ECSA releases 2025 skills strategy report
The European Chips Skills Academy (ECSA) has released its 2025 Skills Strategy Report, delivering a fresh look at the scale of Europe’s semiconductor workforce shortfall. Produced by DECISION Etudes & Conseil and coordinated by SEMI Europe, the report updates last year’s data with new evidence of a rapidly tightening skills pipeline.
The findings highlight growing pressure on chipmakers, design houses, universities, and training providers — and why workforce development is now as critical as fab capacity or supply-chain resilience.
Structural imbalance in the semiconductor workforce
According to the report, Europe faces a widening mismatch between the semiconductor skills it needs and the talent available. The industry’s aging workforce remains a major concern, with nearly 30% of current employees expected to retire by 2030. Meanwhile, the inflow of graduates in relevant disciplines is rising by less than 1% per year.
This diverging trend is projected to produce an annual shortfall of about 10,800 skilled workers across the semiconductor value chain, from design and equipment engineering to manufacturing and downstream services.
“The 2025 ECSA Skills Strategy Report offers a comprehensive view of the talent landscape across Europe’s semiconductor ecosystem,” said Laith Altimime, President of SEMI Europe. “Its findings highlight the scale of the unprecedented challenge we face and the urgency to act. This report underscores the need for collaboration between industry, policymakers, and education systems to ensure that Europe develops the skilled workforce essential to sustaining its technological ambitions.”
Broadening skill requirements and new job profiles
The analysis incorporates insights from more than 130 experts spanning industry, academia, and training organisations. One of the central takeaways: the semiconductor workforce of the future is becoming far more cross-disciplinary.
Beyond traditional fab and equipment roles, companies increasingly need specialists in areas such as system architecture, verification, cybersecurity, and AI-enhanced hardware development. Many of the hardest-to-fill positions now sit at the intersection of hardware and software skillsets.
“The 2025 edition of the Skills Strategy Report clearly shows that Europe’s semiconductor talent challenge has entered a new phase,” said Léo Saint-Martin, Senior Consultant at DECISION Etudes & Conseil. “Addressing this requires more than short-term measures. Strengthening collaboration between education and industry, and aligning curricula with evolving technological needs, will be key to ensuring a steady flow of qualified professionals who can sustain innovation and growth across Europe’s semiconductor ecosystem.”
What’s next for Europe’s chips skills agenda?
The publication arrives as the EU Chips Act continues to drive investment into manufacturing capacity and supply-chain initiatives — but workforce development remains a bottleneck. The report provides regional breakdowns of skills gaps and offers targeted recommendations to industry, training providers, and policymakers.
The full 2025 Skills Strategy Report is available for download on the ECSA website. It delivers a detailed overview of current and future workforce needs, along with actionable steps aimed at strengthening Europe’s long-term semiconductor competitiveness.
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