{"id":2873,"date":"2025-10-02T09:43:36","date_gmt":"2025-10-02T16:43:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/?p=2873"},"modified":"2026-02-25T14:42:32","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T22:42:32","slug":"vets-up-semiconductor-training","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/vets-up-semiconductor-training\/","title":{"rendered":"Veterans gain hands-on experience through OSU, Analog Devices semiconductor training program"},"content":{"rendered":"

$1 million grant enables military-connected students to spend eight weeks on-site at ADI for semiconductor upskilling, introduction to breadth of career pathways<\/h2>\n

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.<\/p>\n

And that was the point \u2014 to let curiosity drive the work.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe found parts we\u2019d never seen, asked how they work, tried to implement them into our circuits, and just had fun doing it all,\u201d said Lacy, a U.S. Army veteran and Oregon State University mechanical engineering student. \u201cIn an expanding electrical world, I think it\u2019s important for any engineer to have this skill.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Lacy, those moments of creativity were the biggest highlights of VETS-UP<\/strong><\/a>, a veterans semiconductor upskilling program. The eight-week, paid training opportunity gives military veterans access to the first-rate facility at Analog Devices, Inc.<\/strong><\/a>, 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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

The variety of learning experiences is designed to excite them about entering the semiconductor and robotics ecosystem.<\/p>\n

\u201cI see the semiconductor industry as a place for innovation and growth with many sub-industries that are involved,\u201d Lacy said. \u201cEven if you don\u2019t 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"A

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.<\/p><\/div>\n

VETS-UP is a partnership between Oregon State and ADI, and it\u2019s the student-centered outcome of a $1 million workforce grant<\/a> OSU received from the state\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

For most participants, it\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cSemiconductor manufacturing is one of the most technologically advanced things we as a species do right now,\u201d he said. During the VETS-UP program, Heiges also learned more about innovations happening in the field he might one day join.<\/p>\n

\u201cNanometer-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,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Training the next generation of engineers and semiconductor professionals is one of ADI\u2019s strengths. In addition to VETS-UP, the company regularly hosts bootcamps and programs that give STEM students and educators immersive experiences in semiconductor manufacturing.<\/p>\n

“<\/span>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.”<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Managing director Jos\u00e9 J. Garcia says the 12,000-square foot facility at ADI\u2019s Beaverton campus is perfect for workforce development training, and the company is looking forward to continued collaboration with Oregon State.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe partnership with OSU is like hand in glove,\u201d Garcia said. \u201cWe set up the facility for top-skilling, and it\u2019s a great way to get early-career professionals attracted to semiconductors. Mostly, we\u2019re working with students who want to confirm their career direction.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith VETS-UP, the students have finished their deployment and they\u2019re still trying to figure it out. But for ADI, it\u2019s really about helping them become knowledgeable about the industry and the impact it has.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jessica DuPont, associate vice provost for market development and the student experience in OSU\u2019s Division of Educational Ventures<\/a>, said the project aims to fill a gap in Oregon\u2019s workforce and support an important, skilled group of students.<\/p>\n

\u201cVeterans bring unparalleled skills, leadership and determination to their education and careers, yet they often face unique challenges when transitioning to civilian life,\u201d said DuPont, who co-authored the VETS-UP grant. \u201cInitiatives 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Two<\/p>\n

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\u2019s Corvallis campus as study partners \u2014 or just to play board games.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s College of Engineering<\/a>, the ongoing collaboration with ADI is a natural extension of the relationship OSU has built through bootcamps and other workforce initiatives.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith programs like VETS-UP, we see students become so enthusiastic about the breadth and depth of career opportunities that exist within the semiconductor industry,\u201d Brandis said. \u201cTheir 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cADI is a terrific partner. It\u2019s a company that is very invested in the success of OSU students.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Learn more about VETS-UP<\/a><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

<\/span> 4<\/span> minute read<\/span><\/span>In a semiconductor training facility, 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 \u2014 to let curiosity drive the work.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2874,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,679,670],"tags":[160,662,120,696],"class_list":["post-2873","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all","category-leadership-and-innovation","category-division","tag-college-of-engineering","tag-division-of-educational-ventures","tag-military","tag-semiconductor"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/VETS-UP-Analog-Devices-873-800x450-1.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7BNSE-Kl","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2811,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/techlandia-podcast-semiconductor-revolution-osu\/","url_meta":{"origin":2873,"position":0},"title":"\u2018Techlandia\u2019 podcast: Bridging academia and industry \u2014 The semiconductor revolution at Oregon State","author":"Oregon State University","date":"June 12, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Oregon is rising fast as a national leader in the semiconductor industry \u2014 and Oregon State University is at the forefront of that momentum. 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