START-SEMI (Skills, Talent, And Re-education Training for Semiconductors)
Semiconductors are everywhere! As UK Government's minister Michelle Donelan put it "We rely on semiconductors - they are in everything from our smartphones, kitchen appliances, and cars all the way through to the supercomputers that support our weather reporting, energy sector and countless other areas of our economy."
The UK Government's semiconductor strategy aims to grow the $13 billion UK semiconductor industry to capitalise on the global reliance on semiconductor technologies and develop our sovereign supply-chain capability. The semiconductor industry also enables other key sectors including Automotive and particularly Electric Vehicles, Aerospace, IoT, Energy, Communications and Med. Tech.
Government strategy prioritises growth of our indigenous capabilities in Compound Semiconductors, Power Electronics, Photonics and semiconductor equipment. UK companies (CS Cluster) predict growth of 2000 jobs over the next few years in South Wales alone, with additional inward investment attracted by a skilled workforce and clear talent pipeline.
To meet this demand, we need to develop a skills and talent pipeline - FAST - at levels from apprentices, students, teachers, University undergraduate and Masters, coupled with up-skilling and re-skilling of workplace professionals, to feed into the industry.
START-SEMI will concentrate on developing CPD content, Bolt-on apprenticeship, degree and Masters modules at post-16 Levels.
Courses will have translatable micro-credentials, and will build knowledge, skills and career pathways in the semiconductor and related supply chain sector, aimed at diverse participants looking for discrete, focused, stackable, job-ready training.
Courses will also be integrated into existing Engineering, Physics and Chemistry programmes of UK Universities and FE colleges, raising awareness of semiconductors and related career opportunities.
START-SEMI's unique programme is co-designed by academics and industry and builds on learnings from a previous pilot skills project, POWERED-PEMD. Project partners (Swansea, Leeds, Warwick and Imersifi Ltd.) have the facilities and track-record of developing semiconductor-related courses and materials to increase the UK skills/training base. Short courses will deliver specialised skills using an innovative blend of online learning and in-person practical workshops at our state-of-the-art facilities. VR/ AR and holographic training will be combined with practical courses in semiconductor device fabrication, packaging, characterisation and testing. Taster workshops, social media marketing , interactive Apps, the latest AR/VR experiences will target educational content (at apprentice, FE, University and CPD level).
A critical part of our mission is to provide a talent pipeline with the semiconductor knowledge and skills which can help transform these related industries.