The world's biggest chipmakers are scrambling to recruit every single employee for their multibillion-dollar semiconductor factory.
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| GlobalFoundries factory workers operate the chip production line at the facility in Malta. Photo: WSJ |
The dwindling supply of qualified workers is a matter of concern for many years. However, according to some industry leaders, the worry is now multiplied by the soaring demand for chips in many fields, as well as the race among governments to increase autonomy in semiconductor capacity.
Chipmakers have an advantage because most processes are automated, but running high-tech equipment requires highly skilled staff.
"We are definitely in a war for talent," said Jim Koonmen, vice president of ASML Holding of the Netherlands.
Talents here are system operation engineers, a team of technicians who supervise and manage the production process, and scientists who are tasked with researching new chips and how to make them.
"For the semiconductor industry as a whole, skills need to be developed from everywhere, from the plant builder to the most qualified researcher," said Ann Kelleher, Intel Vice President, said last year.
Intel has committed to invest more than $100 billion in chip plants over the coming years in the US and Europe. Similarly, companies like Taiwan's TSMC or South Korea's Samsung are also planning to expand their scale.
In the US alone, according to statistics from human resource management company Eightfold.ai, the semiconductor industry in this country needs 70,000-90,000 workers or more in the period 2020-2025, bringing the total number of employees in the semiconductor segment up. 300,000. This is considered an ambition to help the US reduce dependence on foreign supplies.
In Taiwan, the time for each new hire for the semiconductor business is at a six-year high, according to 104 Job Bank. The August 2021 report showed that the average monthly shortfall for semiconductor workers was about 27,700 people, up 44% from the previous year. Average wages in the chip industry also rose to their highest level in more than a decade.
"The problem of talent shortage is becoming more and more serious, mainly due to increased chip market demand," said Yao-Wen Chang, dean of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Taiwan University. . "I'm not optimistic that we'll be able to solve this problem completely in the future."
At ASML, Mr. Koonmen said the company's staffing needs are expected to grow 10% or more per year to keep up with the boom in the global semiconductor manufacturing sector. To attract human resources, the company is promoting through many channels, such as strengthening relationships with universities, as well as having an attractive salary and bonus policy for recruitment.
David Reeder, CFO of GlobalFoundries, also said that the semiconductor workforce market is at its most competitive and will continue to be for at least the next few years.
Some lecturers at engineering schools in the US admit that today's students are more interested in software or the Internet than in semiconductors. According to Rochester Institute of Technology professor Santosh Kurinec, the number of students enrolling in the university's engineering program has steadily declined, from 50 in the mid-1980s to about 10 today. "The majority would rather create apps for Google and Facebook," he said.
In Taiwan, the lack of skilled engineers could derail efforts to stay ahead of cutting-edge technology, as semiconductor research becomes increasingly complex. "We need more PhDs to join research into the next advancements for the semiconductor industry," said Terry Tsao, Global Marketing Manager for Semiconductor Industry Association SEMI.
In the semiconductor craze, governments can play an important role. Last year, a number of US chip companies lobbied lawmakers to allow them to hire workers from abroad amid a decline in US students in this field. In May 2021, Taiwan passed a law to promote innovation and education in the high-tech field, giving priority to approval for universities and colleges with semiconductor majors to cooperate with companies like TSMC.
China also established research schools and specialized training centers on semiconductors. This is seen as part of an effort to promote the country's autonomy in advanced technology, including chips and AI. There have been 12 universities in China that have established chip-focused colleges since the end of 2020, including the most prestigious institutions such as Peking University and Tsinghua University.
Ivan Platonov, CEO of EqualOcean technology in Beijing, estimates that China's semiconductor workforce has nearly doubled in five years. However, the country is still short of about 250,000 engineers in 2020.
Via WSJ
