The Workforce Development Pavilion (WFD) returned to prime space at SEMICON West 2022 Hybrid with three days of programming and activities to address workforce development challenges and share opportunities for job seekers, students, recent graduates, talent recruiters and human resources professionals. Over the course of the show, job seekers connected with talent professionals from sponsoring companies and learned about job opportunities at Advantest, Bühler, Comet USA, Edwards Vacuum, EMD Electronics, Exyte, Horiba, Lam Research, TEL and Watlow.
Demand for talent in the semiconductor industry has never been greater. As noted by Joe Stockunas, President of SEMI Americas, there are currently over 80,000 job openings in the semiconductor industry across the U.S., with an additional 40,000 openings anticipated in the coming years. The programs and activities at the WFD Pavilion were designed to address this global industry challenge from multiple perspectives.
Presentations on the pavilion Meet the Experts stage focused on attracting and retaining talent, creating alternative career pathways, the importance of mentoring, and internships. For students and job seekers attending the exposition, HR professionals highlighted tips on getting a job in microelectronics, resume building, interviewing skills, and networking. Industry professionals shared what motivates them and why they love the semiconductor industry.
All sessions in the WFD Pavilion were recorded and are available through August 13, 2022 to registrants. The following is a snapshot of the diverse topics and speakers featured.
Building a Career in Microelectronics
The WFD Pavilion programming kicked off with a panel moderated by Katy Crist, Senior Manager of Strategic Alliances & Partnerships at TEL. The panelists (two of whom are SEMI Foundation High Tech U graduates) included Oindree Chatterjee, Raj Pabari, and Tara Greig. The conversation focused on what drew these students to technology and what SEMI members can and must do to increase industry image and brand awareness, engage the next generation, and attract future talent. During the Meet the Interns session, interns from Applied Materials, Lam Research and TEL shared their experiences and stories working in microelectronics, as well as their expectations and hopes for future careers.
Microelectronics careers panelists (left to right): Katy Crist of TEL, Tara Greig of TEL, Free Union High School student Oindree Chatterjee, Stanford University student Raj Pabari
In his presentation Building a Better Network: Crucial Connections, KT Moore, Vice President of Corporate Marketing at Cadence, told attendees that “networking is not simply an information exchange between you and another person. It involves establishing relationships with people who will often become your friends and community of colleagues as you go through your career.” He recommended taking interest in others, having a diverse and inclusive network, and “expanding beyond your comfort zone.”
Part of this year’s student engagement included a flash mentoring session, giving students an opportunity to connect with various industry professionals. During the one-hour session, students posed questions to representatives from WFD pavilion sponsoring companies and gained useful insights into pursuing a career and thriving in the semiconductor industry.
The pavilion also hosted a group of 35 high school students from Redwood City, California who learned how semiconductors touch every aspect of modern life. Students heard from a panel of professionals about life in the industry, played the role of transistors in a Human Calculator activity from High Tech U., and toured exhibitor booths on the SEMICON West show floor.
Veteran Hiring
While the Hiring Heroes – a Path from Military to Civilian Career panel has become a fixture in the WFD pavilion (see insert), this was the first time that the discussion was elevated to the keynote stage. The Value of a Veteran in the Workforce: A Conversation Led by TEL U.S. Chairman Larry Smith executive panel included Paul E. Funk, Commanding General of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command and highlighted why veterans are an ideal talent pool for the semiconductor industry.
During the panel, SEMI Foundation Executive Director Shari Liss described the SEMI VetWorks initiatives, which build industry awareness among veterans and promote veteran hiring and retention. Larry Smith credits SEMI’s efforts, the panel, and calls to action as “a great way to start tapping into this important talent pipeline.”
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is a WFD Business Strategy
The SEMI Manufacturing Ownership Diversity (MOD) Working Group organized Partnering for Success – Strengthening the Supply Chain through Diversity panel. Manufacturers and diverse suppliers discussed the strategic importance of supplier diversity to manufacturing and its positive impact on suppliers and their communities. The panel, comprised of manufacturers and diverse suppliers (Ann Marie Amaro of EA Machining, Garima Gautam of Intel, Darcy Hall of Micron, Ying Liu of Blue Lake Packaging and Somer Mead of GlobalFoundries) shared their supplier diversity journeys, misconceptions that might interfere with collaboration, the importance of diverse supplier certification to the process creating a successful supply chain.
MOD working group members (left to right): Margaret Kindling of the SEMI Foundation, Darcy Hall of Micron, Garima Gautam of Intel, Ann Marie Amara of EA Machining, Somer Mead of GlobalFoundries, Ying Liu of Blue Lake Packaging
In her call to action, MOD Working Group co-chair and Intel engineering manager Garima Gautam urged diverse suppliers to get certified, and for manufacturers without a supplier diversity program to start one after evaluating the makeup of their existing supply chains. She invited manufacturers and diverse suppliers to join the SEMI MOD Working Group and be part of the movement to diversify the industry supply chain.
In the final session, Creating a Workplace of Inclusion and Belonging, Dr. Brooke Waddle, a Partner at McKinsey & Company, and Dr. Jessie Lockhart, Sr. Director of Talent Management at Lam Research discussed how social capital is helping companies attract and retain talent and how companies like Lam Research are supporting their employees and creating a culture that works for everyone. The discussion topic was a perfect conclusion to the WFD and DEI programming at SEMICON West 2022, as it highlighted the importance of DEI to successful talent acquisition and retention for the microelectronics industry.
But Wait! More on Workforce Development
In conjunction with SEMICON West, the SEMI Foundation announced the launch of a new SEMI Career Exploration Platform, designed to help diversify and grow the U.S. semiconductor workforce. The portal includes a career search, crosswalks that show pathways from current jobs and skills to new opportunities and demonstrates why people from all backgrounds are welcome and needed in the industry.
Learn more about the SEMI Foundation and participate in SEMI workforce development programs.
Margaret Kindling is Senior Program Manager for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the SEMI Foundation. She promotes inclusion and diversity through her work on SEMI VetWorks, the annual Women in Semiconductors, and the MOD Working Group.
Berton Mahardja is Senior Manager of Global Education Initiatives at SEMI. Prior to joining SEMI, Berton served in various roles across K-12 education. He is passionate about programs that support equitable STEM learning for students and adults.