In the 1960s, Singapore started its ambitious project of growing the semiconductor industry by introducing assembly and test activities. Fast forward to the present and the flourishing industry has now grown to encompass integrated circuit (IC) design and wafer fabrication, in addition to its original capabilities.

Recognising the need for a constant source of readily available talent pool that is in touch with the increasingly sophisticated technology used in the industry, particularly in the wafer fabrication sector, the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) has decided to invest S$8 million (US$5.2 million) into the training of wafer fabrication engineers. The Wafer Fabrication Specialist Manpower Programme (SMP) will be a collaborative effort between EDB and the nation's top two universities, National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

The SMP aims to attract undergraduates from the schools of Electrical, Electronics, Mechanical, Materials and Chemical Engineering to specialise in wafer fabrication through this final year focused track programme. It hopes to train 900 engineers over the course of three years.

Abundant opportunities

Elaborating on the necessity for such a programme at this juncture, Lim Swee Nian, Executive Director, Electronics, EDB, says, "Singapore's semiconductor industry is growing rapidly. Besides the continued expansion of existing wafer fabrication plants, new players are attracted to Singapore for its advanced technologies. As such, there are tremendous opportunities for wafer fabrication engineers in Singapore to work on cutting edge technologies."

Financial incentives and guaranteed job opportunities are some of the benefits that EDB is hoping would entice more undergraduates to consider taking up the SMP. Financial incentives vary depending on the number of years the undergraduate spends completing the programme; students specialising for a year will get a monthly stipend of S$1,080 (US$706) while those who take two years get a monthly stipend of S$540 (US$353) throughout the duration of the programme. All sponsored students under the SMP can also expect guaranteed job offers upon graduation.

"Singapore's microelectronics industry, in particular the wafer fabrication segment, will continue to see strong growth. It is crucial then that we nurture the engineers to supEDBport this growth," says Professor Kam Chan Hin, Chair, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, NTU. "The new undergraduate courses will provide specialised training for our students, who will be armed with the knowledge and skills for the industry when they graduate."

Exciting times

Indeed, the local wafer fabrication sector is riding the crest of development currently, with several exciting investments having taken place in the past year. Just in April this year, Qimonda, a leading supplier of memory chips, announced plans to build its first fully-owned 300mm manufacturing facility in Singapore - also its first in Asia. The S$4.1 billion (US$2.7 billion) manufacturing facility is expected to start operations in 2009, and at full capacity, will require more than 1,500 employees.

This comes on the heels of Intel and Micron's decision in November 2006 to form a new joint venture and add a fourth fabrication facility to its NAND flash memory manufacturing capability; the facility is expected to be operational in the second half of 2008. Soitec, the world's leading manufacturer of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers and other engineered substrates, is also currently establishing its first 300mm wafer fabrication plant in Asia here.

With such activities spurring the growth of the semiconductor industry, the future looks bright for all involved. Professor Seeram Ramakrishna, Dean, Faculty of Engineering, NUS, supports this optimistic outlook. "The scale of this initiative by EDB and the company sponsors will not only send a strong signal in the upturn of the wafer fabrication segment, it also augurs well for the recipients who are vying for a place in a sector where R&D receives the highest investment. I'm excited about the promising prospects for our engineering students," says Professor Ramakrishna.