New Delhi: Lam Research Corporation, a US-based global provider of innovative wafer fabrication equipment, committed to a nearly Rs 241 crore investment in software licenses over the next two years.
This investment aims to enhance the skills of 2,800 students. The commitment was made as part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the Indian Semiconductor Mission (ISM) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), to prepare the future workforce for the semiconductor industry.
Under this agreement, ISM will bear the costs of infrastructure and other operations. The MoU, part of a joint statement released by the US and Indian governments in June 2023, marks the successful completion of a pilot program in collaboration with IISc and lays the groundwork for expanding to multiple universities across the country. IISc will be responsible for training educators at selected universities, while Lam will assign a dedicated team to facilitate the nationwide expansion.
Rangesh Raghavan, Corporate Vice President and GM at Lam Research India, emphasised the importance of ‘Semiverse Solutions’ in the rapid scaling of a workforce to meet industry demand as India takes significant steps in establishing a semiconductor industry.
‘Semiverse Solutions’ utilizes the full potential of Lam’s portfolio, including its virtual technology, processing, and simulation capabilities, to provide a limitless virtual learning and collaboration platform that encourages creativity and fosters innovation.
The program aims to educate up to 60,000 Indian engineers in semiconductor fabrication technologies over a decade. This initiative comes at a time when the semiconductor industry is grappling with a significant talent shortage to meet expected future demand.
Akash Tripathi, CEO of ISM, stressed the importance of effective skill development partnerships in maintaining the growth momentum of India’s semiconductor ecosystem.