I’ve been looking at how students usually learn FPGA design, and there seems to be a big difference between understanding Verilog/SystemVerilog concepts and being able to work confidently on an actual board.
For example, writing RTL is one thing, but working with constraints, clocks, synthesis, implementation, debugging, and verifying behavior on hardware feels like a different level of learning.
For students targeting FPGA or digital design roles, what kind of practical experience do you think is enough before applying?
Would a few well-structured projects on a real FPGA board be more useful than doing many simulation-only exercises?
Also curious to know which skills beginners usually struggle with the most: RTL coding, testbenches, timing constraints, interfacing peripherals, or hardware debugging?
