A year of promises to create academies dedicated to the development of semiconductor talent finally came to fruition on Friday with the opening of the Smart Semiconductor and Sustainable Manufacturing Institute at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU).
This “model of government-industry collaboration” is the first to open under a May law written to relax restrictions on universities, making it easier for them to work with businesses and encouraging research in key national industries.
To create these “semiconductor academies,” the government has promised funding of NT$9.6 billion (US$344.38 million) over 12 years to cover half of the costs, with industry paying for the other half. Apart from NCKU, National Taiwan University, National Tsing Hua University and National Chiao Tung University have received approval to open their own academies, with the aim of training 400 advanced specialists.
The program was developed in response to calls from the semiconductor industry for more talent amid a dwindling pool as they are hiring at a faster clip than before. Centering the focus on education is a welcome development that is sure to reap outsized dividends for everyone involved.
Chinese poaching is often blamed for the talent shortage, but boiling the problem down to an external malicious actor does it a disservice. Narrow solutions such as banning job postings from Chinese firms are sure to fall short.
It also presumes that few Taiwanese are interested in working in semiconductors, with fewer still willing to study advanced degrees in the field. Despite its notoriously difficult working conditions, it is known to be one of the best jobs available, with highly competitive salaries and guaranteed opportunities. For a nation in which half of the university students study technology or engineering, why are there not more going into semiconductors?
The most logical place to look for a blockage is down the pipeline. The semiconductor academy program is an attempt to address the last barrier restricting advanced degree holders. Companies including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) have set up scholarship programs to encourage advanced study, with the option to stay in academia to conduct research afterward. Universities have also sensed an opportunity in opening their own semiconductor centers, such as the International College of Semiconductor Technology at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University.
However, there are blocks even earlier in the system that hinder the development of talent. For students just beginning high school who are discovering a predilection for science, what path might they take to work in semiconductors?
Without entering a vocational high school, they will likely only take general science courses in preparation for university. After graduating, they might begin an engineering major, but which one provides a path to TSMC or MediaTek? Electrical engineering includes some, but not all of the basic knowledge required, as do mechanical and chemical engineering, but none give a holistic understanding of the industry.
This is where a program launched recently by seven high schools in Kaohsiung can give a glimpse into what is possible. Enabled by relaxed scheduling under the new 108 curriculum, the high schoolers have the option of taking courses in semiconductor and digital technologies from university professors, with trips to companies nearby to see them at work. If their interest sustains, they could receive special enrollment in the program’s partner universities to continue their studies, setting them off on a direct path to semiconductor excellence.
For an industry predicated on extreme technological advancement, nurturing talent is not only important, but crucial for its survival. Building a clear and supportive pipeline from grade school to doctoral programs is the best way to ensure that Taiwan’s latent talent does not go to waste.
To The Honorable Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜): We would like to extend our sincerest regards to you for representing Taiwan at the inauguration of US President Donald Trump on Monday. The Taiwanese-American community was delighted to see that Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan speaker not only received an invitation to attend the event, but successfully made the trip to the US. We sincerely hope that you took this rare opportunity to share Taiwan’s achievements in freedom, democracy and economic development with delegations from other countries. In recent years, Taiwan’s economic growth and world-leading technology industry have been a source of pride for Taiwanese-Americans.
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