$1 million grant enables military-connected students to spend eight weeks on-site at ADI for semiconductor upskilling, introduction to breadth of career pathways
In a semiconductor training facility lined with soldering stations, Garret Lacy leaned over a circuit board, experimenting with unfamiliar parts and piecing together a design of his own making. He and the others in his cohort were told only the basics: create a circuit.
And that was the point — to let curiosity drive the work.
“We found parts we’d never seen, asked how they work, tried to implement them into our circuits, and just had fun doing it all,” said Lacy, a U.S. Army veteran and Oregon State University mechanical engineering student. “In an expanding electrical world, I think it’s important for any engineer to have this skill.”
According to Lacy, those moments of creativity were the biggest highlights of VETS-UP, a veterans semiconductor upskilling program. The eight-week, paid training opportunity gives military veterans access to the first-rate facility at Analog Devices, Inc., a global semiconductor leader that combines analog, digital and software technologies into solutions that drive industry advancements, combat climate change and reliably connect humans and the world.
At the ADI campus in Beaverton, Oregon, the program combines classroom learning, hands-on lab exercises and mentorship from industry professionals, offering participants technical and professional skills to help them enter a growing semiconductor field.
Lacy was one of 11 participants in the first training cohort, all of them either veterans, active duty service members or military dependents who are pursuing STEM degrees at Oregon State or an Oregon community college. Together, they spent eight weeks immersed in a mix of learning activities, from traditional lectures to full-day virtual reality simulations.
The variety of learning experiences is designed to excite them about entering the semiconductor and robotics ecosystem.
“I see the semiconductor industry as a place for innovation and growth with many sub-industries that are involved,” Lacy said. “Even if you don’t want to work directly with the manufacturing of chips, you can still be a part of the process in a support role like robotics. That adaptability is what excites me about my potential role.”
Oregon State University student Israel Garcia works alongside other participants in the first cohort of the VETS-UP semiconductor training program at Analog Devices Inc., in Beaverton, Oregon.
VETS-UP is a partnership between Oregon State and ADI, and it’s the student-centered outcome of a $1 million workforce grant OSU received from the state’s Higher Education Coordinating Commission. Along with a stipend, participants receive housing for the full eight-week training, career services, academic support and guidance on how to apply their military education benefits.
For most participants, it’s a first look into a field they see as full of possibility. For others, like Oregon State nuclear engineering major Laurence Heiges, the experience builds on technical skills he honed during his time in the U.S. Navy, such as electronics maintenance and control systems logic.
Heiges also praised the benefit of gaining industry professional exposure, and he marvels at the sophistication it requires for companies like ADI to keep making breakthroughs in sustainable energy, aerospace, consumer electronics, health care and beyond.
“Semiconductor manufacturing is one of the most technologically advanced things we as a species do right now,” he said. During the VETS-UP program, Heiges also learned more about innovations happening in the field he might one day join.
“Nanometer-scale crystal structure manipulation is a frankly insane capability that we have, and the science and engineering specialties that go into making it possible are pretty impressive,” he said.
Training the next generation of engineers and semiconductor professionals is one of ADI’s strengths. In addition to VETS-UP, the company regularly hosts bootcamps and programs that give STEM students and educators immersive experiences in semiconductor manufacturing.
“Their military service combined with this intensive training will give them an advantage in their career planning, whether through internships or their first job out of college.”
Managing director José J. Garcia says the 12,000-square foot facility at ADI’s Beaverton campus is perfect for workforce development training, and the company is looking forward to continued collaboration with Oregon State.
“The partnership with OSU is like hand in glove,” Garcia said. “We set up the facility for top-skilling, and it’s a great way to get early-career professionals attracted to semiconductors. Mostly, we’re working with students who want to confirm their career direction.
“With VETS-UP, the students have finished their deployment and they’re still trying to figure it out. But for ADI, it’s really about helping them become knowledgeable about the industry and the impact it has.”
Jessica DuPont, associate vice provost for market development and the student experience in OSU’s Division of Educational Ventures, said the project aims to fill a gap in Oregon’s workforce and support an important, skilled group of students.
“Veterans bring unparalleled skills, leadership and determination to their education and careers, yet they often face unique challenges when transitioning to civilian life,” said DuPont, who co-authored the VETS-UP grant. “Initiatives like this not only honor the service of our veterans but also equip them with the tools they need to thrive in the workforce and beyond.”
While Lacy and Heiges said their group emerged with new and refined skills, they were perhaps most excited about the connections they made with peers who share similar goals and a military background. They plan to stay connected while learning on OSU’s Corvallis campus as study partners — or just to play board games.
The success of the first VETS-UP cohort this summer set the stage for two more sessions in the months ahead. For Julie Brandis, executive director of strategic partnerships in Oregon State’s College of Engineering, the ongoing collaboration with ADI is a natural extension of the relationship OSU has built through bootcamps and other workforce initiatives.
“With programs like VETS-UP, we see students become so enthusiastic about the breadth and depth of career opportunities that exist within the semiconductor industry,” Brandis said. “Their military service combined with this intensive training will give them an advantage in their career planning, whether through internships or their first job out of college.
“ADI is a terrific partner. It’s a company that is very invested in the success of OSU students.”
