SEMI Foundation Launches Career Platform

The SEMI Foundation, the non-profit arm of SEMI, and the Council for Adult and Experi-ential Learning (CAEL), a nonprofit membership organization working to improve educa-tion-to-career pathways for adult learners, announced the launch of the SEMI Career Ex-ploration Platform, designed to strengthen access for underrepresented workers to edu-cational and employment opportunities in the US semiconductor industry and to grow its talent pipeline.

The interactive SEMI Career Exploration Platform links the knowledge and skills of work-ers with career and educational pathways ranging from internships, apprenticeships, and certificate and advanced degree programs.

“With rising demand for semiconductors, the ongoing chip shortage, and the industry’s corresponding push to expand production, the talent gap will remain a headwind to mi-croelectronics growth and innovation unless more people are drawn to careers in the in-dustry,” said Shari Liss, executive director of the SEMI Foundation, the non-profit arm of SEMI, the global industry association representing the electronics manufacturing and de-sign supply chain. “The SEMI Career Exploration Platform will help expand and diversify the industry’s talent pool by making it easier for people to chart a rewarding career path.”

“Recent global supply chain disruptions have underscored just how vital the semiconduc-tor space is to our nation’s economy,” said Earl Buford, CAEL president. “As industry looks to ramp up capacity in the US, we must ensure our industry, workforce development and education sectors are aligned to realize these opportunities and ensure that they extend to all communities.”

The SEMI Career Exploration Platform matches users’ competencies and interests with occupations most likely to lead to career success and personal fulfillment. The Platform’s crosswalking feature, geared toward military veterans, maps their service experience and training to semiconductor industry career opportunities.

Users can explore a job board, education programs, and the organizational profiles of companies and education providers throughout the country. They can also search semi-conductor careers in areas including engineering, manufacturing and production, installa-tion and maintenance, information technology, marketing, and business support.

The SEMI Career Exploration Platform is funded by Strada Education Network, a CAEL collaborator, and the SEMI Foundation. The partnership supports the work of SEMI to bolster the microelectronics industry talent pipeline through diversity, equity, and inclu-sion initiatives that create career pathways for traditionally underrepresented popula-tions in the industry.

Roadtrip Nation, an educational production company, will create videos in collaboration with the SEMI Foundation and SEMI member companies that showcase success stories of microelectronics professionals to help raise awareness about career possibilities. Featuring traditionally underrepresented workers including women, people of color, and veterans, the videos will be available on the Roadtrip Nation website and featured in a PBS docu-mentary airing next year.