talent

The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened the urgency to establish the manufacturing capacity needed to support the global recovery and onward rapid growth of the semiconductor industry, which is projected to exceed $1.2 trillion in revenue by 2030.

After ther disruption caused by COVID-19, four of SEMI’s seven flagship events, SEMICON Europa, SEMICON West, SEMICON Japan, and SEMICON Taiwan are set to welcome back exhibitors and visitors to show floors starting in mid-November.

As the global economy is constantly transformed, the need for new skills in the microelectronics industry has never been higher. To develop a workforce fit for the future, it is crucial to invest not only in reskilling and upskilling, but also in skills anticipation and inclusivity.

According to the Women in the Workplace 2020 study by McKinsey & Company and LeanIn.org, one in four women are considering leaving their workplaces or downshifting their careers due to work-life challenges stemming from COVID-19, leading to the potential loss of two million women from the workforce.

Andreas C. Zimmer, Executive Search and Selection Consultant at ZIAN & Co, spoke about strategies for attracting and retaining talent and promoting careers in semiconductor industry. Zimmer shared his views during his presentation at SEMI Technology Unites Global Summit, 15-19 Feb 2021.

METIS identifies 4 focus areas for workforce development: True capability of AI and Data Science, Ethics, Cross-disciplinary Skills required for AI, and Climate Change, Sustainable Development Goals, and Social Inclusion Training.

​Europe is facing an acute shortage of skilled microelectronics workers that undermines the growth potential of both the electronics industry and European economy as a whole. The shortfall looms large- a skilled and diverse workforce that can continuously innovate is the oxygen of microelectronics. 

METIS, a Sector Skills Alliance project co-funded by the European Commission’s Erasmus+ Program and coordinated by SEMI, recently launched an online questionnaire aimed at gauging the skills and expertise the industry needs to drive continued growth over the next five years.

In February 2020, the European Commission published its initial proposal – White Paper on Artificial Intelligence: a European approach to excellence and trust – and opened a stakeholder consultation. In June, SEMI Europe, based on member feedback, made key policy recommendations in response.

In light of COVID-19, the microelectronics industry is undergoing major changes and adapting to a great degree its work practices. It is clear that reskilling and upskilling are of vital importance to follow the constantly changing demands of the market and adjust to the new work realities.