Swansea University has been selected to spearhead the UK Semiconductor Industry Future Skills (UK-SIFS) Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT), marking a significant advancement in the nation’s efforts to bolster its semiconductor sector. The initiative, developed in collaboration with the University of Leeds, is supported by the UK Government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology as part of a larger Industrial Strategy aimed at enhancing the UK’s competitive edge in semiconductor manufacturing.
The UK-SIFS programme will focus on delivering comprehensive doctoral-level training in essential semiconductor skills. Over the next five years, the CDT aims to train up to 60 PhD students across five cohorts, equipping them with the expertise needed to drive innovation and meet the challenges posed by next-generation semiconductor technologies. This approach combines rigorous academic research with practical, industry-embedded training.
Investment and Infrastructure
The initiative represents a collective investment of approximately £18 million, with £10 million coming directly from the UK Government. Additional funding is provided by Swansea University, the University of Leeds, and 24 industry and civic mission partners. Training and research will be conducted in state-of-the-art cleanroom facilities located at Swansea’s Centre for Integrative Semiconductor Materials (CISM) and the Bragg Centre for Materials Research at Leeds. The two facilities have received over £80 million in investment, ensuring they are equipped to meet the industrial needs of the semiconductor sector.
The facilities are designed not only for training but also to support the broader UK semiconductor ecosystem. They will offer services such as start-up incubation, which aims to encourage innovation and collaboration within the industry.
Training and Workforce Development
UK-SIFS will provide flexible training pathways, accommodating students who may wish to study part-time or undertake research projects with their current employers. A significant focus will be placed on retraining talent from other high-skill industries experiencing contraction, thereby strengthening the workforce’s adaptability and resilience.
Professor Paul Meredith, Director of the Centre for Integrative Semiconductor Materials at Swansea University and co-Director of UK-SIFS, stated, “UK-SIFS is a completely different way of thinking about doctoral training for the UK semiconductor sector – flexible, practical training coupled with industrially relevant, world-class research.”
Professor Edmund Linfield, Director of the Bragg Centre for Materials Research at the University of Leeds and co-Director of UK-SIFS, commented on the initiative’s potential: “UK-SIFS will support a wide range of cutting-edge projects from across science and engineering, training the future highly-skilled and diverse workforce needed by the semiconductor sector.”
The programme has garnered enthusiastic support from industry leaders. Howard Rupprecht, Managing Director of CSconnected Ltd, remarked, “This is fantastic news for skills in the semiconductor industry and related sectors. We need to accelerate and diversify workforce provision, and this is especially important to support the rapid growth of the semiconductor manufacturing cluster in South Wales driven by significant investment by multinationals such as Vishay, KLA, Microchip, and IQE.”
Professor Charles JM Footer, QinetiQ Fellow, emphasized the strategic necessity of the programme, saying, “The UK-SIFS CDT announcement marks the beginning of a hugely exciting and vital investment in the future of the UK’s semiconductor capability and the next generation of world-leading scientists in the area. At QinetiQ, we recognize the strategic importance of developing a highly skilled workforce to support sovereign advanced manufacturing and national security, and we look forward very much to collaborating with the CDT.”
The launch of UK-SIFS is not just a response to the current needs of the semiconductor industry but also a proactive step toward securing the future of semiconductor manufacturing in the UK. By fostering a skilled workforce through innovative training methods, this initiative aims to position the UK as a leader in semiconductor technology and manufacturing.
