It doesn't pay enough. The jobs in the industry pay less than software while being more challenging technically. The tooling is expensive and it's not easy for amateurs to get into the field. But mostly it doesn't pay enough.
What a strange article.<p>>There is a worldwide shortage of semiconductor talent.<p>Why is there no source on the central premise of the article? Surely to write such an article you would start out by figuring out whether the problem measurably exists. The Deloitte estimate misses the point.<p>>What is needed is a practical-first approach<p>What a total bizarre take. The premise is that the industry requires wildly different areas to come together. The best way to accomplish that are strong theoretical foundations, learning something new from a solid theoretical foundation you deeply understand is easy. Learning something "practical" without that foundation is often an impossible task. What is needed the most are obviously people who have that solid theory and then can learn practical skills on their jobs.<p>>The bias towards post-graduate degrees stems from the lack of a practical-first education in semiconductors at the undergraduate level.<p>No, it stems from the fact that mostly those people are qualified. There are no "practical skills" without a solid theoretical foundation. So obviously people with the solid foundation are needed.<p>>lack of re-skilling resources and undocumented knowledge means that there is a career lock-in based on your choice of early-career specialization.<p>Do you know what reduces specialization? Solid theoretical knowledge, because it makes it easy to adapt.