New educational initiative for the German chip industry

Als zentraler Bestandteil des Fachkräfte-Leitprojekts „skills4chips“ soll die „Microtec Academy“ Fachkräfte für die deutsche Chipindustrie sichern. (©FBH/Matthias Baumbach) / A key component of the flagship project “skills4chips”: The “Microtec Academy” will secure skilled workers for the German chip industry. (©FBH/Matthias Baumbach)

Übersicht der am Projekt "Microtec Academy" beteiligten Akteur*innen. (©FBH) / Overview of the actors involved in the "Microtec Academy" project. (©FBH)

Securing skilled workers for the chip industry – with this goal in mind, the nationwide flagship project “Skilled workers for microelectronics: skills4chips” funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), launches on November 1, 2024. A key component is the establishment of a national educational academy for microelectronics and microsystem technology. The “Microtec Academy” will address the growing demand for skilled workers with innovative training programs and is coordinated by the Berlin-based Ferdinand-Braun-Institut (FBH).

More chips “made in Europe”: The European Union aims to double the share of semiconductors produced in Europe from 10% to 20% by 2030 and to intensify regional semiconductor production through the European Chips Act. Expanding these production capacities requires qualified personnel. This is where skills4chips comes in: The project is establishing the “Microtec Academy” as a national educational hub for microelectronics and microsystem technology. The BMBF is providing €12 million in funding over four years.

The skills4chips consortium, led by the Berlin Ferdinand-Braun-Institut, Leibniz Institute for High-Frequency Technology, brings extensive experience in training and education within high-tech fields. This expertise is built on results from two previous BMBF-funded projects, “BM = x³” and “Microelectronics Academy”. Numerous proven initiatives from regional clusters can be continued and enriched with new offerings, such as partial qualifications or specific programs for career changers.

Strengthening workforce training with tailored programs

“Our goal is to sustainably strengthen Germany’s position in microelectronics,” explains Prof. Dr.-Ing. Patrick Scheele, Scientific Managing Director of FBH. “The 'Microtec Academy' creates a unique network that brings together all relevant players: educational institutions, vocational schools, universities, research, and industry. This allows us to offer tailored, sometimes nationwide programs across the entire educational chain and simultaneously open up new qualification pathways. In this way, we attract the urgently needed skilled workers with a nationwide coordinated approach, benefiting both people and the industry.”

In the long term, the "Microtec Academy” aims to increase the quality and quantity of education and training in microelectronics on all levels, from career orientation, vocational training, and university studies to reskilling and upskilling. Special attention will be given to reaching new target groups, tailoring educational programs to demand, and training vocational teachers and trainers. New digital solutions, such as a virtual technology lab, will enable innovative training measures, supporting flexible learning and offering a wide range of formats, from online courses and hybrid models to hands-on courses that combine theory and practice.

A collaborative effort in a nationwide network

The project consortium, led by FBH, comprises six additional partners, each contributing specific expertise: the regional vocational training center of Steinburg, the Institute of Microtechnology at the Technische Universität Braunschweig, the Department of Computer Science and Microsystems Technology at the University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, microTEC Südwest e.V., and the IVAM Microtechnology Network. Additional cooperation and network partners from all over Germany, such as the Forschungsfabrik Mikroelektronik Deutschland (FMD) and Silicon Saxony, are supporting the flagship project to advance workforce development in microelectronics and microsystem technology.

Event information from the BMBF: Conference “Skilled workers for microelectronics”

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) invites the microelectronics community from research, industry and politics as well as representatives of educational institutions, clusters, trainee and student associations to the conference “Skilled workers for microelectronics (#skills4chips) – How Germany can score points as a location for innovation through the interplay of research and education” on March 19, 2025 in Berlin. The project consortium will present the flagship project at the conference and use the event to gain valuable impetus for project implementation.