The Chemical Connection: Onshoring PCB Production—Daunting but Certainly Possible
It’s Only Common Sense: The Phone Is Still Mightier Than the Keyboard
New SEMI Job Skills Model for Growing Microelectronics Industry
March 17, 2020 | SEMIEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
SEMI today announced the release of a central feature of its workforce development initiative, designed to grow the microelectronics industry’s talent pipeline, on the U.S. Department of Labor’s Competency Model Clearinghouse website. The Unified Competency Model (UCM) for Advanced Manufacturing identifies skill sets required across strategic industry sectors to strengthen connections among the microelectronics industry, workers, and education and training providers. SEMI led the development of the new UCM in partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor – Employment and Training Administration (USDOL-ETA).
SEMI gathered industry insights for the UCM by forming working groups of industry experts and will drive the ongoing industry engagement necessary to update the job skill listings as technologies evolve and new job requirements are identified. The UCM will help align changing job skills sets with industry certifications, credential requirements and occupational licensing to help clear the way to career paths in advanced manufacturing and the microelectronics industry.The release of the updated Advanced Manufacturing Unified Competency Model by the USDOL-ETA comes one year after SEMI announced SEMI Works™, a comprehensive program to grow the electronics design and manufacturing industry talent pipeline. A key building block of SEMI Works™, the UCM will help ensure that job competencies the industry needs most are updated regularly to keep pace with its evolving workforce needs.
“As technology advances, ensuring access to talent is increasingly important,” said Mike Russo, vice president of Industry Advancement and Government Programs at SEMI. “The Unified Competency Model developed by SEMI and the USDOL-ETA team will help ensure training and education for industry jobs dovetail with skills requirements to help the microelectronics industry continue to innovate and grow. We are excited to partner with government and industry stakeholders to build out and sustain the UCM, a foundational component of SEMI Works™.”
“This new competency framework will improve signaling across our industry regarding the skills we need for our current and future workforce,” said Kathryn Garner, Talent Acquisition & Global Mobility at TEL, a UCM working group member. “This standard will provide greater transparency of skills and credentials from a diverse set of backgrounds including our military veterans. We are excited to be an integral part of this impactful effort.”
The development of the UCM is a milestone in SEMI’s ongoing work to deliver education and workforce development programs by facilitating collaborations within the public and private sectors. With SEMI Works™, SEMI has set its sights on solving a major industry issue—building a robust talent pipeline by attracting, developing and retaining critical microelectronics industry talent.
Share on:
Testimonial
"Our marketing partnership with I-Connect007 is already delivering. Just a day after our press release went live, we received a direct inquiry about our updated products!"
Rachael Temple - AlltematedSuggested Items
Simplifying Software Integration for Every Factory
10/22/2025 | Nolan Johnson, SMT007 MagazineAs a leading provider of factory digitalization solutions for electronics manufacturers, Cogiscan is at the heart of the software integration process. Davina McDonnell, director of marketing and product management, discusses how Cogiscan ensures that customers are ready to integrate and what it looks for to ensure a quick and appropriate installation.
MES Software Tools Need Thoughtful Integration
10/21/2025 | Nolan Johnson, SMT007 MagazineThe Global Electronics Association recently published a survey report on the state of EMS production software. This project, led by Thiago Guimaraes, director of industry intelligence, connects the dots across the global electronics value chain to uncover practical insights that individual companies might not have seen on their own. In this interview, Thiago discusses the whys and hows of this report.
SEMICON West: The Path to a $1 Trillion Future
10/14/2025 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007After more than 50 years in San Francisco, SEMICON West moved its 2025 show to Phoenix, which is significant because it highlights the importance of Arizona as a semiconductor and tech hub. Though the show will be back in San Francisco in 2026, the overwhelmingly warm welcome SEMI received from Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, and ASU President Michael Crowe—who has been responsible for ASU repeatedly achieving the U.S. News and World Reports most innovative university ranking—was remarked upon repeatedly. All indications are that SEMICON West may well be back in Phoenix after that 2026 season.
Technica USA Named Exclusive U.S. Distributor for DCT Cleaning Products
10/14/2025 | Technica USATechnica USA is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with DCT USA, LLC, becoming the exclusive master distributor of DCT cleaning products in the United States, effective November 1, 2025.
Is Glass Finally Coming of Age?
10/13/2025 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007Substrates, by definition, form the base of all electronic devices. Whether discussing silicon wafers for semiconductors, glass-and-epoxy materials in printed circuits, or the base of choice for interposers, all these materials function as substrates. While other substrates have come and gone, silicon and FR-4 have remained the de facto standards for the industry.