Qualcomm strengthens semiconductor industry with universities in Baja California

BAJA CALIFORNIA - As part of the follow-up of the coordination work for the promotion of the strategic semiconductor industry in Baja California, especially Qualcomm, the Secretary of Economy and Innovation, accompanied by representatives of educational institutions of the state, held a meeting with company executives at their corporate offices to tour their test and manufacturing laboratories, to find new opportunities for collaboration.

Kurt Honold Morales, Secretary of Economy and Innovation of Baja California explained that the meeting held in San Diego, was attended by rectors and directors of the Autonomous University of Baja California (UABC), Cetys Universidad, Technological University of Tijuana (UTT), Polytechnic University of Baja California (UPBC), Center for Scientific Research and Higher Education of Ensenada (CICESE), Center for Research and Development of Digital Technology (CITEDI).

Also, representatives of the General Directorate of Industrial and Service Technology Education (DGETI), an agency attached to the Undersecretary of Higher Education and the promotional agency “Tijuana EDC” participated in the meeting.

Qualcomm, a multinational company that creates semiconductors, software and services related to wireless technology, seeks to strengthen its operations in Baja California, so its operations and engineering managers, Brad Nolte and Sergio Mier, and staff from software engineering, supply chain, global procurement, chip packaging, design and testing, government relations and university relations, shared their needs and talent requirements to coordinate successful collaboration programs with educational institutions in Baja California.

Honold Morales explained that Qualcomm's arrival to Baja California has set a benchmark for the semiconductor industry in the region.

“We have received their engineering managers in Baja California, touring laboratories in key areas such as electronics, software development and semiconductors of the main higher education institutions in Baja California, identifying timely linkage with their needs, so today we visited their corporate to learn about new areas of operation and talent needs of this industry giant,” said Honold.

During the event, SEI's Undersecretary of Investment Management, Rodolfo Andrade Pelayo, presented the State's strategy to develop talent, promoting the region's capabilities and specific actions of the semiconductor state plan, being talent a pillar to consolidate the value center in the region.