ECC to aid region's incoming industries with semiconductor manufacturing courses in fall 2015

Erie Community College will offer training essential for careers inside new nanotechnology-focused companies and industries opening across Western New York with a one-semester course sequence in semiconductor manufacturing, starting in fall of 2015 at the college's north campus in Williamsville.

Semiconductors act as essential operational components inside most electronic devices, including such items as smartphones, personal computers and tablets. ECC's planned courses - including offerings like electrical circuits I, computer applications for electricians and introduction to nanotechnology - will provide students the fundamental knowledge of semiconductor processing and fabrication, DC electricity and quality control principles and software.

Hands-on laboratory courses will not only prepare students to make electrical measurements required for testing photovoltaic cells and panels, but also expose students to a variety of semiconductor fabrication and characterization equipment used in the manufacturing of the type of photovoltaic panels produced for solar energy. And although no math course is required to earn a letter of completion for the sequence, a math placement test (with college-level math) will be administered to all incoming students.

Once students complete the semester's courses - which are drawn from accredited degree programs in electrical engineering technology AAS, industrial technology AOS and nanotechnology AA - they'll be able to demonstrate the ability to use electrical instruments to perform standard tests, measurements and tasks; operate nanofabrication process equipment with a focus on safety, environmental and health issues; and apply quality standards used by industries across Buffalo-set locations at Riverbend and the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus.

Students also will benefit from the sequence's faculty, who recently augmented their own course training within Penn State University's Nanotechnology Applications and Career Knowledge (NACK) Center, which a National Science Foundation designated National Center of Excellence for Nanotechnology Workforce Development.

For more information, contact Barb Bohlen in ECC's Office of Transition Programs at 716-851-1239.