The National Innovation Center (NIC), in cooperation with US-based Qorvo Corporation and Cadence Corporation, held the opening ceremony of the Analogue IC Design Course in Hanoi on July 16, with the aim of enhancing the capacity of human resources in the field of semiconductor chip design - an area where there is a shortage of skilled workers in Vietnam.

Forty selected lecturers and students from Hanoi University of Science and Technology, Vietnam National University - Hanoi, and seven others will participate in the training program.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is signed between NIC and Qorvo at the event. Photo: Phi Nhat

According to Minister of Planning and Investment (MPI) Nguyen Chi Dung, the opening ceremony not only marks the start of the microchip design training program, but also an important step in the journey of Vietnamese people to gradually master the technology in the semiconductor industry.

"We expect the Corporation to participate in the process of developing a target plan to reach 50,000 semiconductor technology engineers by 2030," Dung said.

He stressed that if Vietnam succeeds in developing its human resources, the country can serve as a hub for the incubation of the semiconductor ecosystem thanks to the commitment and belief of its stakeholders.

"We will work with universities and research institutes to train semiconductor engineers in Vietnam. We believe that NIC, under the leadership of MPI, will be the incubator for the development of semiconductor human resources in Vietnam," said Bob Gruggeworth, President and CEO of Qorvo Corporation.

He also emphasized the need for talented human resources, building a mission to develop the semiconductor industry, and the Group's commitment to support the achievement of Vietnam's semiconductor industry development goals.

Qorvo will continue to grow and expand in Vietnam to create more jobs in the semiconductor microchip field, he stressed.

According to the program, Qorvo, a chip design group with a manufacturing facility in Vietnam, will provide lecturers and senior experts in microchip design and the company's training program based on US standards.

Cadence will provide full software design copyrights for the training program. The trainees will participate in an intensive three-month program at NIC's Hanoi facility.

By taking this course, students can use the industry-standard Cadence Virtuoso software to gain a thorough understanding of semiconductor technology and analog microchip design.

The course also helps students cultivate continuous learning and creativity and stay on top of the latest trends in analog circuit design to meet the needs of the domestic and international electronics and semiconductor industries.

Upon completion of the course, students will have the opportunity to intern and be hired by Qorvo and other NIC partner companies in microchip design. This recruitment is in line with Qorvo's and other major semiconductor firms' recent business expansion and increased investment trends in Vietnam.

Speaking on behalf of the trainees, Mai Anh Tuan, a lecturer at the University of Engineering and Technology - Vietnam National University, Hanoi, said he had already used NIC's support solutions in teaching students at the university.

"We hope that NIC can establish a basic semiconductor center to provide hands-on opportunities for university students and lecturers," he suggested.

He expressed his desire to learn and enhance his knowledge and skills through this training program to contribute to the development of Vietnam's semiconductor industry.

As part of the opening ceremony, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between NIC and Qorvo in the presence of Minister Nguyen Chi Dung and Qorvo Chairman Bob Bruggeworth.

The signing signifies both parties' commitment to strategic cooperation in promoting Vietnam's semiconductor ecosystem, especially in the areas of R&D, ecosystem development, high-quality talent training, and scholarships for talented students and engineers.

Earlier in the day, Minister Nguyen Chi Dung met and held talks with the Chairman of Qorvo Group, during which he said the two sides reached an agreement on Qorvo's investment and business expansion in Vietnam, as well as with other partners in the semiconductor industry. The Ministry will encourage the US group to use more services and products from Vietnamese enterprises in the supply chain.

The Minister also requested that Qorvo consider establishing research and development offices and centers in Vietnam, particularly at the NIC facilities.