Jun.
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2025.06
This article is compiled by the Semiconductor Industry Cross-Section (ID: ICVIEW) from thefastmode
The entire semiconductor ecosystem is facing a talent shortage.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is expected to create 40,000 construction jobs and tens of thousands of chip manufacturing and R&D positions in Arizona over the next four years. Nvidia has announced a $500 billion investment in AI infrastructure, which includes producing AI chips in U.S. factories. Mordor Intelligence indicates that by 2030, the compound annual growth rate of the U.S. data center storage market will reach 8.94%.
The fragmented ecosystem of equipment manufacturers and skilled workers needed to efficiently operate data centers and semiconductor facilities is hindering this growth. There is a talent gap throughout the ecosystem, and unless there is a change in perception of these jobs and new methods are adopted to find, train, and retain suitable talent, it could impede industry development. Both sectors need transformation, not only in terms of agility but also in innovation and talent. Wafer fabs and data centers need to fundamentally change their views on work and employees.
Part of this disruptive change involves finding better ways to recruit large numbers of talent with technical and mechanical skills while minimizing associated risks. Nvidia, TSMC, and large-scale enterprises like Amazon Web Services (AWS) or Microsoft, as well as hosting companies like Digital Realty or QTS, will acquire talent through traditional means. These methods include recruitment and partnerships with universities, but potential issues remain. How will these companies establish talent pipelines in the face of an aging skilled workforce and massive growth scale? The answer lies in adopting new, creative ways to attract and retain talent, such as the Hiring-Training-Deployment (HTD) model, which is a process of recruiting high-potential talent, providing training for specific roles, and then placing that talent within the company. Even in a talent-scarce environment, this approach can ensure that these organizations have the vibrant workforce they need.
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Who Will Operate These Facilities?
The Semiconductor Industry Association and Oxford Economics released a market report indicating that by 2030, the U.S. will face a significant shortage of technical workers. The report estimates that from 2023 to 2030, nearly 115,000 new jobs will be created in the U.S., with approximately 67,000 of those positions potentially unfilled. As AI and IoT expand, the collective shortage of tens of thousands of workers poses a huge demand for semiconductor factories and data centers.
AI infrastructure growth and its associated power demands require specialized personnel who understand how to optimize energy use in high-density, high-heat environments and prevent any related disruptions, as well as design and manage racks suitable for AI training model workloads. Completing all these specialized and safety-impacting tasks requires well-trained and proactive personnel.
The data center industry is also experiencing significant growth, leading to increased demand for related positions.
How will these industries meet the demand for technical workers? The answer is: by changing the positioning of these roles and improving training processes to attract sufficient talent while also appealing to the right workers.
Changing Landscape of Manufacturing
Companies and their partners are recruiting employees for semiconductor and data center facilities, helping to change perceptions of the required positions. These facilities require strict standards. They integrate various critical components, including precision clean rooms, HVAC systems for temperature control, fire suppression systems, uninterruptible power supply systems, and stable network connections. Data centers and semiconductor factories need employees capable of handling all these tasks, as well as engineers to plan for flexible scalability to support future workloads. These facilities can attract cable installers, automotive repair technicians, or HVAC workers who wish to leverage their technical skills in an AI-focused and lucrative industry.
Reducing Network and Supply Chain Risks
Attracting a broader pool of potential employees will help wafer fab and data center operators scale and operate normally, and will also help protect U.S. national security. Advanced semiconductors and data centers are critical to healthcare, finance, and defense-related industries. Advanced chips and data are the backbone of the economy. A new internal combustion engine vehicle has about 1,500 chips, while an electric vehicle has over 3,000 chips. All heart rate monitors and communication devices rely on chips.
When supply chains are threatened, microchips become inaccessible, or data centers are hacked, the entire economy is impacted. Moving manufacturing to the U.S. and equipping it with the right workforce to operate these facilities can improve supply chain efficiency, reduce over-reliance on foreign talent, and hedge against supply chain instability and cybersecurity threats.
To attract new talent pools to improve efficiency, wafer fabs and data centers need to describe their job vacancies in new ways. Technical talent may flock to AI and software development positions without realizing that the growth of semiconductors and data centers is largely related to AI. Wafer fabs are producing AI chips for data centers. These companies can promote how they are at the forefront of AI innovation, providing chips and computing power that enable the AI revolution.
Employees need to view AI-driven positions as growth-oriented roles, as the immense demand for chips and data capacity creates rapid advancement opportunities. Whether these positions are process engineers, equipment maintenance technicians, automation engineers, or environmental health and safety specialists, future employees need to understand their growth paths and how to enter these roles.
New Training Models
Companies like TSMC and Micron are trying to fill the talent gap through apprenticeship programs and university partnerships to attract technical workers. TSMC’s program supports its aggressive expansion plans in Arizona. However, if these companies want to recruit enough talent to achieve their ambitious goals, more effort is needed.
The HTD model helps data centers, semiconductor, and equipment manufacturers find ideal partners for providing talent and training solutions. This partner will work seamlessly with the operations department to cultivate and train talent based on operational goals and objectives. The model provides reliable and technically skilled talent for facilities and trains them meticulously, creating a workforce on demand that drives business growth. Ideally, training partners will integrate safety elements into every aspect of training, fostering a culture of safety first. Thus, teams will learn core safety principles that cover all environments and apply to any site requirements. These principles may include fire prevention and response, the use of personal protective equipment, or emergency response plans.
Providing all this specialized training through workforce partners can shift risks upward. Data centers and wafer fabs work with potential new employees to determine if they are a good fit, but time is limited. Then, they decide to hire an untested team, which undoubtedly leads to significant losses. Introducing training and recruitment partners can enhance efficiency; for example, if a data center or wafer fab’s budget is for hiring 200 people, they can collaborate with a rapid workforce development partner who can recruit 300 people. Then, the workforce development company can absorb this turnover, providing clients with 200 skilled and enthusiastic employees, helping them succeed.
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