Micron Semiconductor India Pvt Ltd (MSIPL), the chip manufacturer which had committed to starting India’s first semiconductor plant in Sanand soon, has made its first round of recruitments from local campuses. Thirty-odd students have received employment offers or internship-cum-employment opportunities at the firm. Experts expect around 150 fresh engineering graduates from Gujarat to be absorbed in the new and upcoming semicon sector by year-end.
Fresh electronics and communications (E&C) graduates have bagged annual packages ranging from INR 15 lakh to INR 20 lakh.
Micron’s Sanand plant is India’s first big-ticket semiconductor project with an estimated investment of INR 22,500 crore. At Sanand GIDC, the company is set to establish one of the country’s biggest Assembly, Testing, Marking and Packaging (ATMP) plant, which is expected to provide direct employment to 5,000 and indirect employment to 15,000-odd professionals. Prof Usha Mehta, professor and postgraduate coordinator for very large-scale integration (VLSI) design course at the Electronics and Communications (E&C) Department, Institute of Technology of Nirma University, said that MSIPL has extended offers to 12 E&C graduating students so far. “The students are trained in VLSI design – an integral part of creating an integrated circuit. It is a direct campus recruitment.”
Prof Mehta said the semiconductor sector promises to open up lucrative opportunities for engineering graduates. She added the company is already back for the second round where interns are being hired for a six-month period.
At Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology (DAIICT), Gandhinagar, the semiconductor manufacturer has so far recruited four students. Placement coordinators said it is the start of the placement process and more students are expected to be absorbed by MSIPL.
“The offer currently has six months of paid internship which would include three months’ training at the Malaysia facility of Micron Technology. The firm will provide the travel expenses and accommodation,” said a DAIICT official. Prof S S Manoharan, director general, Pandit Deendayal Energy University (PDEU), said at least 10 students have received MSIPL offers so far.
“The number is set to rise as the firm is already back for the second round. Currently, the focus is on trained E&C engineers, but I believe that future recruitments would be wider in the context of engineering disciplines that can cater to different stages of chip manufacturing,” he said. Experts associated with the initiative said that DAIICT has already started a full-fledged course on semiconductors, whereas several other engineering colleges have either added a module or have focused on VLSI design as a component so that they can opt for a career in semiconductors. An advisor to the state government told TOI on condition of anonymity that by year-end, the firm is likely to absorb 150-odd fresh engineering graduates.
“The training is likely to start from January-February. By the end of the next year, we would have the first batch of experts who would propel the production facility in the state,” he said, adding that ITIs and other institutes may also benefit with Micron’s arrival. Ajit Shah, president, Sanand Industries Association, said they are in process of setting up a mini-ITI at Sanand GIDC to cater to the demand. “We will provide an entire floor for skill development of local youths,” he said.
