3 ms·

I mean, what do you mean by “chip manufacturing”? I’m sure there are plenty of people designing chips at Intel/AMD/Nvidia/Apple/etc. that are good at reading di

by trevyn 5y ago

I mean, what do you mean by “chip manufacturing”? I’m sure there are plenty of people designing chips at Intel/AMD/Nvidia/Apple/etc. that are good at reading die shots, so the real question might be, what career path will get you to work closely with these people and learn from them. Unless you actually mean working at a fab? Which strikes me as more process engineering than typical HN interests.

baybal2 5y ago
An average semi engineering course in US/Canada will teach you a bit of everything, including physical device manufacturing. India is much more VLSI, and applied skills heavy (Cadence,) thus they dominate there. None of US multinationals will hire a fresh "average" US semi engineering graduate. Maybe MIT + 1 more top schools, but otherwise fresh grads have no chances on the job market against already experienced people coming from Asia to do their PhDs in US.
- trevyn 5y ago
  Right! My point is that they will hire fresh software engineers/other disciplines, and then with some networking and being on an adjacent team, you get access to informal learning opportunities and internal transfer opportunities, so that over the longer arc of your career you can get into whatever field you want.
xattt 5y ago
I did mean chip design in my question. I‘ll (partly) admit to being a helicopter parent, so I am just curious about various career paths for a kid who shows interest in electronics, and what one particular career path (i.e. chip design) entails these days. I’m also very aware the epicentres of “top schools” will likely shift in the next 15-20 years, that kids’ interests and talents are labile, and that true self-determination is the key to a successful and happy life.
- baybal2 5y ago
  I am conflicted on this myself. Even most basic coding keeps being more profitable than EE. I went to live, and make money in the mainland China for a few years. It was a hard bargain with the conscience. I simply cannot fathom how the industry can be done in the West now, and the labour price has nothing to do with that for the reason it's higher in China for actual, non-software engineering.
- trevyn 5y ago
  Got it. Somewhat non-intuitively from the outside, hardware is far less glamorous and lucrative than software. If you really like hardware, then software that drives hardware is the place to be — you still get to play with and learn about the hardware, but you’re not in the mines, as it were. And — big one — your skills largely transfer. At any rate, if it’s not common knowledge these days, get the kid a cheap second-hand bench-top oscilloscope. As long as the basic functions work, it doesn’t matter if it’s from the 1980s. But that thing is your eyes. And the knobs are fun.
  - xattt 5y ago
    Thanks for your take on this! Your comment triggered warm memories of playing with my grandfather’s Soviet oscilloscope as a kid. It had knobs so clicky that you’d feel them your knuckles! :)

by trevyn 5y ago

baybal2 5y ago

An average semi engineering course in US/Canada will teach you a bit of everything, including physical device manufacturing. India is much more VLSI, and applied skills heavy (Cadence,) thus they dominate there. None of US multinationals will hire a fresh "average" US semi engineering graduate. Maybe MIT + 1 more top schools, but otherwise fresh grads have no chances on the job market against already experienced people coming from Asia to do their PhDs in US.

trevyn 5y ago
Right! My point is that they will hire fresh software engineers/other disciplines, and then with some networking and being on an adjacent team, you get access to informal learning opportunities and internal transfer opportunities, so that over the longer arc of your career you can get into whatever field you want.

xattt 5y ago

I did mean chip design in my question. I‘ll (partly) admit to being a helicopter parent, so I am just curious about various career paths for a kid who shows interest in electronics, and what one particular career path (i.e. chip design) entails these days. I’m also very aware the epicentres of “top schools” will likely shift in the next 15-20 years, that kids’ interests and talents are labile, and that true self-determination is the key to a successful and happy life.

baybal2 5y ago
I am conflicted on this myself. Even most basic coding keeps being more profitable than EE. I went to live, and make money in the mainland China for a few years. It was a hard bargain with the conscience. I simply cannot fathom how the industry can be done in the West now, and the labour price has nothing to do with that for the reason it's higher in China for actual, non-software engineering.
trevyn 5y ago
Got it. Somewhat non-intuitively from the outside, hardware is far less glamorous and lucrative than software. If you really like hardware, then software that drives hardware is the place to be — you still get to play with and learn about the hardware, but you’re not in the mines, as it were. And — big one — your skills largely transfer. At any rate, if it’s not common knowledge these days, get the kid a cheap second-hand bench-top oscilloscope. As long as the basic functions work, it doesn’t matter if it’s from the 1980s. But that thing is your eyes. And the knobs are fun.
- xattt 5y ago
  Thanks for your take on this! Your comment triggered warm memories of playing with my grandfather’s Soviet oscilloscope as a kid. It had knobs so clicky that you’d feel them your knuckles! :)