At least 22,000 jobs expected to be created in Indian semicon companies

With four chip manufacturing facilities under construction across the country, the demand for talent in the semiconductor manufacturing sector has surged.

Data from staffing and recruiting firms indicate that demand for talent in the sector is in double digits.

According to data from Xpheno, a specialist staffing firm, companies such as Kaynes Technology, Micron Technology, and SRAM & MRAM Group are expected to hire a total of 12,000 employees.

“The demand for semiconductor jobs is evident in the expansion plans of companies like Kaynes Technology (projected 2,000 jobs), Micron Technology (projected 5,000 jobs), and SRAM & MRAM Technologies (projected 5,000 jobs), collectively creating a substantial increase in available positions compared to the previous year,” said Kantharaju Sanjeevappa, business head, engineering services, Xpheno Research, a workforce management firm.

Industry experts note a heightened need for skilled manpower in established functions such as printed circuit board fabrication, large-scale circuit manufacturing, foundry establishment, and silicon processing or semiconductor synthesis.

“The semiconductor manufacturing sector is experiencing high double-digit growth, especially for entry-level jobs and design specialists,” said Jaideep Kewalramani, chief operating officer and head of employability business, TeamLease EdTech.

He further added, “Engineering skills are in demand across electrical, electronics, design, testing, and manufacturing of semiconductor components.”

The government is also estimating more than 100,000 job opportunities in the coming years from the four upcoming semiconductor manufacturing facilities in Dholera, Sanand, and Assam.

Recruiting firms state that semiconductor companies are primarily hiring professionals in design, manufacturing, and research and development roles, across domains such as electrical engineering, hardware and software development, and telecommunications engineering.

Skills in semiconductor engineering, mechanical engineering, embedded manufacturing, and fabrication are the most in-demand skills in the industry, according to data from manpower consulting firms.

Of the total number of people in the semiconductor space, employees equipped with semiconductor engineering skills make up around 28 per cent of the total workforce, followed by mechanical engineers at 19 per cent, and embedded systems at 15.5 per cent, according to Xpheno data.

Jobs in the field range from semiconductor technician at the entry level to senior design architect or managerial positions.

Additionally, average packages range from Rs 6-8 lakh per annum for entry-level jobs in the industry, according to Xpheno data.

“Automation engineers specialized in digital and memory design, equipped with skills in computer-aided design and digital signal processing, are in high demand to meet the industry’s needs,” said Chandra Sekhar Garisa, chief executive officer, Foundit.in.

Since the semiconductor assembly, testing, marking, and packaging sector has a significantly larger presence in India, the majority of job roles include process engineer, integration engineer, testing engineer, middleware engineer, consultants in optoelectronics and mechatronics, and quality engineer, he explained.

Manpower consulting firms also point to a lack of specialised undergraduate courses in semiconductor manufacturing and suggest that the majority of training is oriented towards engineering diploma courses when it comes to chip manufacturing skills. Business Standard