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The BritChips Podcast

The BritChips Podcast

This is the future of the UK semiconductor industry!

Sep 17, 2026 · 7 min · 7 segments

Each year, the UK Electronics Skills Foundation (UK ESF) offers hundreds of scholarships to students about to embark on an undergraduate degree in electronics and related disciplines at UK…

Each year, the UK Electronics Skills Foundation (UK ESF) offers hundreds of scholarships to students about to embark on an undergraduate degree in electronics and related disciplines at UK universities. The scholarship, which includes a bursary of £4,000 a year, offers students the opportunity for industry placements, a potential stepping stone towards a career in the UK semiconductor industry. Last week I attended the UK ESF Awards event celebrating the latest cohort, and spoke with previous scholars to find out ‘what the UK ESF did for me’, so to speak. And the answer is, ‘a lot’...

Each year, the UK Electronics Skills Foundation (UK ESF) offers hundreds of scholarships to students about to embark on an undergraduate degree in electronics and related disciplines at UK…

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Show signals: SuitabilitySafeBiasNot political

Speakers: KatjaGuestNikita KondoraciGuestStanley BoothGuestAnthony MillerHostKaushik KodiarGuestKatie WheelerGuestMilesGuestSophiaGuest

Top entities: United Kingdom×10 Application-specific integrated circuit×12 Field-programmable gate array×4 Raspberry Pi×4 University of York×2

Katja’s Career Aspirations0:41 – 1:48

Anthony MillerHost

0:41

Do you have any idea when you started your career that this was what you wanted to do? No.

K

KatjaGuest

0:47

So I did electronic and electrical engineering.

K

KatjaGuest

0:53

But there was a digital design model, I think, that I really enjoyed.

K

KatjaGuest

0:58

And because of that, I looked into semiconductors and this whole new area opened up.

K

KatjaGuest

1:06

So then I wanted to do a placement within the semiconductor industry.

K

KatjaGuest

1:11

And that's where UKESF came in.

Anthony MillerHost

1:14

And tell me, do you have a big dream? Is this all aiming for something for you?

K

KatjaGuest

1:20

For now, just building my career, getting as much experience as I can get.

K

KatjaGuest

1:26

And I really want to know the whole picture of the industry, not just one specific area.

K

KatjaGuest

1:33

So that's why I try to do a bit of everything.

K

KatjaGuest

1:35

So design, verification, implementation, and all that.

Anthony MillerHost

1:39

Do you ever see yourself becoming a tech entrepreneur?

K

KatjaGuest

1:42

Yeah, perhaps.

K

KatjaGuest

1:43

If something comes up, definitely.

K

KatjaGuest

1:45

I'm open to everything.

Anthony MillerHost

1:47

Katja, thank you very much indeed.

United KingdomCountryCountry in Europe
94%10 mentions
Application-specific integrated circuitEntity
83%12 mentions
Field-programmable gate arrayEntity
72%4 mentions
Raspberry PiEntityComputer
61%4 mentions
University of YorkCollege or UniversityPublic university in York, England
50%2 mentions
Loughborough UniversityCollege or UniversityPublic university in Loughborough, England
39%2 mentions
Master of EngineeringEntityDegree
28%2 mentions
Electronics engineeringEntityDiscipline
17%1 mention
AppleCompanyTechnology company
6%1 mention

Electrical and Electronic EngineeringEducation > Higher Education > Engineering Education
Engineering CareersPersonal Development > Career Development
Engineering EducationEducation > Higher Education
Electrical EngineeringEngineering
Semiconductor Design TrainingEducation > Higher Education > Engineering Education > Electrical and Electronic Engineering
ASIC and FPGA DesignEngineering > Electrical Engineering > Semiconductor Engineering
Digital Circuit ImplementationEngineering > Electrical Engineering > Semiconductor Engineering > ASIC and FPGA Design
Semiconductor Industry PlacementsBusiness > Employment > Internships
UKESF University-Industry Placement SchemeBusiness > Employment > Internships > Semiconductor Industry Placements
ASIC Design WorkflowTechnology > Semiconductors > Integrated Circuits
Design Verification and RF CharacterizationTechnology > Semiconductors > Integrated Circuits > ASIC Design Workflow
Graduate RecruitmentPersonal Development > Career Development > Engineering Careers
Semiconductor Engineering Career PathwaysPersonal Development > Career Development > Engineering Careers > Graduate Recruitment
SemiconductorsTechnology
Semiconductor EngineeringEngineering > Electrical Engineering
InternshipsBusiness > Employment
Career DevelopmentPersonal Development
EmploymentBusiness
Personal Development
Education
Technology
Business
Engineering
Integrated CircuitsTechnology > Semiconductors
Higher EducationEducation

Katja’s Career Aspirations0:41 – 1:48

Anthony MillerHost

0:41

Do you have any idea when you started your career that this was what you wanted to do? No.

K

KatjaGuest

0:47

So I did electronic and electrical engineering.

K

KatjaGuest

0:53

But there was a digital design model, I think, that I really enjoyed.

K

KatjaGuest

0:58

And because of that, I looked into semiconductors and this whole new area opened up.

K

KatjaGuest

1:06

So then I wanted to do a placement within the semiconductor industry.

K

KatjaGuest

1:11

And that's where UKESF came in.

Anthony MillerHost

1:14

And tell me, do you have a big dream? Is this all aiming for something for you?

K

KatjaGuest

1:20

For now, just building my career, getting as much experience as I can get.

K

KatjaGuest

1:26

And I really want to know the whole picture of the industry, not just one specific area.

K

KatjaGuest

1:33

So that's why I try to do a bit of everything.

K

KatjaGuest

1:35

So design, verification, implementation, and all that.

Anthony MillerHost

1:39

Do you ever see yourself becoming a tech entrepreneur?

K

KatjaGuest

1:42

Yeah, perhaps.

K

KatjaGuest

1:43

If something comes up, definitely.

K

KatjaGuest

1:45

I'm open to everything.

Anthony MillerHost

1:47

Katja, thank you very much indeed.

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