Xilinx testing out China training program

SHANGHAI — Xilinx Inc. is spinning up an experimental training program in China that aims to train 1,000 IC and system designers in the coming year to help seed local innovation and to win loyalty for its products.

Its initial effort is focused on Shanghai. The firm signed a deal with the Zhangjiang Institute of Innovation, a national outsourcing services training facility backed by the Ministry of Commerce and the Shanghai municipal government.

The Xilinx program is part of an effort launched last year, when Xilinx said it would spend $75 million to fund programmable logic-based system development in the Asia Pacific. China is one of the major targets.

FPGA rival Altera is also expanding its training programs in China, focsuing on the establishment of labs and training centers in local colleges and univeristies.