The buzz in Indian engineering industry is semiconductors. Ambitious government initiatives and private investments have wrought promises of lakhs, if not millions, of jobs.

Global players such as Samsung, Qualcomm and Intel have leveraged Indian talent for design and software services by outsourcing and setting up large centres for inhouse work in India. But lack of ownership over intellectual property and patents has been a concern, says Shashwath T.R., co-founder of Mind Growth Technologies.

The goal is setting up an indigenous semiconductor industry that spans design and software services through fabrication, assembly, testing, marketing and packaging. The latter part is called ATMP.

The soft part has got off the ground. Chips with Indian IP are now being designed, says Mr. Shashwath.

India’s current focus is on ATMP, with facilities like Tata’s Assam unit and the Gujarat plants concentrating on these less capital-intensive areas. Shashwath argues that the ATMP is a critical segment that should not be underestimated, as advancements in packaging can drive significant performance improvements.

What this could well mean is that engineering students and fresh graduates can today aspire to be part of the growing indigenous semiconductor industry. They can orient themselves towards it and seek fulfilling, high-paid careers.

Not just in electronics, computer science and instrumentation, the semiconductor industry would also need large numbers of chemical engineers and technicians when the manufacturing and packaging stage gets off the ground too. Mechanical engineers too would be needed. From chip design through fabrication, cleanroom technicians and quality assurance specialists, semiconductor jobs would span almost the entire range of engineering specializations.

Long gestation period

A recent webinar hosted by The Hindu, featuring semiconductor professionals Vinod Keni and Shashwath T.R., sought to address the issues of supply chains and technological innovation that form the context for job promises.

The Indian government has committed $10 billion through the Semiconductor Mission to build a robust semiconductor and display manufacturing ecosystem. Major players, including Tata Electronics and Foxconn, have pledged substantial investments.

All the leading players, however, warn that it would take more than a decade for tangible outcomes to be produced. Mr. Keni, a veteran investor and venture capitalist, said that while many new projects are being announced, the road to maturity in semiconductor manufacturing could span 10 to 12 years. In Mr. Keni’s view, it would take at least a decade and more to set up the complex infrastructure, ecosystem, and workforce training needed to stabilize production and supply chains.

An army of semiconductor talent

India’s educational institutions have a robust curriculum for design roles, says Shashwath stressing the need for hands-on training, particularly in foundries, where skills in chemical and material sciences are critical. Collaborative initiatives, like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company’s (TSMC) training programs, could serve as a model for India to build expertise.

The good news for India, says semiconductor industry veteran Raja Manickam, is that we have an army of people available. “We need to take the top 10%, train them and create industries. But it would take much time and guidance,” he says.

As far as chip design jobs are concerned for Electronics, Computer Science and Instrumentation & Control Systems engineering streams are concerned, Mr. Shashwath says budding engineers should be on top of what is taught in colleges. Students should learn the use of CAD tools, write code for chip design.

The expertise of Indian engineers in chip design is a well established one. “In every chip that is made today in the world, someone living and working in India has made some contribution in the design chain,” he says, adding what is new is that India is now designing the final product as well with the IP remaining within India. Earlier, Indian companies were white labelling but are now selling under their own name.

Recruiters of fresh graduates in such firms will see a plus if applicants can demonstrate that they as students have seen their designs through the manufacturing stage. He says such facilities are now available where semiconductor designs can be fabricated and students should seek out and get this experience.

Fabrication of chips in foundries, packaging and safe removal of toxic chemicals are the aspects of semiconductors that are relatively new to Indians. Mr. Raja Manickam, presently founder of iVP Semiconductor, lists the various functions in semiconductor manufacturing for chemical engineers and technicians when India’s manufacturing and packaging capability gets established.

Wafer fabrication is an intensive chemical process requiring the use of many gases and precise purity of the metal used. It also involves the toxic chemicals such as those of arsenic and they need to be disposed safely.

He points to how the Japanese dominate the marketshare in semiconductor materials and processing. He says they take much pride in their research strengths. But Japan has very few young people coming into their workforce because of their demographic situation and they need lots of chemical engineering talent. He adds that there are many opportunities in India as well as Japan with Japanese companies and collaborations with Indian firms.

Mr. Raja Manickam, however, points to how companies such as Sumitomo that are leaders have been functioning for nearly 100 years. He adds that the research that happens today can possibly commercialize in 15 years.

Like Mr. Shashwath, he too advises chemical engineering students to engage in fabricating simple semiconductor structures. He says engineering colleges should invest in machines that make small fabs. These machines cost $8 million to $10 million but they are worth the investment if India wants to make our engineering graduates job ready for semiconductor manufacturing.

Mr. Raja Manickam says we should make our engineers work hands-on, not leave that to polytechnics and ITI. The changes should happen from high school level, he adds.