Switching into VLSI through M.Tech, need some guidance
I'll be starting my M.Tech soon with IIT Kharagpur Futurense, and I've decided to make a career switch into VLSI with their VLSI course.
My background isn't in chip design. I spent the last couple of years working in a different engineering domain, so in many ways I'm starting from scratch. I remember digital electronics from college, but that's about where my confidence ends 😅
The more I read, the more I realize VLSI isn't just one field. There's RTL Design, Verification, Physical Design, DFT, STA, FPGA, Analog and each seems like an entirely different career.
What I'm trying to avoid is chasing whatever role happens to be hiring the most when placements start. I'd rather spend the next two years building solid fundamentals and specialize for the right reasons
For people already in the industry:
- If you were starting over, what would you learn first?
- Which skills have actually helped your career the most?
- Are there roles you'd recommend (or avoid) if the goal is long-term growth?
Every advice counts to me & I'm from India