Updated assessment provides insights Into Europe’s semiconductor talent gap

European Chips Skills Academy (ECSA), an European Union (EU)-funded initiative coordinated by SEMI Europe, has announced the publication of the Skills Strategy Report 2025 by DECISION Etudes & Conseil.

Building on the essential data presented in the 2024 edition, this year’s report provides an updated and comprehensive analysis of the growing talent shortfall in Europe’s semiconductor industry.

The report identifies a structural imbalance between workforce demand and supply, revealing a shortage of skilled professionals across the European semiconductor ecosystem due to an aging workforce and a limited inflow of new talent.

Nearly 30% of the current workforce is expected to retire by 2030, while the number of graduates entering relevant fields continues to grow by less than 1% per year. This mismatch is projected to result in an annual shortfall of approximately 10,800 skilled workers across the value chain. 

“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.”

The report’s qualitative analysis draws on insights from more than 130 experts representing industry, academia, and training organisations. It outlines emerging job profiles, highlights the most difficult positions to fill, and identifies key trends in skills demand that extend beyond traditional manufacturing.

From system design and verification, to cyber security and AI-enabled hardware architectures, the semiconductor workforce of the future is being reshaped by cross-disciplinary and hybrid 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.”