PART II - THE SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY IN CENTRAL FLORIDA - A SKILLS-BASED APPROACH TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Sep 14, 2026

Report series section focused on building a skills-based workforce development pathway for the semiconductor industry in Central Florida. It contrasts skills-based hiring with upskilling, explains why degree-centric hiring can constrain operator, technician, and SME recruitment, and frames workforce development as a long-term effort shaped by new investment and CHIPS Act-driven competition. It outlines goals such as improving regional hiring practices, strengthening understanding of the semiconductor ecosystem, and creating training pipelines targeting nontraditional learners.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPresentations

FormatPDF

Pages33

Reading Time12 min

AccessFree to download

Contents

Purpose of This Series

Executive Summary

Understanding the Semiconductor Workforce

A Transferable Skill Solution

Conclusion

PART II THE SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY IN CENTRAL FLORIDA: A SKILLS-BASED APPROACH TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PART II SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY IN CENTRAL FLORIDA: A SKILLS-BASED APPROACH TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT CONTENTS 01 Purpose of This Series 02 Executive Summary 04 Understanding the Semiconductor Workforce 07 A Transferable Skill Solution 08 Conclusion PURPOSE OF THIS SERIES This report series is meant to serve a specific audience, targeted to Central Florida, including companies in need of semiconductor talent, education providers looking to support the development of this industry with programming and training, and workforce development institutions in search of new upward mobility pathways for the individuals they serve. Readers who are unfamiliar with the semiconductor industry and the Central Florida ecosystem are encouraged to read part I of this series. Part I can be found by visiting: [Orlando.org/upski](Orlando.org/upski)llsemiconductor. Part II focuses on understanding the semiconductor workforce and identifying skills-based approaches for solving talent pipeline constraints. Building upon the findings of Parts I and II, Part III provides an overview of the educational ecosystem, including talent development and educational opportunities. PART II SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY IN CENTRAL FLORIDA: A SKILLS-BASED APPROACH TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT Orlando Economic Partnership | Orlando. Unbelievably Real® 01 THE VISION FOR A SKILLS-BASED APPROACH There is a difference between skills-based hiring and upskilling–both of which are touched upon in this report. • Skills-based hiring is the process of writing clearer job posts that remove unnecessary barriers to employment. Sometimes this means removing degree requirements. It always means evaluating new hireson the knowledge, skills, and abilities they possess rather than purely on the attainment of a degree. • Upskilling, on the other hand, is the process of identifying an individual’s existing skills and finding or creating training programs that will take him/her to the next level in his/her career. It can be used to help individuals pivot into another career entirely and help meet employer demand for talent. The aim of this analysis is notto suggest that by switching to skills-based hiring, semiconductor companies will instantly find the talent they have been searching for. The lack of awareness about the industry and number of foreignborn workers means the existing talent pipeline in the United States is small. The surge in investment generated by the CHIPS Act and the reshoring of manufacturing capabilities in the U.S. means that, in the immediate term, the competition for talent will likely increase. Instead, this report recognizes the long game. Workforce development takes time. It takes time to build new programs, to recruit potential workers, and to inspire a new generation of engineers and specialists. The hope is that by highlighting lists of occupations that have a high level of skills overlap with the semiconductor workforce a few things will happen: 1 Existing and new companies in the region will be encouraged to develop and/or improve their skillsbased hiring practices, especially when it comes to recruiting operators and technicians. 2 Workforce development professionals will gain abetter sense of the semiconductor ecosystem and see semiconductor manufacturing as an attractive and attainable road to employment for their clients. 3 Education providers will build strong pipelines of students into their semiconductor training programs by targeting nontraditional students (working adults over age 25) who already have some of the required knowledge, skills, and abilities. The same goes for employers who have the capacity to train their own workforce. If these things happen, the timeline to creating a robust talent ecosystem for the domestic semiconductor workforce will shrink drastically. This is critical to lo

FAQs

What is the main purpose of this report series section for Central Florida?

It supports a targeted audience in Central Florida to address semiconductor talent needs by identifying skills-based approaches that reduce workforce pipeline constraints.

How does the report distinguish skills-based hiring from upskilling?

Skills-based hiring focuses on clearer job posts and evaluating knowledge, skills, and abilities rather than relying mainly on degree attainment. Upskilling identifies existing skills and uses training programs to move individuals to the next career level.

Why does the report emphasize a long-term approach to workforce development?

Workforce development requires time to build new programs, recruit potential workers, and inspire new generations of engineers and specialists, especially as competition for talent increases in the near term.

Sep 14, 2026

Uploaded by Ethan Miller