Don't Build a Tower. Build a Bridge.

Right now, several universities in Sonora are discussing how to respond to the momentum around semiconductors.

Some are proposing a dedicated master’s program in semiconductors. Others are exploring new degrees or specialized certificates.

This isn’t unusual. When a new industry priority emerges, the academic instinct is often to build a new tower.

It’s visible. It’s fundable. It feels like progress.

But semiconductors — and particularly ATP — don’t need a new tower. They need a bridge.

The most powerful thing a university can do right now isn’t create a siloed program. It’s to embed semiconductor knowledge and ATP-relevant skills into every major that touches the value chain: electrical, mechanical, chemical, industrial, materials.

That’s how the ecosystem gets to scale.

That’s how you make talent mobile.

And that’s how you build a pipeline that looks like what OSATs actually need.

We've Seen This Before

This same thing happened with entrepreneurship.

Instead of making entrepreneurial thinking part of every program — engineering, architecture, law, design — many universities created standalone entrepreneurship degrees.

The result? A few specialists. A missed opportunity.

Semiconductors are heading down the same path. We don’t need 20 students in a master's program. We need 2,000 students — across the state — learning semiconductor-relevant content, in programs that already exist.

And to get there, universities will have to do something hard: align with each other.

This is consistent with the approach ASU has taken in Arizona — embedding semiconductor capabilities into existing degree pathways instead of isolating them in standalone programs. The results speak for themselves.

Why This Matters

For micro-credentials and technician pathways to work, students need to be able to move between institutions — even across borders.

That doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when:

• Curricula align around common standards

• Credits are transferable

• Programs embed ATP content horizontally, not just vertically

This is what SIA recommends in its workforce reports. And it’s what Sonora will need to do if it wants to build talent that’s not just available — but investable.