“Young people are not interested in semiconductors”

Latest update time：2024-08-06

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Source: The content is compiled from zdnet by Semiconductor Industry Observer (ID: icb ank), thank you.

According to South Korean media reports, South Korea's local system semiconductor industry is having difficulty securing semiconductor talent. This is because memory-centric growth has led to a shortage of experts in system semiconductor design, and key personnel continue to concentrate in large companies.

"Today, young people are less interested in semiconductor design. Even in graduate schools, the number of professors teaching chip design has decreased. Ultimately, the root cause of the shortage of system semiconductor talents is insufficient talent supply."

Kim Kyung-soo, president of the Korea Fabless Industry Association and CEO of Nextchip, pointed out the reasons for the shortage of system semiconductor manpower. The Korean semiconductor industry has been vigorously cultivating system semiconductor design talents for many years, but it is still facing a serious talent shortage. Many universities have semiconductor contract departments with ties to large companies, but the enrollment rate is lower than expected. If students register and are accepted by medical schools, they usually continue to enter medical school.

The Korea Semiconductor Industry Association predicts that the Korean semiconductor industry will be short of about 55,000 specialized workers by 2031. Recently, fabless companies, design companies (DSPs), and foundry companies are trying to increase manpower to develop semiconductors related to AI and on-device AI, but lack manpower. In recent years, as Hyundai Motor Company and Mobis entered the field of semiconductor development, the demand for design talents has increased rapidly, but the supply of talents is seriously lacking.

In the semiconductor industry, measures to address the talent shortage include: 1. Building a control tower to cultivate semiconductor talents; 2. Expanding semiconductor specialized universities and preparing practical education programs related to demand companies; 3. Recruiting professors from the industry; 4. Attracting international students from all over the world. Southeast Asia, and revising work visas.

The most needed talents in the Korean system semiconductor industry are senior design talents with a master's degree or above. Recently, some institutions and universities have begun to cultivate semiconductor talents, but the evaluation is not systematic, there are many short-term projects, and there is a lack of high-level talents required for actual work.

The industry emphasizes the need for a "control tower" that comprehensively manages the development of semiconductor talent. The Ministry of Science and ICT, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, the Ministry of Employment and Labor, and the Semiconductor Industry Association are promoting semiconductor development projects, arguing that they should be integrated and managed to effectively train manpower.

Kim Hyung-jun, head of the Next Generation Smart Semiconductor Division, said, "In recent years, many organizations have created semiconductor talent programs, but they are too specialized, so a control tower is needed to integrate and operate them. In addition to training designers, we also need to supervise the entire design R&D." He suggested. He went on to say, "Currently, the type of manpower required in the semiconductor industry has not been clarified," adding that "manpower for simple coding can be supplemented by non-professional short-term projects, but there is still a shortage of talent." Master level or higher, which is what is needed for actual fabless factories. "It is true," he added.

Chairman Kim Kyung-soo said, "I am positive about the policies of various government departments to cultivate semiconductor talents, such as the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's establishment of a semiconductor academy and the training of semiconductor designers with Harman through the Seoul Technical Education Center. However, talent training needs to be done three times. "Whether it is one year or five years, we need to make plans every year and continue to cultivate talents, but there are many one-time projects." He continued, "To solve this problem, we need to establish a control tower and have the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, and the Ministry of Employment and Labor evaluate performance every year to improve the quality of education."

We need to expand universities and colleges that specialize in semiconductors and prepare methods to achieve employment after graduation through education related to companies with demand. Another way is to quickly train high-level talents within 5 years through integrated training of bachelor's and master's degrees.

Kim Yong-seok, professor of the Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering at Sungkyunkwan University (advisor to the Institute of Semiconductor Engineering), said, "In order to cultivate master's-level design talents required for actual work, we have proposed a course that allows students to graduate within 5 years." He added, "Students must enter graduate school in their third year, and if you choose a course, you can graduate early and the university can cultivate master's-level talents faster."

Since master's programs are being shortened, the curriculum must be strengthened so that students can graduate and obtain a master's degree by at least making a chip once. Semiconductor companies need to provide multi-project wafers (MPWs) so that students can try mass production of chips, and the government needs to support the project costs of semiconductor production.

Not only should the number of departments with semiconductor majors be increased, but a large number of professors should also be recruited from the industry.

Lee Hyuk-jae, professor of electrical and information engineering at Seoul National University and director of the Seoul National University System Semiconductor Industry Promotion Center, said: "Simply adding departments is useless. There are not enough professors to teach," he said. "The government should support universities to hire more professors." Professor Kim Yong-seok added: "People with business experience should be given priority as professors."

According to statistics from the Ministry of Education, the number of semiconductor-related departments in China increased from 1,345 in 2022 to 1,421 last year, but the number of full-time professors decreased from 5,094 to 5,075 during the same period.

In academia, hiring talented full-time professors requires high salaries, but Korean universities lack the financial resources to increase the number of professors due to tuition freezes, which is in stark contrast to the government-led teacher training in the United States, Taiwan and Japan.

Lee Jeong-hyeop, a professor at the Department of Electrical, Electronics and Computer Engineering at DIGIST, said, "In order to solve the problem of manpower shortage in small and medium-sized enterprises and startups, it is necessary to actively expand universities specializing in semiconductors, which are currently being built." In terms of "semiconductor education," he emphasized, "The number of full-time faculty members who 'specialize in semiconductor education' should be expanded." It should also be implemented. "

Due to the low birth rate, concentration in medical schools, and avoidance of science and engineering fields, there are limitations in cultivating semiconductor talents by relying solely on local students in South Korea. Industry insiders suggest that we must recognize this reality and actively attract international students from Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam and India. In addition, the visa system must be reformed so that international students can find jobs in Korean companies.

Chairman Kim Kyung-soo said, "One way is to train outstanding overseas students and have them work in Korean companies," adding, "The E-3 visa was recently established and is issued to people with a master's degree or above." This is good news for the industry. "It is necessary to reform the system so that foreigners who have worked faithfully for five years can easily apply for permanent residency," he said.

The E-3 visa is a visa that allows foreigners to work in Korean advanced industrial technology and science and technology related institutions. It can be issued to people with a doctorate or master's degree and more than three years of work experience, and the maximum stay is five years.

Professor Lee Hyuk-jae said, “Seoul National University is also working hard to attract international students from Southeast Asia,” adding, “I hope the government will actively support the hiring of foreign workers.”

A fabless industry official who employs Vietnamese workers said, "The elites all go to engineering schools in Vietnam," adding, "Vietnamese talent has a high level of semiconductor technology and is serious about it. If we train them well in Korea, it will help domestic companies," he said.

Reference Links

https://zdnet.co.kr/view/?no=2024080216521

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