Even as India looks to become a semiconductor manufacturing hub, the sector is expected to generate demand for one million jobs spread across different categories by 2026, said a report.
This demand includes categories such as chip semiconductor fabrication seeking to create 300,000 jobs, while the ATMP category is expected to generate around 200,000 roles.
In addition to design, this involves software development, system circuits, manufacturing supply chain management, and chip design-all of which need to be open.
India must have, by 2026, a productive workforce of engineers, operators, technicians, and specialists in quality control, procurement, and materials engineering to construct a strong pipeline of semiconductor talent, as the NLB Services report suggests.
India accepts that developing the best talent in the world is required to have a robust semiconductor ecosystem. In quality education lays the foundation, the CEO of NLB Services, Sachin Alug said.
According to him, besides that, reskilling and upskilling are also necessary to develop talent pipeline and in turn, an annual upskilling of 500,000 talents.
India's semiconductor market size was estimated at $29.84 billion in FY2023. It is expected to grow to $79.20 billion in FY2031 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.55 percent. Although the government came up with several plans and sanctioned a huge budget to spur the development of semiconductors, the private sector also was keen to invest in building the sector. According to the report, workforce development programs and skill training will be critical in addressing this talent gap. This includes real hands-on training for students through internships, Alug said.
"We expect the investment in skilling and re-skilling to go up by 25 percent in the next 2-3 years," he said.