Curriculum Development for Semiconductor Industry in Malaysia: A Case Study of Technical Development Programs for Technicians and Engineers in Wafer Manufacturing Company

Recently, Malaysia has made a remarkable progress in engineering and technical development of semiconductor wafer fabrication. This began with the set up of the Malaysian Institute of Microelectronic Systems (MIMOS) in Kuala Lumpur. MIMOS´s Semiconductor Technology Centre, established in 1997, was the 1st Malaysian wafer fabrication facility. The facility was set up as a catalyst for the growth of the microelectronics sector in Malaysia. Since then, other semiconductor fabrications were set up such as SilTerra in Kulim Hi-Tech Park, and 1st Silicon in Sarawak. To develop a pool of skilled and dedicated workforce necessary to support the demands of leading edge manufacturing, both technical and management development programs are equally essential. Besides Silterra, another mega project in Malaysia that is riding on the wave of technology transfer is 1st Silicon Malaysia Sdn. Bhd that embarks on a technology transfer agreement with Sharp Corporation of Japan to set up wafer processing. On the other hand, MIMOS, a premier in microelectronics is a small-scale wafer fabrication focusing on research and development. This company initiated its own micron technology in Malaysia. In keeping with the vision and goals envisioned by Malaysia´s former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, the curriculum development project is designed to equip students and existing employees in the high-technology workforce with a strong and innovative