Paradigm shift

VLSI chipsets refers to microchips containing millions of transistors. Transistors are the basic elements in integrated circuits (ICs), which consist of very large numbers of transistors interconnected with circuitry and baked into a single silicon microchip or ‘chip.’

Almost all top chip companies have R&D centres in India, with Bangalore, Hyderabad, Delhi and Chennai driving the growth. Nearly 130 firms, including MNCs, design chipsets in India with 70 of them having a unit in Bangalore. These firms need qualified and well-trained VLSI design engineers, who are few in number.

A career in VLSI design does not offer any shortcut to success. But once the engineer finds a foothold in VLSI, the returns are fantastic. As the study curriculum and delivery are not in sync with industry trends, there is a need for engineering graduates to attend finishing schools for jobs in VLSI. Such schools are very few in number.

RV-VLSI not only facilitates this paradigm shift, but opens up opportunities for students in R&D as well. It offers PG diploma courses and internship plans for students. Recognising the need for providing hands-on industry experience for engineering students, RV-VLSI is partnering with leading semiconductor firms.

Recently, Altera Corporation, a pioneer in programmable logic solutions, headquartered in San Jose, CA, USA, forged a partnership to set up an Innovation Lab, the first of its kind facility in India, involving a joint investment worth US$ 1 million.

According to a survey, more than 90 per cent of job openings in the VLSI segment are in Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) and Embedded Systems.

The courses offered include Advanced Diploma in ASIC Design, Diploma in Digital Design & Verification, Diploma in VLSI Physical Design, and Certificate Course in Custom Layout Engineering. Apart from these, there are short refresher courses in VLSI design and VLSI boot-camps. Corporate training programmes and BE projects for eighth semester students are also available.