A Study on Strategies and Methods for Early- Stage Cultivation of Chip Innovation Talent under the CYCORE Project

There is an urgent global and national shortage of skilled semiconductor professionals, underscoring a critical need to cultivate chip-design expertise among young learners. The CYCORE project is a government-supported youth semiconductor education initiative aimed at strengthening this early-stage talent pipeline. In this study, the CYCORE curriculum—spanning the full chip design process from basic electronics to simplified CPU design—is analyzed, and classroom implementation case studies are presented. A structured I/E/C/K/S questionnaire (measuring student Interest, Engagement, Creativity, Knowledge, and Skills) is used to evaluate student outcomes. Results indicate that CYCORE’s hands-on, project-based modules substantially boost student engagement and interest in chip technology and foster early innovation capabilities. Students reported high satisfaction and demonstrated improvements in applied knowledge, creative problem-solving skills, and confidence through hands-on design challenges. These findings suggest that targeted semiconductor education can effectively contribute to the STEM talent pipeline.