the semiconductor industry in ho chi minh city – job challenges and ...

THE SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY IN HO CHI MINH CITY –

JOB CHALLENGES AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Vinh P. Nguyen

Staff Physical Design Engineer – AMCC Vietnam

Abstract

Awareness of the importance of the semiconductor industry to the country’s industrialization

and modernization efforts, the Vietnam government has chosen semiconductor integrated

circuits is one of Main National Products, and this past spring announced plans to invest more

than $300 million to attract an international device maker to set-up a 180nm/130nm wafer

FAB. In addition, there are about 40 private both domestic and foreign chip design centers, chip

plants operating in HCMC. The semiconductor industry is forecasted to be grow very fast in the

near future. Beside good job opportunities, however, they also implicit some job challenges. In

this talk, I will share my opinions about job challenges and job opportunities of the

semiconductor industry in HCMC. Some statistical data including IC design centers, engineer

expertise, salary, benefit,… will be reported. The last, I will share my experiences (almost TIPs)

to participants, especially for new graduates, how they can find a job in this field, write a good

resume, win a job interview and how to become a key ASIC design engineer.

[1,3,4] May 2014 The Semiconductor Industry in HCMC – Job Challenges and Job Opportunities

Contents

Self-Introduction

About AMCC Vietnam

The Semiconductor Industry in HCMC Overview

IC Design Centers

Engineering Statistical

Job Challenges and Job Opportunities

Forecasts

For New Graduates TIPs to help finding jobs

TIPs to help writing a good resume

TIPs to help winning the job interview

How to become a key ASIC engineer

Conclusions & Discussions

May 2014 The Semiconductor Industry in HCMC – Job Challenges and Job Opportunities

Self-Introduction

8+ years hand-on ASIC design experiences with more than 20 tap-outs. Chips taped out include wireless, network, ARM/PowerPC embedded chips, video/audio codec, set-top-box and low-power SOCs. Currently working as a Staff Physical Design Engineer at AMCC Vietnam

Was Senior ASIC Back-End Engineer, eSilicon Vietnam.

Was Lead Hardware Designer, Signet Design Solutions Vietnam.

Research interest: ASIC low power designs, design flow development, open source EDA tools, open cores.

M.S.EE Candidate, University of Sciences HCMC (expected 2015).

B.S. in Physics, University of Sciences HCMC, 2000 – 2005. Recipient of the Texas Business Group’s scholarship for excellent students in 2002.

Recipient of the National University HCMC’s scholarships in 2002.


About AMCC Vietnam

[9] May 2014 The Semiconductor Industry in HCMC – Job Challenges and Job Opportunities

AMCC Headquarters: 215 Moffett Park Drive Sunnyvale, CA, US.

Market Leadership #1 Wi-Fi Access Point #2 Cellular Base Station #1 Data Center Interconnect #1 Optical Transport Network Industry Leading Multi-Gigabit SerDes The world’s first ARMv8 64-bit Server-on-a-Chip™ Product 290+ Patents and Patent Pending Inventions

AMCC Vietnam: (since 2008) Tan Thuan, Dist. 7, HCMC, Vietnam. About 150 engineers including FPGA, ASIC frontend/backend, hardware design/validation/diagnostic, software, …

The Semiconductor Industry: Overview

The revenues of Vietnam’s electronics and hardware industries rose from over $2.5bn in 2005 to $5.5bn in 2010.

About 40 companies including design centers, R&D institute, chip plant, …

More than 4000 engineers both chip design and chip assembly/packaging, …

Over 7 major universities and research centers in HCMC teach the design of the integrated circuit to provide different levels such as B.S., B.E., M.S., Ph.D.

A semiconductor FAB (180nm/130nm) was planed to operate in 2016-2017 (Saigon Hi-Tech Park).

Learn more: “Program of the development of HCMC’s Semiconductor Industry in the period 2013 -2020”

[2,4,5,6,11] May 2014 The Semiconductor Industry in HCMC – Job Challenges and Job Opportunities

The Semiconductor Industry: Design Flow & Jobs


The Semiconductor Industry: Design Centers

Renesas: since 2004 500 -1000 engineers: ASIC frontend, ASIC backend, DFT, FPGA, software, firmware, …

eSilicon (was SDS): since 1999 200-300 engineers: memory design, ASIC frontend, ASIC backend, DFT, software, …

AMCC: since 2008 100-200 engineers: ASIC frontend/backend, hardware validation/diagnostic, software, …

ICDREC: since 2005 100-200 engineers: ASIC frontend/backend, analog, IP, embedded, software, …

ATVN: since 2001? 100-200 engineers: frontend, embedded, PCB, software, …

Viettel R&D Institute: since 2011? 100-200 engineers: ASIC frontend, embedded, software, …

MicroChip: since 2013 50-100 engineers: AMS design, software and solution, …

Sigma Designs, Bosch, Marvell, … and more.

[3] May 2014 The Semiconductor Industry in HCMC – Job Challenges and Job Opportunities

The Semiconductor Industry: Engineer Expertise

[1,7,8,11]

Figure 1:Engineer Expertise


The Semiconductor Industry: Salary & Benefit

[7,8,11]

Figure 2: Year-base Salary

WHY BIG GAP? Exp/Salary Min Max

New grads $4,000 $6,000

<3 years $5,000 $9,000

3-6 years $7,000 $17,000

6-10 years $12,000 $36,000

>10 years $20,000 $50,000


The Semiconductor Industry: Job Challenges

Challenges in itself: Academy and Industry gap

Narrow and deep technology

Background different

Lack of EDA tools and LAB (expensive and export-control)

World-wide environment – English and communication skills.

