Demand for skilled staff is one of the factors limiting growth in both the design and the manufacture of integrated circuits and other semiconductor devices. This paper describes how the semiconductor industry in the UK has been collaborating with further education colleges, universities, regional development agencies, and educational and funding bodies to build a Learning Network capable of developing the required skills. Issues that still need to be addressed, from an industrial perspective, are discussed together with some potential solutions.
Edexcel — An awarding and examining body in the UK and overseas. Edexcel College Qualifications are used by the supported FE colleges in England and Wales.
2.
Scottish Qualifications Authority — Responsible for College Qualifications and Vocational Qualifications in Scotland. It has its own awards and offers others from NTOs, such as EMTA.
3.
Engineering and Marine Training Authority — The National Training Organisation (NTO) for engineering.Responsible for identifying, defining and updating employment-based standards of competence. Vocational Qualifications are based on these standards.
4.
HemmentP. and DysonC., ‘A University Network for the Silicon Industry’, in Proc. EWME 2000, Aix-en-Provence, May 2000.
