An education program to support technological change in semiconductor manufacturing

The development and implementation of the education program for production employees at IBM, Essex Junction, are described. The basic courses are taught at the high school level. Intermediate and advanced courses are taught at the two-year technical college level. General concepts learned at the basic level become thorough knowledge at the intermediate level. Electronics courses dominate the advanced level. Academic courses are accredited and completion of the curriculum results in a technical equivalent of an electronic technology AAS degree. This education plan provides formal education along with process and tool training to position the company for the technical challenges of the 1990s. It addresses an environment of rapid delivery of new technology, higher quality and more complex products, sophisticated tools and processes, and a changing work content for production employees. The curriculum is outlined