INDUSTRY ENGAGEMENT SEMINAR EXPLORES CAREER REALITIES AND CHALLENGES IN THE SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY
NIBONG TEBAL, 13 August 2026 - The Industry Network Office, Industry and Community Network Division (BJIM), in collaboration with the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (SEEE), organised a seminar titled “Inside the Semiconductor Industry: Careers, Challenges & Problems Worth Solving” today.
The programme was also attended by the Director of Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Engineering Campus, Professor Ir. Dr. Mariatti Jaafar @ Mustapha.
The seminar provided participants with direct insights from industry professionals on career opportunities, workplace realities and current challenges faced by the semiconductor industry.
Three industry professionals were invited to share their experiences: Justin Lai, Sales Operations Manager at Lam Research, California; Naomi Xu, Data Analyst at Intel Corporation, California; and John Paulson Moonjely, Business Operations Analyst at Lam Research India.
Drawing on their experience in data analytics, business operations and sales operations, the three speakers shared their career journeys and offered insights into the diverse professional roles that support the semiconductor industry ecosystem.
A key focus of the seminar was to encourage participants to look beyond job roles and careers when exploring the semiconductor industry. Participants were also introduced to approaches for understanding company operations, identifying industry challenges and examining problems that could be addressed through research and innovation.
Participants were further encouraged to understand a company's position within the broader semiconductor ecosystem and keep abreast of industry developments to identify emerging needs and challenges requiring academic expertise.
For postgraduate students and researchers, the sharing also highlighted the importance of aligning university research with actual industry needs, including identifying significant problems and developing research questions relevant to the industry.
An interactive question-and-answer session also provided participants with an opportunity to engage directly with the speakers on career development, industry expectations, research opportunities and the competencies needed to thrive in the rapidly evolving semiconductor sector.
The seminar forms part of USM's ongoing efforts to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and industry needs while enhancing students' and researchers' exposure to developments in the sector.
Through programmes such as this, USM continues to provide a platform connecting the academic community with industry practitioners while supporting talent development and research that can contribute towards addressing real-world challenges in the semiconductor industry.
Text: Courtesy of Ts. ChM. Dr. Sumiyyah Sabar / Photo: Muhammad Taufik Abdul Rahman