Combining academic study with hands-on experience
Developing knowledge while putting it into practice
You don’t have to follow a traditional university route to build a career as an engineer in the semiconductor industry. A degree apprenticeship allows you to combine academic study with paid, hands-on experience, developing your knowledge while putting it into practice in a real engineering environment.
After completing a degree apprenticeship at Clas-SiC Wafer Fab, this engineer progressed into a role as a Process Engineer, helping to develop, control and improve the processes used to manufacture silicon carbide semiconductor devices.
Process Engineers are an important part of any wafer fab. They take responsibility for particular stages of the manufacturing process, making sure they perform reliably and consistently, investigating when things don't go as expected, and finding ways to improve how semiconductor devices are made.
It’s a career that brings together science, engineering and manufacturing – and one where you can see the impact of the improvements you make.
Useful skills you may need
Curiosity and a willingness to learn
Semiconductor manufacturing is constantly evolving. You don't need to know everything from day one, but you do need to be curious about how and why things work, ask questions and be willing to continually develop your technical knowledge
Logical thinking
When something changes within a manufacturing process, a Process Engineer needs to work through the evidence methodically. Being able to break a complex challenge into smaller parts and think logically about cause and effect is an important skill.
Adaptability
No two days in a wafer fab are necessarily the same. Priorities can change as new technologies are introduced, experiments are carried out or production challenges emerge. Being comfortable adapting your approach and learning from experience will help you succeed.
Ownership and decision-making
Process Engineers are trusted to develop expertise in their area and take responsibility for its performance. That means being confident enough to make evidence-based decisions, knowing when to seek input from others, and following improvements through from idea to implementation.