Education · 1 of 5

The path

A four year engineering degree is the door. There is no way around it in hardware.

1. 1

   High school with heavy math and physics

   Grade 12

   Calculus and physics are the entry requirements for almost every engineering school.

2. 2

   Bachelor of science in computer engineering

   4 years

   Pick a program accredited by ABET (the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology), which is what employers and licensing boards recognize.

3. 3

   Internships or a co-op

   Summers, or a full year

   One or two paid summers inside a real company. This is what turns a degree into a job offer.

4. 4

   First engineering job

   1 to 2 years

   Junior design, verification or test engineer. You learn the company's tools for a year before you are trusted with your own block of the design.

5. 5

   Master's degree, if you want chip design

   1 to 2 more years

   Optional for most roles, close to expected for advanced semiconductor and processor design work.