With graduation and the peak job-hunting season approaching, strengthening the connection between students and the high-tech industry - and helping students grasp industry trends before entering the workforce - has become a key focus for universities and colleges. Recently, Taiwan Tech partnered with WT Microelectronics Co., Ltd., a leading global semiconductor distributor, to host a “One-Day Semiconductor Industry Experience Camp”. The event centered on supply chain practices, IC chip applications, and corporate operations. Through site visits, role-playing, and practical sharing sessions, students were guided to understand the dynamics of the high-tech industry from an industry perspective, encouraging them to reflect early on their career paths and future employment choices.

Taiwan Tech’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering, together with WT Microelectronics Co., Ltd., jointly hosted a “One-Day Semiconductor Industry Experience Camp,” attracting 39 students from 11 public and private universities across Taiwan.

The experience camp was led by frontline managers from WT Microelectronics Co., Ltd.’s various departments. In addition to touring the company’s showroom, participants received in-depth introductions to real-world applications of IC chips across diverse fields such as communications, computing, IoT, and automotive electronics. Through hands-on technical demonstrations and physical exhibits, students observed firsthand how technology translates into products and market value, deepening their understanding of each link in the semiconductor industry chain.

The event attracted 39 students from 11 public and private universities across Taiwan, mostly from mechanical, electrical, and electronic engineering programs, with 16 participants from Taiwan Tech. Professor Ching-Chi Hsu, Chair of Taiwan Tech’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, remarked that the industrial tour helped students appreciate the critical role of semiconductor design and system integration in modern technology. “IC design is not just engineering calculations - it’s a multidisciplinary art. From prototyping to customer applications, every step requires collaboration across different specialties. This experience was highly inspiring for our students,” he said.

The experience camp featured a specially designed “Roleplay” session to help students understand the functional structure behind industry operations. Students were divided into groups to simulate roles such as Market Product Manager (PM), Field Application Engineer (FAE), and Salesperson. In specific project scenarios, they acted out real processes including product introduction, market communication, technical support, and sales strategies. Through this roleplay and teamwork, students enhanced their systematic analysis and problem-solving skills, developed practical thinking, and gained clearer insights into the roles and responsibilities within a team - encouraging them to consider career paths best suited to their personalities and strengths.

Additionally, WT Microelectronics Co., Ltd. managers were invited to share career experiences, providing in-depth explanations of core competencies and growth paths for common positions in the tech industry. From technical R&D to business development, and from product management to customer service, students learned about diverse career options beyond the traditional engineer role. Chen-Kang Ho, Associate Manager of Market PM, emphasized that besides professional skills, “soft skills” such as communication, business acumen, sales strategies, interpersonal interaction, and emotional management are key qualities highly valued and cultivated within companies. WT Microelectronics Co., Ltd.’s Vice General Manager of Sales, Chih-En Lin, also encouraged students by saying, “Challenges are inevitable in learning and career journeys, but with courage and persistence, you can overcome obstacles and realize your dreams.”

The team from WT Microelectronics Co., Ltd. shared industry trends and invited Field Application Engineers (FAEs) and Sales representatives to discuss their roles, providing students with an in-depth understanding of each position’s role, responsibilities, and place within the team.

Each group was specially assigned a manager as a mentor and teaching assistants to guide and support every student throughout the explanations and collaboration.

The event included WT Microelectronics Co., Ltd managers sharing industry trends and career experiences, providing in-depth insights into the core competencies and growth paths of common roles in the tech industry.

Yu-Lin Kuo, Chief Secretary at Taiwan Tech, stated that the “One-Day Semiconductor Industry Experience Camp” is now in its second year and continues to receive high praise from both faculty and students, demonstrating that industry involvement effectively strengthens the connection between academia and practical application. He further noted that Taiwan Tech is currently collaborating with WT Microelectronics Co., Ltd. to offer a credit-bearing course on “Practical Semiconductor AI Applications,” integrating internships and talent development programs to establish a long-term, stable industry-academia partnership. Some students have even extended their internship projects into research papers. “Through this kind of industry-academia integration model, we hope students not only learn theory but also master the practical skills and application contexts required by the industry,” he said.

Participating students gained valuable insights from the industry trend presentations, FAE & Sales role sharing, and the roleplay sessions. They felt the course was rich in knowledge and provided frontline industry information that is rarely accessible on campus. Chen, a first-year Master’s student in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Taiwan Tech, said the event helped her better understand the overall structure and ecosystem of the semiconductor industry, as well as the differences between various job roles. Lin, a student from the Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, shared that face-to-face interaction with company employees and managers was a rare opportunity that yielded great benefits.

Taiwan Tech will continue bridging classrooms and industry settings to help students transition from “learners” to “practitioners,” gradually building clear career directions and competency foundations during their studies, thereby deepening the two-way connection between academia and industry as well as talent cultivation.

The experience camp included a “Roleplay” session where students were divided into groups to simulate roles such as Market Product Manager (PM), Field Application Engineer (FAE), and Sales, collaborating as teams to complete project tasks.

Most participating students come from engineering-related fields such as mechanical, electrical, and electronic engineering, with 16 participants from Taiwan Tech.