US may face a shortage of up to 157,000 workers in the chip industry — CNBC — CNBC Top News
By 2030, the United States may face a shortage of up to 157,000 workers in the semiconductor industry as manufacturers expand capacity to produce chips needed for artificial intelligence systems. CNBC Top News reports, citing a report by McKinsey and the SEMI Foundation.
According to McKinsey, only 3% of US graduates who choose engineering careers enter the semiconductor industry each year. At the same time, 73% of employers in the sector report significant difficulties recruiting engineers. John Taylor, executive vice president of Samsung's semiconductor division in Austin, said the company does not see enough technical specialists in the talent pool.
New plants need personnel
Samsung plans to begin production of advanced logic chips later this year at the first of two new plants in Taylor, Texas. The project is part of the company's $35 billion investment in the state, and the two facilities are expected to create about 3,500 jobs. The company is hiring engineers, technicians, and supply chain specialists.
TSMC and Intel are already producing advanced logic chips at new fabs in Arizona. Memory manufacturers are also expanding their presence in the United States: Micron is building an advanced memory plant in Boise, Idaho, scheduled to open next year, as well as another one in Clay, New York. SK Hynix is constructing a $4 billion facility in West Lafayette, Indiana, to package memory chips.
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Samsung and SK Hynix told CNBC that they are temporarily bringing in workers from South Korea to launch US fabs. Samsung has also sent employees from the United States to South Korea for several months of hands-on training. According to Taylor, advanced technologies are currently largely concentrated in Asia.
Universities expand training
Chipmakers and US universities are developing workforce training programs. Purdue University launched a number of semiconductor-related majors in 2022; around 2,500 students take chip-related courses each semester. Arizona State University set up a clean room in a former Motorola factory with support from $200 million provided by Applied Materials, while TSMC runs a technician program at the university with a guaranteed job interview upon completion.
TSMC plans to fill about 6,000 vacancies at its first three fabs in Arizona, including by offering jobs to some of its hundreds of interns. Intel launched an apprenticeship program in Arizona and allocated $50 million for scholarships at more than 80 educational institutions in Ohio. After the CHIPS Act was adopted in 2022, more than 80 community colleges launched or expanded semiconductor programs, including with the help of a $200 million federal fund.
