The U.S. semiconductor industry is said to be struggling to hire and retain workers as the country ramps up its chip manufacturing capacity to reduce its reliance on foreign supplies.
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Labor has proven to be a challenge to revitalize the country's semiconductor landscape, say the consultants at McKinsey in their latest report on the sector. Chip-making companies are struggling not only to fill jobs, but to keep their current employees from quitting, with over a third of staff surveyed seriously considering leaving their current employer, we learn.
The expansion of the U.S. semiconductor industry, fueled by $52 billion in government subsidies from the CHIPS Act, naturally means more workers are needed to build and operate chip manufacturing and packaging facilities. Earlier this week, a Semiconductor Industry Association study predicted that 28 percent of all advanced chips could be made in America by 2032, up from essentially zero, something that will only be possible with thousands more workers.
Vacancies, which grew from 7,900 in 2020 to 24,700 in 2022, are becoming increasingly difficult to fill. Job postings are staying open longer than normal, too; in 2022, the average time open for engineering jobs was 26 days and for technician jobs 28 days.
