South Wales’ compound semiconductor cluster is entering a decade in which its growth will depend on the strength of its talent pipeline, according to industry and academic leaders.
CSconnected, the world’s first compound semiconductor cluster, brings together global manufacturers, high-tech SMEs, universities, further education colleges and national research centres.
Around 3,000 people are employed directly across cluster organisations and the region’s strength is reinforced by more than £850 million of investment over the past decade into research, cleanrooms, pilot facilities and manufacturing expansion, creating significant long-term demand for skilled people.
A global workforce shortfall expected by 2030 – estimated at up to 300,000 people – is already shaping the focus on future skills in South Wales, with organisations joining forces on a coordinated, long-term approach to skills stretching from primary schools to PhD level.
Speaking on the CSconnected podcast Brandon Jones, Skills Manager at CSconnected, said the region would “feel that pressure locally”, noting that growth in cleanroom operations, process engineering and advanced manufacturing will require a significant increase in training capacity across FE, HE and industry.
The past decade has shown how integrated the ecosystem has become, Brandon said, with universities, FE colleges, Catapult centres and employers working together rather than in isolation. He suggested that the next decade will require policy alignment that looks at least five to ten years ahead, adding that awareness of the sector remains a challenge in attracting new entrants.
Industry also emphasises the importance of reaching people early. Brandon said the cluster is working with multiple outreach providers across South Wales and has mapped engagement to ensure schools with high levels of free school meals and schools that have had limited STEM exposure are included. He said primary school pupils reached today will be entering employment within ten to 12 years, making sustained engagement at key decision points essential.
Professor Owen Guy of Swansea University described the relationship between universities, FE colleges and employers as “absolutely crucial”, pointing to industry-focused courses delivered across chemistry, physics and electrical engineering, with expansion underway into computer science and maths. He highlighted the role of specialist facilities such as Swansea’s Centre for Integrative Semiconductor Materials and Cardiff’s Institute of Compound Semiconductors in raising awareness, having hosted hundreds of school pupils. Owen also referenced new initiatives such as the “passport to semiconductors”, intended to track and support pupils from primary school through to employment.
Owen said Wales remains at the forefront of skills development in Europe, citing a week-long cleanroom course in which students manufacture a gallium nitride device – a capability he described as uncommon elsewhere due to the facilities and expertise required. He said continued investment from government and industry would be essential to maintain this position, given the benefits the sector generates through high-value jobs and research.
For emerging companies within the cluster, talent development is now a central part of business strategy. Novomorphic, a Cardiff-based integrated circuit design start-up, was created with both commercial and skills objectives in mind. People and Resources Director Catherine Lundie said attracting experienced digital design engineers to relocate to South Wales remains a challenge, alongside securing graduates with qualifications in microelectronics and IC design.
Catherine said Novomorphic is responding by focusing on transferable skills and offering structured in-house training. She also pointed to the importance of communicating the strengths of Cardiff and the surrounding area to prospective recruits, and said early engagement with pupils, starting in Years 5 and 6, helps build understanding of what semiconductor roles involve and the impact they can have.
Retention, she added, relies on culture, visible progression routes and the ability to make sideways moves into areas such as project management or business development. Catherine said collaboration with universities on CPD and postgraduate qualifications helps strengthen long-term career prospects and makes roles “sticky”, particularly when training is accessible within the region.
The next decade will require scale, stability in funding cycles and the ability to expand what is already working, the podcast heard. Guests said the future strength of the semiconductor sector in South Wales will be determined not only by attracting talent, but by how effectively the region develops, supports and retains it.
Hear more in the CSconnected podcast. Listen here.
