COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio University student Md Mahmudul Hasan’s dream job is about to get one step closer.
He is a Ph.D. candidate from Bangladesh who has a focus on fabrication and characterization of semiconductor electronics and tech giant Intel is bringing semiconductor manufacturing back to the U.S. and into Ohio.
“Bangladesh is, like, a small country in Asia, quite far from here,” Hasan said. “So if I do get a job at Intel, per se, then like, these are the few companies which are well known throughout the world. So like, getting a chance to actually associate myself with Intel would actually not only increase like the value of my portfolio but also makes me some kind of like someone to look up to, to my younger generation back in my country.”
Intel, a multinational company, is setting roots in New Albany, just outside of Columbus, and universities across Ohio are preparing to impress.
“Given that we will now, in the not too distant future, we will become kind of the epicenter of semiconductor manufacturing is an enormously exciting prospect,” said Faiz Rahman, Ph.D., an associate professor of electrical engineering and computer science at Ohio University. “We are going to do anything that's possible from our side to train the manpower, the workforce that will one day end up at Intel. And we will continue to supply that at all levels, right from the workers on the fab floor to process engineers to the top researchers who are developing really new breakthrough technologies that will keep Intel and the U.S. semiconductor industry at the top of the game.”
Rahman is one professor working to improve and strengthen Ohio University's semiconductor curriculum.
“While we have always taught, obviously, semiconductors, materials and devices in our electrical engineering college courses, now there will be much more emphasis on that since Intel will be here, and we have a clear pipeline going to Intel,” Rahman said. “We have got all the blueprints in place. And we are really hard at work trying to bolster all of our curriculum in favor of semiconductor technologies, and to make sure that students who come out of these courses are really well-versed in all of the semiconductor topics, both science wise and engineering wise, so that they can do and build the state of the art chips of tomorrow.”
Rahman has a Ph.D. in semiconductor science and technology. He said Intel coming to Ohio is an enormous opportunity for students and universities across the state.
“That is going to be an enormous opportunity for our students because not only will they get to learn all the basics of this state-of-the-art industry, which is perhaps the most complicated things that we human beings do on this planet, but also they will become qualified so that they can just go and start working very productively in these fabs right from day one,” Rahman said.
Ohio University is planning to take advantage of the $100 million investment Intel said it will make in education within the state of Ohio.
“Whatever will come from Intel, we'll get some of that money which will be very welcome here, because it will be really invested very wisely and properly in training students,” Hasan said. “We are probably going to need some more state-of-the-art equipment and maybe more of them simply because there will be more interested students in the near future that we believe it'll be true. And then we'll be very happy training them on some of the latest equipment to build some of the state-of-the-art chips that one day Intel will be producing here in Ohio.”
Cindi Harper, vice president of talent planning and acquisition at Intel Corporation, said some of the money will be allocated toward lab and equipment, some toward research, modifying curriculum and much more. She said the company is excited to train and attract talent in Ohio as they plan to hire a lot of employees from within the state.
“Anywhere across Ohio will be huge feeder into the workforce that we need for the future,” Harper said. “So absolutely Ohio first. That's not to say we won't have any out of state, you know, to augment, but certainly will be a huge opportunity for Ohio students and the workforce to hopefully consider Intel as a place to work.”
The fabrication facilities, also called fabs, are expected to be completed in 2025, but the company has already started hiring. They’re looking to fill about 3,000 positions.
“And in the 3,000 positions, 70% of that will be manufacturing technicians,” Harper said. “That's really the heart and soul of Intel's business. And then 25% will be engineering, process engineers, your field engineers, and 5% will be kind of support. So your sales and marketing, HR, finance, those types of positions.”
Harper said Intel has positions open for people with two-year technical degrees all the way through masters and PhD. While not every position can be filled with recent college graduates, she said they are planning to show up on Ohio college campuses this fall.
“In Ohio, we will take a certain percentage of the technician population and the process engineering, move them to likely Arizona for a temporary assignment,” Harper said. “So they get hands on experience while they're working. So by the time the factory in Ohio is built, they're experienced talent that can help ramp up the factory.”
Out of those 3,000 positions, Hasan said he plans to continue working hard hoping he can fill one.
“I also want to get some hands-on experience in the industry, perhaps get an internship in Intel. And yeah, if things work out, I mean, like the work that they're doing, they are kind of a giant in this field of semiconductor electronics. So the prospects of getting perhaps a job there, that's also there,” Hasan said. “So having Intel in here would actually expedite the process and also make us more feel at ease to actually have a career in this field.”
For more information about Intel, or to check open positions, click here.