The global semiconductor market is forecast to double by 2030. The European Union is striving for greater semiconductor self-sufficiency, with the aim of increasing the number of semiconductors manufactured in Europe to 20% by 2030. This means a five-fold increase in current production.
Investments in the semiconductor sector in Finland will also create a strong demand for skills. The industry's own target is to employ 20,000 people by 2032. Today, the sector employs 5,000 people. The semiconductor companies Picosun, an Applied Materials Company, Okmetic, Murata, and KYOCERA Tikitin are donating funds to Aalto University to hire twelve summer workers to work in six different research groups for the summer. Through the Semi-Summer 2023 Programme the companies in the sector want to strengthen semiconductor know-how and to make the sector more attractive.
‘We are grateful for this support to strengthen semiconductor education in Aalto. We have excellent facilities in Micronova Nanofabrication Centre. Teaching in semiconductor technology is exceptionally expensive due to cleanliness and safety requirements, and the donation will enhance our capabilities significantly’, explained Professor Sami Franssila.
‘Understanding semiconductor properties and their modification techniques are key drivers in developing smaller, faster, and cheaper devices. Semiconductors are used everywhere, in electronics, energy technology, medicine, telecom, and the field is in rapid growth both in Finland and globally, with increasing demand for specialists’, adds Professor Markku Sopanen.
The semiconductor sector requires a wide range of skills
Semiconductors play a crucial role in many modern technologies. Semiconductor technology is a field of materials science and electrical engineering that deals with the design, development and production of electronic components made from semiconductor materials. Semiconductors, such as for example silicon, have unique electrical properties that allow them to be used in a variety of electronic devices such as integrated circuits and LED lights. These materials are central to modern electronics and form the basis of the microelectronics industry.
The semiconductor sector offers a wide range of career opportunities in Finnish and international companies. Students can find their place in areas such as silicon wafers, sensors or process and equipment development.
