Semiconductor industry has 8,000 active jobs, mainly in entry-level positions

Industry experts say the semiconductor industry in India is experiencing rapid growth, but precisely quantifying the change in open positions over the past three years can be challenging due to its dynamic and evolving nature.

India is becoming a great conductor for the semiconductor industry, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on July 28, adding that the government has identified more than 300 colleges where semiconductor courses will be available and India will have more than 1 lakh semicon design engineers in the next five years.

Though the industry is still at a nascent stage, there are currently around 8,000 open positions in the semiconductor sector across job profiles and levels, according to the data put together for Moneycontrol by TeamLease EdTech.

To be sure, the majority of positions (approximately 60-80 percent) fall in the entry-level category. These roles are often filled by fresh graduates or individuals with limited work experience in the industry. Entry-level positions may include roles like semiconductor technician, junior engineer, or production operator.

Secondly, around 15-20 percent of jobs fall into the mid-level category. These positions require a higher level of expertise and experience, compared to entry-level roles, and jobs may include semiconductor design engineer, process engineer, or quality control specialist.

Lastly, about 10-20 percent of positions, categorised as senior-level ones, include positions such as senior design architect, research scientist, or managerial positions.

Industry experts say the semiconductor industry in India is experiencing rapid growth, but precisely quantifying the change in open positions over the past three years can be challenging due to its dynamic and evolving nature.

“As a sunrise industry, the demand for semiconductor professionals has surged significantly. While specific data may vary across companies and sub-sectors, a conservative estimate suggests a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of around 100 percent in open positions over the last three years,” said Jaideep Kewalramani, Head of Employability Business and COO, TeamLease EdTech.

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He attributed such explosive growth to increased demand for semiconductors in various applications, the emergence of new technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence, and autonomous vehicles, and a special focus on the government’s ‘Make-In-India’ initiative.

Talent market

The current talent supply situation in the semiconductor industry is challenging, the India Electronics and Semiconductor Association (IESA) has observed as the rapid growth and technological advancements have led to an increased demand for skilled professionals.

While efforts are being made to bridge the skill gap through educational programmes and industry collaborations, demand is still outpacing supply, the industry body said.

However, there is a silver lining: the compensation market for semiconductor talent has experienced a positive trend in the last 1-2 years, despite the global economy taking a major hit due to the pandemic.

“While specific percentages may vary across roles and experience levels, on average, we have observed an approximate rise of around 10-20 percent in the salary offered to semiconductor industry talent during this period,” said Sanjay Gupta, Chairperson, IESA.

In addition, IESA anticipates a potential increase of approximately 15-20 percent in demand for semiconductor talent in the next six months.