia as a leader in semiconductors.” - article

In addition to the process engineers, Nathan Cushing has joined VAST as the associate director for partnerships. He will help develop relationships throughout Virginia to further VAST’s mission of advancing semiconductors in the Commonwealth.

Image: Collaboration in semiconductor industry

Partnerships and collaboration are fundamental to VAST’s mission. By bringing together industry, academia, and government stakeholders, VAST aims to accelerate technological advancements and drive economic growth in the region.

Image: Virginia’s semiconductor industry growth

I believe that VAST’s initiatives will not only benefit the state of Virginia but also have a positive impact on the entire country. With its focus on innovation, research, and workforce development, VAST is well-positioned to become a model for other states to follow.