Other challenges: Electronic-related industries are still hot, they always be human resource competitors.

Currently depend on FDI, lack of domestic investments

Lack of industry statistical, industry forecast, …

Will government's program focus on IC design in short-term?

[5,10] May 2014 The Semiconductor Industry in HCMC – Job Challenges and Job Opportunities

The Semiconductor Industry: Job Opportunities

Hi-tech jobs

Workforce (engineers) hungry

Very compatible salary/benefit

Only Fifteen-year-old’s industry (HCMC)

World-wide and professional working environments

More room for research including semiconductor fundamental, technology, system, application, …

Big rewards for any brilliant idea


The Semiconductor Industry: Forecasts

Semiconductor worldwide revenues (ref. by IDC 2011, 2013): Will improve by 4.1% from 2011-2016, reaching $368 billion in 2016.

Asia/Pacific will continue to grow its share of semiconductor revenues, with annual growth of 5.3%.

The semiconductor industry in HCMC forecasts by 2017: Will earn the industry’s revenue reaching US $100-$150 million.

Will attract 30 companies with 2,000 engineers, reach totally 6000 engineers by 2017.

[4,5,8,10] May 2014 The Semiconductor Industry in HCMC – Job Challenges and Job Opportunities

For New Graduates

Congratulations!

And welcome to the real world!


For New Grads: TIPs to help finding jobs

Start finding job when doing your thesis.

Consider an internship - most of internships will get job offers!

Contact department’s career office.

Join company career days, job search on your interest company’s websites.

Create or enhance your profile on professional network such as Linkedin.com

Upload your resume onto job seeking websites such as: Vietnamworks.com

Kiemviec.com

…

>>> Need focus on jobs you are most passionate about.


For New Grads: TIPs to help writing a resume


Choose good template, font size, …

Format consistently

Highlight soft-skills is most important! Self training skill

Teamwork skill

Problem solving skill

Check and fix to job’s requirements.

Check your resume: English, , …

Ask to help evaluate your resume

>>> Some references are included.

For New Grads: TIPs to help winning the job interview

Remember and try to understand all job requirements.

Prepare yourself at least 1 week. Imagine some questions and try to get an answer.

Communication skill: Practice your handshake.

Practice your vocal: should be CLEAR.

Always having a smile and be confident.

Not ONLY say ‘I don’t know about it’.

Show you are willing to learn – very IMPORTANT for new grads!

Show you are very interest in the job.

Learn how to say “Thanks you” and “I am sorry”.


For New Grads: How to become a key ASIC engineer

Set your goals and work for them with full passion.

Choose the right mentor and build up the relationship.

Keep up your good works.

Grow your network.

Build a good Learning strategy: Global to local, basic to detail

Learn from jobs

Learn from your mistakes

Learn to ask pointed questions tactfully

Be volunteer – don’t be afraid of work challenges.


Conclusions & Discussions

The semiconductor industry is very young industry in HCMC (also Vietnam).

The semiconductor industry always be engineering-workforce hungry in the

next 10 years.

The semiconductor industry statistical including design centers, engineer

expertise, base-salary, … are reported.

Job challenges and job opportunities of semiconductor industry in HCMC

have been discussed.

Job finding TIPs, job interview TIPs, hi-tech working skills for new graduates

have shared and discussed.


THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION! VINH P. NGUYEN

Ho Chi Minh City, 12 May 2014

References

1. An Vu (2013), “Integrated chip manufacturing takes off”, Vietnam News Magazine,

http://vietnamnews.vn/Sunday/Features/224731/integrated-chip-manufacturing-takes-off.html.

2. Dang Luong Mo (2013), “The IC Design Industry In Ho Chi Minh City – The Early days”,

https://annualconf.shtp.hochiminhcity.gov.vn%2Fdata%2FPPT_Plenary%2520session%2F03-

%25209h50%2520%25E2%2580%2593%252010h15%2520The%2520IC%2520Design%2520Industry%2520in%2520Ho%252

0Chi%2520Minh%2520(Handouts).pdf

3. Dang Trong Trinh (2010), VIETNAM – On the way to construct the first IC wafer fab, DAC Global Forum.

4. Frost and Sullivan (2008), Vietnam - The Rising Tiger in the Semiconductor Industry, http://www.frost.com.

5. General statistics office of Vietnam (2011), http://www.gso.gov.vn/default_en.aspx?tabid=467&idmid=3.

6. Philip Koh (2011), Market Trends: Electronics and Semiconductor Manufacturing, Vietnam, 2010-2015,

http://www.gartner.com/id=1702914.

7. Quoc Hung (2013), “City need chip development policy”, The Saigon Times daily.

8. Semiconductor consumption projection in Vietnam (2010),

http://www.2456.com/JasperWeb/htmls/Show/269/MarketNews_en_20100210.html#top

9. Website Applied Micro Corporation: http://www.apm.com

10. Website SemiWiki: https://www.semiwiki.com/forum/content/2444-2013-semcionductor-market-forecast-lowered.html

11. Website ICDREC: http//www.icdrec.com.vn


http://www.apm.com/

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