NXP Semiconductors launches Women In Tech programme to bridge gender imbalances in industry

American-Dutch semiconductor designer and manufacturer, NXP Semiconductors’ India R&D arm, NXP India, has launched a ‘Women in Tech’ (WIT) program, in order to bridge gender imbalances in the semiconductor design industry.  

According to the company, 50 female students, who are currently completing their second year, B.E. or B.Tech in electronics or computer science, will be shortlisted to get an NXP scholarship. The program also claims to offer monetary reward of ₹50,000 to each participant and provide internship and job opportunities at NXP.

Sanjay Gupta, Vice President, and India Managing Director, NXP Semiconductors, said, “Through this structured scholarship and training program, we want to empower women at an early stage in their graduation level and mentor them towards a successful career in the semiconductor industry”.  

The year-long program intends to give female students the exposure and opportunities to make a difference in the semiconductor space. It will help them to develop relevant skills and empower the future with their knowledge, prowess, and creativity, the company said.

It will be a hybrid program encompassing theory, industry-relevant use cases and practical classes on areas such as system on chip (SoC) architecture, analogue design, design architecture, verification and validation, and much more. This program will be delivered in collaboration with FutureWiz, a Noida-based training institute for Very-large-scale integration (VLSI) industry.

“Tech Industry is one of the largest and fastest-growing in today’s times but the representation of women in the sector is extremely low. We need women in the tech industry as diversity and innovation help businesses thrive,” said Lars Reger, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, NXP Semiconductors. 

He added that companies need to take the agenda of diversity a little more strategically in the workplace as it not only improves the work culture but has a direct impact on the profitability and productivity. 

In June, US-based semiconductor company Texas Instruments (TI) also launched a similar programme, WiSH - Women in Semiconductors and Hardware – a mentorship programme for female engineering students from across India.

The month-long programme, aimed to give the students an exposure to semiconductors and encourage them to pursue a career in this industry. More than 40 students from across 18 colleges including IIT-Madras, IIT - Kharagpur, BITS, NIT -Surathkal and Delhi Technological University participated in the programme. 

The programme was conducted as a mix of virtual and in-person mentoring, and involved hands-on experience designing a chip through simulation experiments, lab visits and technical talks. 

The semiconductor industry has been dominated by men globally, more than most other industries. A February 2020 survey by the Global Semiconductor Alliance and Accenture showed that women represent about 20-25% of the industry workforce, falling to under 10% in higher roles.