Cadence Academic Network - The Next Generation

Innovation starts with our people—and today’s students are the next generation of technology innovators. Dr. Patrick Haspel, senior principal program manager, currently runs one of Cadence’s most interesting and innovative programs, the Cadence® Academic Network.

Through the Cadence Academic Network, we provide future engineers with access to our cutting-edge software as we collaborate with instructors to develop a curriculum that applies design theories to real-world engineering challenges. Cadence donates software worth over a million dollars each year to students at close to 1,000 universities around the world.

Cadence is committed to creating a sustainable pool of EDA engineering talent by preparing students with the tools and training they need to thrive in the competitive semiconductor and electronics industry. Students who use Cadence technology during their time at universities get first-hand experience with our EDA tools and often look to join Cadence after graduation or encourage their future employers to become Cadence customers.

Last year, 12% of our new hires were recent college graduates and we had another 100+ interns around the world. Our robust community of interns and recent graduates encourages our university talent to grow their skills and make a difference at Cadence. Every year, we hold an annual Intern Showcase event where interns share their projects with Cadence Fellows, Distinguished Engineers, executives, and employees. We celebrate their contributions with fun parties and mixers, as well as expose them to the One Cadence—One Team culture.

Fotios Ntampitzias, a recent college graduate on our DSG team, was asked to describe his experience at Cadence. He said, “There is no typical day at Cadence, mainly because every day there is a different challenge! Each design is different, each customer is different, which creates a very diverse workload. Plus, I can really feel proud of my achievements every day I go back home, as I know that I am actively helping people lead better lives thanks to our work.”

Pedro Coke, an intern at Cadence prior to being hired full-time at our Munich location, was first exposed to Cadence EDA tools at the University of Porto in Portugal, where he was a student. Now, after one year at Cadence, he says, “I’m still learning something new every day.”

Patrick’s idea for the Cadence Academic Network came while he was a PhD student and noticed that the technical industry was not capitalizing on the opportunity to work with top universities. This was the start of a unique relationship between Cadence and university professors that has expanded worldwide under Patrick’s leadership.

The culture at Cadence has enabled Patrick to take his dream and turn it into a reality. Employees at all levels and in all areas of the company are encouraged to innovate, take initiative, collaborate, and make a difference. Thanks to Patrick, the Cadence Academic Network has become a huge and global success, helping students around the world expand their skills and prepare to drive the future of innovation.