Mayan-on-Chip: Training Mexico's Next Semiconductor Engineers
Nasska Medrano of Altium Education and Professor Johan Estrada of the Autonomous University of Yucatán (UADY) discuss the Mayan-on-Chip initiative, a workforce development program in southeastern Mexico designed to train engineers in electronics, embedded systems, and semiconductors. The first cohort exceeded expectations with 72 graduates, addressing the gap between academic theory and industry needs for practical PCB design and semiconductor skills. They highlight how Mexico's national semiconductor plan and nearshoring trends are driving a shift from pure manufacturing to engineering and R&D, requiring coordinated efforts among government, academia, and industry partners like Intel and Microsoft.