Altium Education Celebrates First Mayan-on-Chip Cohort Advancing Semiconductor Talent Development in Yucatán

In partnership with academic, government, and industry leaders, the initiative recognized emerging engineering talent in semiconductor technologies, VLSI design, and PCB development across southeastern Mexico.

MÉRIDA, Mexico--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Altium, a global leader in software and solutions for the electronics industry, today announced the successful completion of the first Mayan-on-Chip cohort through Altium Education. Mayan-on-Chip is a regional initiative designed to develop highly specialized semiconductor and electronics design talent in Yucatán, Mexico. Altium Education joined academic, government, and industry leaders to celebrate.

Led by the Autonomous University of Yucatán (Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, UADY) in collaboration with local governments of the Secretaría de Economía y Trabajo de Yucatán (SETY), and the Sistema Nacional de Empleo Yucatán (SNEY), the program provided advanced training in Verilog HDL (hardware description language), SystemVerilog for Design and Verification, VLSI (Very Large-Scale Integration) design principles, ATP (Assembly, Testing, and Packaging) capabilities, and PCB (Printed Circuit Board) design and simulation using Altium solutions.

Development for the initiative began in January 2024, with the first implementation taking place during the Fall 2025 semester (July–December). The program received 150 applications for an initial 60 spots. Ultimately, 90 students were accepted into the cohort, and 72 successfully completed all four courses and certification requirements.

The closing ceremony, held at the Faculty of Engineering at UADY, recognized undergraduate students, graduate students, and engineering graduates from southeastern Mexico who successfully completed the program and earned official recognitions and certifications endorsed by Altium, SETY, SNEY, and independent semiconductor corporation ALTERA.

The initiative reflects a growing effort across academia, government, and industry to strengthen the semiconductor ecosystem in Mexico by building practical, industry-relevant engineering skills aligned with emerging workforce demands.

“As the semiconductor industry continues to evolve globally, initiatives like Mayan-on-Chip play an important role in creating opportunities for students and emerging engineers to gain hands-on experience with modern design technologies and workflows,” said Rea Callender, VP of Education and Training at Altium. “We are proud to support programs that help connect education with real-world engineering innovation.”

The event featured remarks from representatives of UADY, SETY, CANIETI (National Chamber of the Electronics, Telecommunications, and Information Technologies Industry), the National Employment Service, ALTERA, and Altium, alongside a formal recognition ceremony honoring the inaugural cohort.

Through Altium Education, Altium continues collaborating with universities, educators, governments, and industry organizations worldwide to help expand access to professional-grade PCB design tools, engineering training, and workforce development opportunities that prepare students for careers in electronics and advanced technology industries.

About Altium Education

Altium Education bridges the gap between electronics engineering education and industry by providing accessible learning tools for students and educators. Through partnerships with leading companies and universities worldwide, this Altium-led program delivers hands-on PCB design training that prepares students for careers in electronics design, embedded systems, and hardware engineering. Learn more at Education.Altium.com.

About Altium

Altium Limited, a part of the Renesas Group and headquartered in San Diego, California, is a global software company accelerating the pace of electronics innovation. Altium delivers digital solutions that maximize productivity in electronics design, connect all stakeholders throughout the creation process, provide seamless access to component sources and intelligence, and manage the entire electronics lifecycle. The Altium ecosystem speeds the realization of electronics-based products across multiple industries and every size company. Learn more at Altium.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, X, YouTube, and Instagram.

About Mayan-on-Chip

Mayan-on-Chip is a collaborative talent development initiative led by the Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán in partnership with the Secretaría de Economía y Trabajo de Yucatán and the Sistema Nacional de Empleo Yucatán. The program aims to develop highly specialized engineering talent in semiconductor technologies, VLSI design, and advanced electronics development across southeastern Mexico.