Lawmaker seeks to build pipeline of job-ready semiconductor workers

"If the semiconductor cluster comes together, young people in our region will be able to find jobs without having to leave. We need to prepare now."

Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Jeong Jin-wook, who represents Gwangju's Dongnam-gap constituency, will host a forum Friday at 3 p.m. on building a hands-on semiconductor workforce in the southwestern region. The event will be held at the Korea Photonics Technology Institute's Industry Innovation Academy Collaboration Center.

Organized by Jeong's office and hosted by the institute, the forum was convened to get ahead of rising demand for workers driven by large-scale semiconductor investment — including from Samsung Electronics, SK hynix and Amkor Technology Korea — and the broader expansion of the semiconductor industry in the southwestern region. The goal is to establish a system that supplies industry-ready talent when and where it is needed.

Attendees will include Jeong, institute Senior Vice President Ahn Sin-geol, Woori-ro Chief Executive Oh Min-gyo, and representatives from semiconductor companies including Korea Alps and OE Solutions, as well as officials from the South Jeolla-Gwangju integrated special city, the regional education office, specialized and Meister high schools, and related agencies.

The forum's main agenda item will be strategies for meeting entry-level workforce demand in the southwestern semiconductor industry. Participants will share data on the region's current semiconductor education and training landscape alongside industry hiring needs, hear about challenges facing both the education and industry sectors, and discuss how training programs and institutions can better align with on-the-ground demand.

Particular emphasis will be placed on building an end-to-end, practice-oriented talent development pipeline — from foundational semiconductor education through front- and back-end process and equipment training, on-site internships and ultimately job placement.

South Jeolla Province and Gwangju currently have 22 joint training centers in operation.

Among them, the institute runs the region's only joint training center dedicated to semiconductors. Last year, it graduated 603 trainees across 17 courses covering semiconductor packaging process technology and other subjects. This year, it is running 18 courses that include semiconductor manufacturing processes and AI technology convergence, and has so far produced 400 graduates.

"We need to move beyond a reactive approach — scrambling to find workers after corporate investment has already begun — and build a system that anticipates industry needs and proactively develops the talent our region requires," Jeong said. "The competitiveness of the semiconductor industry ultimately comes down to people. We must create a structure that cultivates the talent industry needs in advance, provides companies with a stable supply of workers, and opens up good jobs and new opportunities for young people in the region."