The global semiconductor industry is facing a shortage of hundreds of thousands of engineers, opening major opportunities for Vietnam if it can prepare a strong talent pipeline.
At a semiconductor forum on November 27 at Vietnam National University, Hanoi, many international experts said that the global talent shortage is a major bottleneck for the industry—but it also creates a chance for Vietnam to move deeper into the supply chain.
Vũ Kim Chi, Market Development Director at the Mitsubishi Research Institute, said Japan alone will lack about 200,000 semiconductor professionals by 2035. Demand is rising sharply as Japan aims to secure 15% of global semiconductor market share within the next decade, in an effort to regain its former position.
According to her, Japan needs talent across many roles—from engineers in front-end and back-end fabs, equipment operators, to R&D engineers. They require engineers who understand semiconductor manufacturing chains, have hands-on experience, and can communicate in Japanese. Skills in data analysis, AI, and robotics are also highly valued.
“This is the time for Vietnam to consider training not only for domestic needs but also for supplying talent abroad,” she noted. The Mitsubishi Research Institute proposed a tripartite collaboration model between universities, enterprises, and staffing/training agencies to shorten the gap between education and hiring needs.
From an industry perspective, Wan Azmi Bin Wan Hussin, COO of CT Semiconductor, said the talent shortage is a shared challenge across Asia and Europe.
“Asia alone is short about 450,000 highly skilled semiconductor professionals, and Vietnam is no exception,” he said. The industry is expanding faster than the supply of university-trained engineers, and there remains a gap between academic theory and industry requirements.
According to him, fresh graduates rarely meet practical demands immediately.
“It’s not easy for someone to start contributing right away. It takes at least six months just to get familiar with the machinery,” the CT Semiconductor executive shared. He added that during the construction of the company’s plant in Vietnam, they had to rely on Korean experts due to the shortage of local talent.
Kenneth Tse, General Manager of Intel Products Vietnam, expressed admiration for Vietnamese engineers and students, whom he described as having a “strong hunger to learn.” Commenting on the country’s semiconductor talent, he said he has “great confidence in Vietnam.”
He emphasized that solving the talent gap requires close coordination between the government, academia, and industry. “Hands-on work directly on production lines is the best way to learn,” he said, adding that this provides essential practical knowledge. He proposed establishing mutually beneficial cooperation mechanisms to accelerate industry development.
While experts recognize Vietnam’s potential, they agreed that the biggest challenge is the speed of preparation. Demand for semiconductor talent is rising faster than the country’s training capacity, while businesses need engineers who can work on production lines immediately. Expanding international cooperation, exposing students early to real production environments, and standardizing training programs are considered urgent steps.
Source: VnExpress
