SINGAPORE – Singapore will grow more talent for its semiconductor sector, which produces 10 per cent of the world’s chips, under new agreements signed on April 16 between the semiconductor association and industry partners.
The Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association (SSIA) and the India Cellular and Electronics Association also inked an agreement on the same day to strengthen supply chain partnerships and the co-development of technology between the two countries.
SSIA made these announcements at the Semiconductor Business Connect, a networking event, which involved 12 countries including India, Indonesia, the Netherlands, Vietnam and Costa Rica, whose minister of foreign trade Manuel Tovar Rivera also attended.
It signed two agreements to build talent for the sector.
With SGInnovate, a government-owned deep tech venture capital fund, SSIA aims to provide deep-tech apprenticeships and industry exposure for students, and support mid-career workers who want to transition into specialised deep-tech roles.
Both organisations will also collaborate on research initiatives to look at industry maturity, capability gaps and talent needs.
Under the other agreement, SSIA and NTUC LearningHub will explore ways to support mid-career transitions and foundational semiconductor knowledge for workers who freshly enter the industry.
The partnership will also promote industry-relevant training programmes in areas such as agentic AI, AI-driven robotics and automation, process excellence and supply chain resilience.
Singapore’s semiconductor story is over 50 years old, said Minister of State for Trade and Industry Alvin Tan in the event’s opening speech.
Today, the Republic produces one in 10 chips globally and one in five pieces of semiconductor equipment. This sector also makes up 20 per cent of Singapore’s manufacturing output and 6 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP), he noted.
The most critical pillar in holding up the industry is talent, Mr Tan added.
This pillar has to be strengthened as innovations create more emerging technology sectors, from new energy to artificial intelligence, SSIA said in a media statement.
By 2030, an estimated one million skilled workers are needed in the global semiconductor industry, which is projected to grow to US$1 trillion (S$1.27 trillion) at the same time.
SSIA executive director Ang Wee Seng said: “The semiconductor industry is entering a new phase where innovation, talent and global partnerships will be just as critical as expanding and deepening Singapore’s manufacturing capabilities.
“Growing the deep-tech talent pipeline and driving more international collaboration will ensure Singapore remains as a trusted hub in the global semiconductor value chain.”
Singapore’s semiconductor ecosystem is supported by national initiatives such as the Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2030 (RIE2030) plan, which commits $37 billion to research and innovation.
As part of this strategy, semiconductors have been identified as the first national RIE Flagship in the plan, and is supported by $800 million in funding.
Since 2016, SSIA and Workforce Singapore have also helped nearly 3,000 mid-career professionals to transition into semiconductor roles.
This reflects growing demand for skilled talent and the sector’s increasing pull as a career destination, SSIA said.
SGInnovate executive director of people Juliana Lim said its partnership with SSIA “will help strengthen pathways for students, researchers and professionals to contribute to Singapore’s next wave of semiconductor innovation”.
NTUC Learninghub assistant chief executive Tay Ee Learn said: “As the semiconductor sector evolves with the adoption of AI and next-generation manufacturing technologies, it is critical that workers and businesses are supported to adapt and grow together.”
SSIA’s agreement with the India Cellular and Electronics Association will be centred on building a robust and trusted semiconductor corridor between India and Singapore, the association said.
It will also enable two-way business collaboration and joint technology development.
India Cellular and Electronics Association chairman Pankaj Mohindroo said: “India and Singapore represent highly complementary pillars of the global semiconductor ecosystem.”
He added that the partnership brings together Singapore’s strengths in advanced manufacturing and global supply chains with India’s scale, demand, and policy momentum.
SSIA chairman Brian Tan said in his speech at the event: “Together, these partnerships will strengthen our workforce capabilities in AI and sustainability, build a robust deep-tech talent pipeline, and deepen international collaboration across the semiconductor ecosystems.”
