DRYDEN, NY (607NewsNow) — Tompkins Cortland Community College’s first run at offering a Microelectronics and Nanomanufacturing Certificate Program was a success and will continue on. Background on this program can be found in our article from June here.

The course is free for veterans and their dependents, with the first cohort from fall of 2024 having one dependent and two veterans, all with different backgrounds. One student had a bachelor’s degree and is pursuing a master’s degree, one works in the industry and wanted to build on their skill set, and one has an associate’s degree.

Students get to connect in person with companies and people from the industry, allowing them to build connections and find employment if needed.

“There’s virtual and in person meetings with people from the industry so the students get exposure to new opportunities and can start forming relationships. There’s an annual industry day at Cornell as well as an NNN (New York State Nanotechnology Network) event, both of which the students from the fall cohort attended. Cornell even helps them apply and we keep in contact with the students until they’re able to find employment,” says Sophia Georgiakaki, Professor and Engineering Department Chair at TC3.

Recruitment for the spring 2025 cohort has ended, and a lengthy selection process will be completed before the class starts in January.

“The selection process takes a couple months and includes an interview with students who have applied to get a good sense of their background in science and technology. We describe the course to them and invite them to the Cornell Nanoscale Facility (CNF) for a meet and greet. This allows them to meet the whole team and get an idea of what it would actually be like to take the course and attend the class. Those who continue with their application after that are asked how they’ll ensure that they complete the course. It’s intensive, a full semester’s worth of coursework in twelve weeks, so we try and be sure that those who are interested know exactly what the experience will be and see if it’s compatible with them.”

Those who finish the course earn 40+ hours of cleanroom experience as a result of getting hands on practice with industrial systems at CNF, allowing them to have relevant training they can apply to a career in the industry.

The program will be offered again in the fall of 2025, with the recruitment process starting in March or April of 2025. Those interested can start applying at that time, with interviews starting in the summer. To learn more about how to apply, visit TC3’s page for the program here.