According to sources, as TSMC's Kumamoto factory commences operations to address the shortage of semiconductor industry talent, TSMC plans to sign a memorandum of cooperation with Kyushu University in Japan in April. The two parties aim to establish a broad partnership focusing on jointly training technical talent in the semiconductor field and collaborating to advance cutting-edge semiconductor technology research and development.
This marks TSMC's first collaboration with Kyushu University. According to the memorandum of cooperation, TSMC plans to send employees to Kyushu University's Semiconductor and Value Creation Education Center to serve as lecturers to tackle the shortage of semiconductor talent. Both parties will also consider future joint research projects.
TSMC's Kumamoto factory is located in the southwest of Kyushu Island and began operations in February this year. This is part of the second Kumamoto factory plan approved by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry, including terms for providing semiconductor courses in collaboration with Kyushu University. In the future, Kyushu University also plans to regularly dispatch students for internships at TSMC's Taiwan factory.
Kyushu University signed a memorandum of cooperation with National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University and ITRI in September 2023. TSMC's Kumamoto factory currently has over 1,400 employees, with the majority being local Japanese, and around 350 employees from Taiwan. However, with the increasing demand for chips, the future demand for semiconductor talent is also expected to rise.
According to predictions by an alliance focused on the demand for semiconductor industry talent in the industrial, government, and academic sectors, the Kyushu region is expected to face a shortage of 1,000 semiconductor-related talents annually over the next ten years. Therefore, Kyushu University has started introducing relevant courses and establishing semiconductor-related departments in its engineering school to address the shortage of semiconductor talent.
