Cleanroom Testimonial Bennett Coy
When Bennett Coy graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Chemical Engineering, he knew he wanted to build a career in the semiconductor and micro/nanofabrication industries. There was just one challenge: he had no hands-on cleanroom experience.
“I graduated college with a newfound love for the semiconductor and micro/nanofabrication industries but did not have any experience to help get my foot in the door to start my career,” Bennett recalls.
He had never even stepped inside a cleanroom.
That changed when he enrolled in the XLRN 802.CR Cleanroom Technician course through UCSB Professional and Continuing Education (PaCE). A course created in collaboration with CC PRIME, CNSI, and SBCC.
Getting Hands-On Experience
The one-week Cleanroom Technician course gave Bennett something he was missing as he prepared to enter the industry: practical experience.
“This course gave me the hands-on experience I needed to land my first job in the industry,” he says.
Through the course, Bennett gained experience with fundamental semiconductor fabrication processes including photolithography, etching, and deposition. He also worked on hands-on cleanroom projects that gave him an opportunity to develop physical experience with the processes and environment he would encounter in his career.
For Bennett, the value extended beyond the technical skills.
The relationships he built with instructors, course coordinators, and other members of the cleanroom community became an important part of his professional network.
“The hands-on experience, the demonstrated willingness to grow into a fab role, and the networking connections I made and have kept from taking the course built the ecosystem in which I currently work,” Bennett explains.
From First Job to Process Engineer
The experience Bennett gained through the course helped him transition into his first industry role with greater confidence and familiarity.
Coming out of the course, he already had experience working in a cleanroom environment and an understanding of foundational fabrication processes. He says that preparation allowed him to “hit the ground running” when he started with his new company.
Within months, Bennett had become a valued contributor and mentor to new members of his team.
His career continued to progress, and he moved from Junior Process Engineer to Process Engineer.
Bennett attributes much of that early growth to the combination of hands-on experience, technical fundamentals, and professional relationships he developed through the course.
Skills That Continue Into His Work
Today, the fundamentals Bennett learned during the Cleanroom Technician course remain part of his everyday work.
“I use the fundamentals I learned during my time in the course (photolithography, etching, and deposition) every day,” he says.
Even as his work has become more complex, Bennett sees the same foundational concepts in the processes he designs and develops today.
“No matter how complicated the processes I design and develop are now, every one of them has the same building blocks as the projects done in the course.”
That connection between hands-on learning and professional application is one of the most meaningful outcomes of workforce-focused education: students can begin building practical skills before they enter the industry and continue applying those foundations as their careers develop.
Why Practical Experience Matters
For people trying to enter a technical field, getting that first opportunity can be one of the biggest challenges.
Bennett believes the practical experience he gained through the UCSB PaCE course in partnership with CNSI and CC-PRIME helped him stand out as a candidate.
“I absolutely recommend UCSB PaCE and the CC-PRIME Cleanroom Technician course to others because you come out of the class with the practical knowledge, early career experience, and physical products to show for it!” he says.
From his perspective as an industry professional, that initiative matters.
“Job candidates who have shown interest and willingness in ways like taking this course immediately stand out.”
Building the Next Generation of Semiconductor Talent
Bennett’s experience illustrates what can happen when education provides learners with an opportunity to move beyond theory and gain experience in the environments where technical work actually happens.
What began as a one-week opportunity to step inside a cleanroom became a foundation for Bennett’s entry into the semiconductor industry, his growth as a process engineer, and the professional relationships that continue to connect him to the UCSB cleanroom community.
As Bennett puts it:
“PaCE and the courses offered are truly invaluable! My thanks and appreciation to all who helped make it happen!”
Interested in Building Hands-On Semiconductor Experience?
The UCSB Professional and Continuing Education Cleanroom Technician course provides learners with an opportunity to gain practical experience with semiconductor fabrication fundamentals in a real cleanroom environment.