Selangor plans to launch an IC design park each year until 2028
30 Jul 2024
The Selangor administration is looking to launch an Integrated Circuit (IC) Design Park every year until 2028, said Selangor Information Technology and Digital Economy Corporation (Sidec) chief executive officer Yong Kai Ping.
Yong said the state wants to leverage the success of its first IC Design Park in Puchong.
“The IC Design Park in Puchong is already at full capacity. The next step is the official launch of the design park in August this year, where we will see nine companies coming in, and we aim to fulfil the immediate need of 400 trained engineers, potentially expanding to 600.
“But there are already plans for a second park, which is anticipated to launch next year. The long-term vision includes launching a new park each year, aiming for four or five parks over the next four years,’’ he told Selangor Journal on the sidelines of the First Series of the Selangor International Business Summit (SIBS) 2024, held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from July 25 to 27.
Yong explained that Sidec aims to boost the semiconductor industry, particularly in the IC design aspect, in hiring and retaining talents, to meet a global, critical need.
Yong briefly said the main issue is the demanding nature of the semiconductor industry, which requires a combination of skills in electrical and electronic engineering, mechanical engineering, and computer science.
“For IC design, companies would often only hire those with master’s degrees. To help with this issue, we aim to increase on-job training for degree holders, and promote master’s programmes with universities such as (Universiti Malaya) and (Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia), as well as international collaborations with Taiwan, China, and Japan.
“Our overall strategy includes training 2,000 IC engineers over the next four years, with a target of 400 to 500 engineers per year. This includes not only fresh graduates, but also senior engineers returning from abroad,’’ he said.
Apart from the collaborations to expand local training programmes in specialised areas like IC design, Yong said Sidec is also looking to develop training plans for local graduates to produce semiconductor equipment.
“There is a focus on semiconductor equipment production — a lucrative but underdeveloped area in Malaysia. I think this could create opportunities for our Technical and Vocational Education and Training students.
“Overall, our model is very straightforward. By opening more centres and attracting more companies, we can recruit and train the necessary engineers. These programmes are also supported by the positive response from industry players, who are always eager for more talent,’’ he said.
Source: Selangor Journal
