Semiconductor talent gap: SEMI Europe hosts Brussels forum
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SEMI Europe and partners will tackle Europe’s semiconductor talent gap at the “Accelerating Europe’s Tech Advantage” forum in Brussels on October 2, 2025. The event will bring together policymakers, educators, and industry leaders to secure the continent’s future skills pipeline and strengthen competitiveness.
For eeNews Europe readers, the forum highlights the workforce challenges facing chipmakers and suppliers across the region while pointing to opportunities for collaboration on education, training, and talent pipelines.
Growing shortage threatens Europe’s chip strategy
According to the European Chips Skills Academy (ECSA) Skills Strategy 2024 report, Europe could face a shortfall of more than 75,000 skilled workers by 2030, with hardware engineers and technicians in especially short supply. While STEM graduates are on the rise, only 28% specialize in semiconductor-relevant fields, and fewer than 18,000 entered the industry in 2022.
That shortage is a strategic risk for Europe’s ambitions in AI, renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, cybersecurity, and defense — all sectors dependent on semiconductors. The Brussels event aims to map out actionable strategies, share best practices, and foster collaboration among stakeholders.
“The talent shortage is one of the most unprecedented challenges facing the semiconductor industry today. To secure Europe’s long-term competitiveness, SEMI Europe, in collaboration with the OECD and the STEM coalition, will strengthen education pathways and expand the talent pipeline through key initiatives that support the industry’s future growth,” said Laith Altimime, President of SEMI Europe.
Coordinated action and next steps
Christopher Frieling, Director of Advocacy and Public Policy at SEMI Europe, added: “The event underscores the necessity of coordinated action to strengthen engineering and technical education, ensure alignment with semiconductor industry needs, and secure the skills pipeline that will sustain Europe’s technological leadership in the years ahead.”
The program will feature keynote talks from SEMI Europe’s Laith Altimime, OECD’s Andreas Schleicher, and Beatrice Boots from the EU STEM Coalition. A panel discussion moderated by SEMI Europe’s Victoria Cummings and SPACE4GEO coordinator Milva Carbonaro will follow, with a networking reception designed to spur further collaboration.
The initiative builds on the European Commission’s Union of Skills and STEM Education Strategic Plan, which puts STEM education at the center of Europe’s technology competitiveness strategy.
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