Archive · 19 Sep 2026
Experts Call for New Skills as India Builds Semiconductor Industry
India is starting to build a semiconductor industry.
Semiconductors are important parts used in many electronic devices.
Experts said India needs workers with skills that have not been widely developed in the country before.
These workers could operate equipment, work in clean rooms, and help make and package semiconductor products.
India also needs people who can design products and the systems that use them.
The experts said schools and companies should work together on training.
They suggested practical, hands-on learning and short bridge courses for new workers.
This training is intended to help people move more quickly into semiconductor jobs.
Experts at SEMICON India 2026 said India needs new semiconductor skills as it develops manufacturing sites and an industry ecosystem.
Priority roles include process engineers, clean-room technicians, equipment technicians, wafer-proofing specialists, and materials engineers for packaging.
Experts said training must also cover product specialists, product definition, specifications, system design, and system architecture.
Panelists emphasized that industry expertise, hands-on training, and expert participation can strengthen research and talent-development programs.
IISc’s Shankar Selvaraja proposed industry-linked curricula and bridge courses to address gaps between academic and shop-floor requirements.
- Who
- Experts and academics including Manoj Choudhary, Swaroop Ganguly, and Shankar Selvaraja.
- What
- They discussed the new skills, practical training, and industry-linked education needed for India’s semiconductor sector.
- When
- September 19, 2026; the discussion took place at SEMICON India 2026.
- Where
- At SEMICON India 2026; the article does not specify the city.
- Why
- India is establishing semiconductor manufacturing sites and building an ecosystem, requiring workers trained for new roles and industry needs.
- Event
- SEMICON India 2026
- Publication date
- September 19, 2026
- Emerging roles
- Process engineers, clean-room technicians, equipment technicians, wafer-proofing specialists, and packaging materials engineers
- Design skills
- Product definition, product specifications, system design, and system architecture
- Training challenge
- Academic fundamentals and shop-floor requirements are not always aligned
- Proposed solution
- Industry-developed curricula, hands-on training, and bridge courses
- Industry contribution
- Expert bandwidth and participation in research and talent-development programs