Silicon Photonics Technician Skill Standards Survey for Industry
The National Center for Optics and Photonics Education (OP‑TEC, op-tec.org) has been directed by the National Science Foundation’s Advanced Technological Education program to support the technician workforce development initiatives of the national Integrated Photonics Manufacturing Initiative (IPMI).
As part of this work, OP‑TEC’s Principal Investigator, Dan Hull, has been asked to identify strategies and provide needed resources for Silicon Photonics (SiP) Workforce Development Skill Standards. Skill Standards are used to document the skills, knowledge and performance standards that employers require in their workers, and to communicate the information to education and training providers, such as community and technical colleges. Community and technical colleges can then use the skill standards to develop curricula and course content that meets the needs that employers have identified.
OP‑TEC has initially identified two types of Silicon Photonics Technicians, 1) Wafer Fab Equipment Technicians, and 2) Integrated Photonics Test and Assembly Technicians. We are currently focused on the Test and Assembly Technicians, and have developed a draft set of Skill Standards that list 10 Critical Work Functions and Tasks that have been identified for IP Test and Assembly Technicians.
IP Test and Assembly technicians typically have two-year degrees from community colleges and are responsible for the operation and maintenance of equipment used to test wafers, as well as interpreting the results of the tests. Some of these technicians may also be responsible for the assembly and packaging of photonic integrated circuits (PICs) while others are responsible for the operation and maintenance of equipment to test the PICs, as well as interpreting the results of those tests. These technicians also should have an understanding of failure analysis and reliability to aid in diagnosing failed parts and systems. They work in a clean environment, where personal equipment and clothing are designed to help control the level of contamination within the environment.
For more information about the Skill Standards and the OP-TEC Integrated Photonics Textbook see: Webinar on Preparing and Educating Technicians for Integrated Photonics Manufacturing
We are asking employers to complete a brief survey to finalize the skill standards validation process for Integrated Photonics Test and Assembly Technicians.
Thank you for supporting community college based technician education.
Gordon F Snyder
snyder@op-tec.org
413-539-8900
