Government to Train 3,600 Core System Semiconductor Professionals by Next Year

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Haeyoung] The government plans to produce 3,600 core personnel in system semiconductors by next year. The public and private sectors will jointly invest a total of 300 billion KRW over the next 10 years.

On the 21st, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced the 'System Semiconductor Core Talent Development Plan' at the 3rd Innovation Growth BIG3 Promotion Meeting held at the Government Seoul Office, in cooperation with related ministries.

To ensure a smooth supply of the insufficient semiconductor workforce, the government aims to produce a total of 3,638 diverse talents, with 1,500 each this year and next year. First, a system semiconductor design major track will be newly established to support a specialized system semiconductor design course for third-year undergraduates in 2022. Those who complete the design major track will be trained to be able to enter practical work without additional education after graduation when employed by fabless companies, and recruitment connections with fabless companies will be supported mainly through the Semiconductor Industry Association. Additionally, from this year, contract departments linked to recruitment such as Yonsei University's 'Department of System Semiconductor Engineering' (Yonsei University-Samsung Electronics, 50 students annually) and Korea University's 'Department of Semiconductor Engineering' (Korea University-SK Hynix, 30 students annually) will select freshmen and begin full operation.

To cultivate master's and doctoral level talents, the public and private sectors will jointly invest on a 1:1 basis to connect ▲core technology research and development (R&D) ▲advanced talent cultivation ▲and recruitment inducement. Over the next 10 years, the government and companies will each invest 150 billion KRW, totaling 300 billion KRW, to produce a total of 3,000 master's and doctoral level talents. The government plans to complete the preliminary feasibility study this year and fully implement the plan from next year.

Furthermore, the plan will expand the cultivation of specialized personnel not only for next-generation industries such as future cars, energy, and bio, but also for key promising items attracting attention such as power semiconductors and artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductors under the Digital New Deal and Green New Deal. In addition, infrastructure for talent development such as the Semiconductor Design Education Center (IDEC) and Design Support Center will be strengthened to expand on-site practical training in system semiconductors.

Seong Yunmo, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, stated, "To proactively respond to paradigm shifts such as the 4th Industrial Revolution and the Digital New Deal, cultivating core personnel in system semiconductors such as AI semiconductors and power semiconductors is of utmost importance," adding, "We will spare no policy support to smoothly nurture 3,600 diverse talents by 2022 by steadily promoting the establishment of the system semiconductor design major track and public-private joint investment type talent cultivation."