Opening Remarks & The Future Semiconductor Workforce: Skills, Inclusion and Retention

Kartikey Srivastava
Manager, EU Projects
SEMI Europe

Abstract
Europe’s semiconductor ambitions depend not only on technology and investment, but on having the people and skills needed to support a growing and rapidly changing industry.Drawing on the work of three European initiatives: the European Chips Skills Academy, the European Chips Diversity Alliance and RESCHIP4EU - this opening presentation will explore some of the key workforce challenges facing the semiconductor sector, from developing the right skills and attracting new talent to creating workplaces where people can progress and stay.The presentation will also share findings from ECDA’s latest research on employee retention, highlighting the factors that influence people’s experiences and decisions to remain within the sector. Together, these perspectives will set the scene for the wider discussion on how AI is changing skills, recruitment and the workplace and what this means for the future semiconductor workforce.

Biography
Kartikey Srivastava is EU Projects Manager at SEMI Europe, where he coordinates the European Chips Diversity Alliance, an Erasmus+ project supporting skills and inclusion across Europe's semiconductor ecosystem. He has worked on a range of Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe initiatives in the semiconductor sector, focusing on project coordination, stakeholder engagement, and strategic communications. Kartikey works with partners from industry, academia, research organisations, and public authorities across Europe to deliver collaborative projects with long-term impact. He holds an MBA from ESMT Berlin and a Master's degree in International Political Economy from King's College London.