"SEMI IS ACTIVELY WORKING With Indian Universities, Institutions To Create India's SEMICONDUCTOR ACADEMY"

India's semiconductor industry is expected to face a significant talent shortfall, with a projected shortage of 250,000 to 300,000 professionals by 2027. In an insightful conversation, Ajit Manocha, President of Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI), revealed to EFY's Nijhum Rudra and Akanksha Sondhi Gaur, that while the country produces nearly a million STEM graduates each year, SEMI's initiatives are focused on equipping this talent to meet the demands of fast-evolving sectors, such as automotive, healthcare, and artificial intelligence (AI).

- Nijhum Rudra and Akanksha Sondhi Gaur

Can you highlight the current workforce challenge in growing India’s semiconductor industry?

The workforce challenge is a global issue, affecting every country. SEMI has several initiatives to help build the talent pipeline for students who are in the graduation phase, as well as for reskilling people from other industries or upskilling the current workforce. SEMI is working on multiple initiatives, and at SEMICON 2024 and Semicond India 2024, we worked on addressing the needs of two million workers over three days. SEMI has several programmes to support students in STEM fields; India produces close to a million STEM graduates every year. With the growing ecosystem of companies entering India, some will hire locally, while others may hire globally, helping to train and transform raw talent into ready-to-work professionals.

What is the strategy of SEMI in addressing the potential shortage of 250,000 to 300,000 semiconductor professionals by 2027?

Although workforce challenges persist, there is a clear plan to address this issue. This plan is being shared with the government of India. I have also been in discussions with several IITs and universities. In the USA, we have American Semiconductor Academy (ASA-SEMI), a collaboration of 250 community colleges and universities with a SEMI-critical curriculum. This SEMI partnership brings an industry perspective to education, ensuring that students are job-ready on their first day of work. I am now working with Indian universities and institutions to create ISA, India’s Semiconductor Academy, which is currently in its early stages. SEMI is launching various initiatives to help India avoid the workforce challenges that many industries face globally.

How can India reach the targeted number of skilled workers in this industry? How SEMI’s global strategy aligns with India’s ambitions?