The Department of Trade and Industry-Board of Investments (DTI-BOI) teamed up with other agencies and private sector organizations to train 128,000 engineers and technicians to support the country’s semiconductor and electronics industry by 2028.
The BOI, the Department of Science and Technology’s Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD) and the Center for Integrated Circuits and Devices Research (CIDR) agreed to level up the Filipino workforce’s skills to bolster the semiconductor industry.
“From micro-engineers to TESDA-certified technicians, licensed engineers to PhD and Masters graduates, we will need their skills and capabilities to move the semiconductor and electronics industry forward,” said Trade Undersecretary and BOI managing head Ceferino Rodolfo.
Rodolfo highlighted the Philippines’ advantage in having a young and talented workforce, emphasizing the need to harness this potential through collaboration with educational institutions and government agencies like Department of Education, ), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and Commission on Higher Education (CHED).
“There is a significant shortage of graduate-level personnel, which is hindering our ability to attract investments in advanced technology,” said Dr. Louis Alarcon, head of Microelectronics Department at the University of the Philippines.
Dan Lachica, president of Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Inc. (SEIPI), said students should be informed of the country’s semiconductor industry opportunities to increase the workforce.
Earl Qua, president of Electronics Industries Association of the Philippines Inc., underscored the significance of a government-academe tie to enable students to become job-ready in the semiconductor and electronics industry.
The BOI’s Industry Development Services aims to achieve the target by aligning with industry requirements and collaborating with educational institutions.
The semiconductors and electronics (S&E) working group implements the Product and Technology Holistic Strategy (PATHS) to identify future-ready products and technologies, create a conducive environment for technology transfer, and sustain industry growth.
The semiconductor electronics industry is a major contributor to the country’s exports.
