New Initiatives Launched at Electronics Industry Day to Attract Talent to Job Opportunities in the Sector

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 27 January
2021 – Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association (SSIA)
is partnering JTC and e2i, electronics companies, academia, to launch a series
of new initiatives to attract and retain talent, as well as make the
electronics sector an attractive environment to work in. Even as many
sectors scaled back in 2020, the electronics and semiconductor industry remains
resilient. It continues to create good job opportunities and offer a variety of
roles to shape the future of technology.

Guest-of-Honour, Mr Alvin Tan, Minister of State for Trade & Industry and Culture, Community & Youth, delivering his speech during the Electronics Industry Day 2021

1.         There are
currently more than 2,800 jobs and training opportunities for the sector,
spanning the value chain from technical and innovation engineers, to process
and operations roles, and global supply chain roles. Companies in the industry are
continuing to hire aggressively into 2021, fueled by the acceleration of
digitisation, disruptive new technologies, and cutting-edge devices from
smartphones and wearable devices to driverless cars, which have semiconductors
at their core. 

New initiatives to support talent attraction efforts for the
Electronics sector

 

2.         To grow a sustained talent pipeline for the electronics and
semiconductor sector, SSIA will be championing a Semiconductor Communication
Campaign with Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) to raise the awareness
of the semiconductor industry among the students, sharing about  key industry trends and profile stories. There
will be a job portal that provides the latest update and vacancies of the electronics
and semiconductor industry.

3.         The campaign will
kick-off at the launch of the second edition of Electronics Industry Day from
27 January to 28 February 2021. Organised by SSIA with support from JTC and
e2i, the Electronics Industry Day is a flagship event that brings electronics
companies and IHLs’ students together on one platform. Held virtually this
year, it consists of various activities including a career fair, plant tours,
exhibitions by over 30 companies, and industry talks, allowing over 2,000
students and job seekers to learn more about the exciting career and internship
opportunities available.

 

4.         Mr Andrew Chong, SSIA Chairman, said,
“SSIA has launched different initiatives since mid last year to support
companies on their hiring needs. They include the new semiconductor job portal,
career fairs supported by e2i, school career talks, and the ongoing
Professional Conversion Programme. The latest Semiconductor Communication
Campaign aims to highlight
the critical role that chips play at the technology forefront, showcase
exciting developments, and profile young people in the sector. These stories
create excitement about the sector on social media and make students aware of
opportunities available in the semiconductor industry. We will continue to work
with our partners in developing the talent pool for our industry.”

 

Enhancing the
vibrancy of Wafer Fab Parks to create an attractive work environment for
businesses and workers

 

5.         Besides supporting the industry on
talent attraction efforts, JTC is working closely with partners and businesses
to enhance the physical infrastructure for the electronics sector. JTC unveiled a 5-Year Estate Enhancement Plan
during the inaugural Electronics Industry Day in 2019 to make Wafer Fab Parks
more vibrant and conducive
environment for talent and companies.

 

6.         A
series of physical enhancements will be rolled out across Wafer Fab Parks progressively from 2021 to 2025.

 

a.   
The
Wafer Fab Parks will take on a new identity with rebranded
signages by mid this year. It will feature wafer and integrated circuit designs
to bring out the unique identity of the estate as an attractive work
destination for the sector.

 

b.   
New
covered walkways and cycling paths for Pasir Ris and Tampines Wafer Fab Parks will be ready by 2023 to improve
accessibility and connectivity within the estates, and to nearby amenities and
transport nodes

 

c.    
In
line with our City in Nature effort, JTC has collaborated with the National Parks Board
(NParks) to refresh the roads and
pedestrian walkways with enhanced greenery in phases by 2023. The first phase of roadside streetscape enhancement
in Pasir Ris Wafer
Fab Park is ongoing and will
complete by end this year.

 

7.         Mr Cheong Wee Lee, Director, Biomedical
& Electronics Cluster, JTC, said, “The Electronics sector continues to see
positive growth and good job opportunities even in the midst of the pandemic.
The second edition of Electronics Industry Day has seen increased company and
student participation. This is a great time for job seekers to interact
directly with companies and learn how you can shape the future through new
technologies. The transformation of industrial estates like JTC’s Wafer Fab
Parks with more greenery and cycling paths will also be an added advantage in
creating a more attractive work environment.”

 

8.         As the electronics sector has presented
a bright spot, with active recruitment and promising possibilities, many individuals
have found working in the electronics sector as their dream jobs in the midst
of a pandemic.

 

9.         “With the pace of
technological advancement the way it is, I can look forward to participating in
exciting projects with global impact, like 5G. It will be a proud moment when I
own a smartphone or tablet that contains a chip that I worked on,” said Oi Sok
Yee, who have joined MediaTek Singapore as an engineer since June 2020.

 

10.       As a mentor to the
younger engineers at Xilinx, 39-year-old Lim Siok Wei, an Integrated Circuit
Design Manager, said IC Design is an ideal career for those who are interested
in learning new things and do not want to do the same thing every day. Her key
role includes making the “black chip” inside TVs and phones that are
programmable. She and her team have won two Ross Freeman awards for their work
on the class-leading SerDes, an integrated circuit that transmit data at high
speeds. “The industry is fast-moving and as technology evolves, chips get
smaller. Every day, you try to improve on, or change something, and that makes
our work exciting and challenging,” she added.

 

11.       For more details of
the Electronics Industry Day 2021 and talent development initiatives for the
electronics and semiconductor industry, please visit https://ssia.org.sg/jobs