Vietnam among eight ‘strategic’ countries to join US semiconductor workforce development initiative

Vietnam and seven other “strategic countries” have been selected to join a U.S. initiative designed to enhance semiconductor capabilities and supply chain resilience worldwide.

The Southeast Asian country launched a series of kick-off sessions that focused on workforce development and public policy in the semiconductor industry in Hanoi on Wednesday. They will last until Friday, September 13.

The sessions are part of the International Technology Security & Innovation Fund (ITSI Fund), a key initiative of the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act. The seven other countries are Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama, Indonesia, the Philippines, Kenya, and India.

The launch came as the two former war foes celebrate one year of the bilateral Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, reached during a Hanoi visit by President Biden.

The sessions, organized by Arizona State University (ASU), will bring together key stakeholders, including leaders from relevant Vietnamese ministries, led by the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI); the National Innovation Center (NIC); assembly, testing, and packaging (ATP) industry leaders; and academic representatives from top engineering and technology universities and vocational colleges.

They will hold discussions to identify Vietnam's strengths and challenges in the semiconductor sector and formulate action plans to enhance its capabilities.

The workshops are designed to develop a skilled workforce and create a supportive policy environment to attract investment and innovation in the semiconductor sector.

Under this initiative, ASU is also partnering with educational institutions so that professors and students from those institutions can receive mentoring and access to coursework to support their development.

These efforts are in alignment with the ITSI Fund's goals to diversify and expand global semiconductor ATP capabilities, ensuring a robust and resilient supply chain, ASU said in a statement.

They also align with the broader goals of Vietnam to position itself at the forefront of technology and innovation. By nurturing talent and enhancing policy frameworks, Vietnam is set to attract new investments and partnerships, contributing to the global semiconductor ecosystem's resilience and growth, it added.

Addressing the launch of the session, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung stressed that the launch of the ITSI does not only mark a new world-standard training program on ATP for lecturers and students at universities in Vietnam, but is also a significant step in the path toward gradually mastering the semiconductor industry by Vietnamese people.

The potential for cooperation between Vietnam and the U.S. in the semiconductor industry and other high-tech sectors is huge and holds great significance for the two countries’ diplomatic relations in the new era, the minister added.

Together with semiconductor training courses hosted by the NIC in collaboration with tech corporation such as Qorvo, Cadence, Google, Siemens, Samsung, and FPT, semiconductor workforce development led by the MPI is taking place at universities across Vietnam.

The joining of ASU and many more other partners in the semiconductor ecosystem will contribute to helping Vietnam soon reach the goal of training 50,000 engineers and bachelors for this industry, the minister stated.

U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper highlighted the program’s importance in connecting U.S. and Vietnamese institutions. “The U.S. is proud to invest in Vietnam’s future through workforce development programs that create lasting partnership. Together, we are building institutional ties that will shape the semiconductor industry for years to come.”

Jeffrey Goss, principal investigator of the ITSI Program at ASU, remarked: “This collaboration opens up tremendous opportunities for Vietnamese students and professionals to gain cutting-edge skills in semiconductor technology. ASU is honored to support Vietnam's journey toward becoming a key player in this transformative industry.”