The major increase in demand for semiconductor skills courses on Udemy follows recent efforts by the US, UK and EU to boost their chips strategies.
The latest skills report by Udemy revealed a major uptick in demand for semiconductor and generative AI skills. The online learning platform’s Q2 2023 Global Workplace Learning Index is based on the data of 15,000 global Udemy Business users.
Semiconductor and chip manufacturing courses are in particularly high demand worldwide. Very High-Speed Integrated Circuit Hardware Description Language (VHDL) courses experienced a surge of 3,576pc since the first quarter of this year. The demand for Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA) courses in the US has jumped by 2,838pc. Globally, FPGA courses experienced an increase in demand of 1,256pc.
The interest in semiconductor skills courses can perhaps be attributed to recent developments in the sector. The UK and the EU made efforts to boost their respective chips production earlier this year. The UK unveiled its £1bn semiconductor strategy in May, while the EU struck a deal on its Chips Act in April. The bloc’s deal was the culmination of the EU’s stated aim to double its share of the global semiconductor market by 2030. The US has also been stepping up efforts in the semiconductor space following the passing of its Chips Act in 2022.
This sudden surge of interest in semiconductor skills is sure to be welcomed by industry players globally. The chips sector has been blighted by skills shortages and supply chain issues.
According to Caoimhe Carlos, VP of global customer success at Udemy, “We are in the midst of a shift to a skills-based economy where organisations are identifying the skills available within their teams and addressing any gaps.”
Other trending skills the report highlighted were generative AI, project management and ESG. Climate-related courses saw a 113pc quarter-on-quarter increase, while project management was a top skill for the healthcare industry in particular.
Generative AI’s trending status is not too surprising given the amount of hype that surrounds it. But Udemy’s data indicates the enthusiasm is spreading to non-tech sectors, as uptake of generative AI courses is increasing in fields like marketing, HR, sales and project management.
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