A new consortium, led by SEMI Europe organization, has secured €4 million in funding to establish the European Chips Skills Academy. This initiative aims to address the skills and talent shortages in Europe's electronics industry and foster its long-term growth. Supported by over 30 partner research organizations, vocational and education training providers, certification agencies, and industry stakeholders, the European Chips Skills Academy will build upon the Microelectronics Pact for Skills and the EU Chips Act to strengthen the microelectronics ecosystem in Europe and attract new talent.
The academy will offer specialized training in key microelectronics fields such as automotive and additive manufacturing across Europe. The funding for the academy will be provided by the European Commission's Erasmus+ Programme and will cover a four-year period. The European Chips Skills Academy represents the second phase of the Microelectronics Training, Industry, and Skills (METIS) consortium, both of which are aimed at promoting collaboration between the microelectronics industry and education, training, and certification providers to address the skills shortage and enhance European competitiveness.
Ajit Manocha, President and CEO of SEMI, stated, "The pan-European alliance guiding the European Chips Skills Academy will leverage the diverse and considerable strengths of its many partners from across the microelectronics’ ecosystem and industrial value chain. The project aims to bring greater strategic foresight to the evolution of professions and skills in the industry by applying evidence-based, data-driven success metrics to workforce development."
Laith Altimime, President of SEMI Europe, emphasized the need to scale up training efforts and improve skills strategies across Europe to meet the demand for qualified workers in the rapidly growing semiconductor industry. He highlighted that the European Chips Skills Academy will be the first decentralized microelectronics skills provider in Europe to address this critical workforce development challenge.
Lucilla Sioli, Director of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Industry in Directorate-General CONNECT at the European Commission, noted that the European Chips Skills Academy, among other initiatives, will be a significant step in supporting skills development in Europe and implementing the Chips Act across Member States. The consortium is expected to commence its work in autumn 2023 and includes organizations from various countries, such as Spain, France, Hungary, Germany, Austria, Italy, Belgium, Romania, Finland, Netherlands, Czechia, and Ireland.
