Summary: As AI reshapes semiconductor manufacturing, turning successful pilots into real operational impact ultimately depends on workforce readiness. Teams must have the skills to integrate, govern and scale AI within complex production environments. Embracing AI integration in semiconductor manufacturing is critical for both individuals and organizations, as building these capabilities is essential to unlocking measurable results and staying ahead of this rapidly evolving industry.

With industry forecasts projecting the semiconductor market to exceed US$1 trillion by 2030, increasing operational efficiency and yield optimization are more crucial than ever for the growth of the semiconductor industry and the technology sector as a whole. As AI-driven systems become more deeply embedded in all types of manufacturing, these smart technologies are no longer just experiments; they’re essential to remain competitive in today’s industrial landscape and meet increasing demands.

Despite heavy investment and promising pilot programs, many organizations face the same obstacle: AI initiatives that demonstrate technical success in controlled settings but struggle to translate into sustained operational impacts.

Often the missing link is not AI model performance. It’s having the skills needed for proper integration.

The Crucial Differences Between AI Adoption and AI Integration

The explosive growth of AI is often linked to promising figures around increasing adoption. But true organizational impact starts with strategic integration.

AI adoption begins with a pilot. In semiconductor manufacturing, this could include machine learning models to predict equipment failure, computer vision to improve wafer defect detection or advanced analytics to identify yield correlations. While these pilots frequently yield encouraging results, it’s vital to remember that this success represents only one piece of the puzzle across production systems.

AI integration is the crucial link between a successful pilot and lasting organizational value, embedding new tools into production systems, workflows, governance structures and decision-making processes. According to a survey from MIT’s Media Lab, a staggering 95% of corporate AI projects fail to deliver measurable returns, which can often be attributed to poor integration or lack of organizational readiness.

And in manufacturing environments, where systems are tightly intertwined and operations are sensitive to disruption, strategic integration is particularly crucial to avoid any downstream disruptions.

From Experimentation to Integration

The path from pilot to production typically unfolds in stages. Organizations begin with experimentation, which tests tools in more isolated use cases to determine feasibility. Successful pilots lead to localized deployment, often focused on specific tools or process steps. But true operational impact emerges only when AI is integrated across workflows, systems and decision-making processes.

Semiconductors are foundational to the continued growth of the technology sector, and the rate of transformation is staggering.

In this competitive landscape, operational efficiency and yield optimization are not incremental advantages. They are strategic imperatives that require structured frameworks, disciplined integration and a skilled workforce to make it all happen.

Semiconductor Manufacturing: A High-Stakes, High-Reward AI Environment

The potential financial and efficiency gains of successful AI integration in semiconductor manufacturing are substantial, with even fractional improvements translating into millions of dollars of value annually. Still, many key decision-makers are wary of potential hurdles. In Deloitte’s survey of 600 manufacturing executives, approximately 65% of respondents ranked operational risk as a chief concern related to smart manufacturing initiatives.

Understanding the risks and rewards of AI integration in highly complex industrial environments like semiconductor manufacturing is crucial for teams to deploy AI with intelligence and get the most out of their investments.

The Promising Possibilities

When AI tools are properly integrated into the semiconductor production ecosystem, the initial investment of a pilot pays dividends:

• AI-driven predictive maintenance can cut unplanned downtime by up to 30%.
• Computer vision systems powered by machine learning models are unlocking defect detection accuracies as high as 99%.
• Real-time analytics can help optimize material use and reduce energy consumption by an estimated 18%, leading to more cost-effective and sustainable operations.
• Enhancing operational efficiency with AI tools helps increase yield by approximately 10%-15%, helping manufacturers meet growing global demands for semiconductors.

The Potential Risks

In semiconductor environments, the integration gap is amplified by legacy equipment and data architectures, strict validation requirements and extreme uptime expectations.

A model that performs well in a pilot must ultimately function within real-time production constraints, interface with manufacturing execution systems, align with engineering workflows and meet quality and compliance standards. Without structured integration, AI remains an overlay rather than an embedded capability.

What Production-Ready AI Actually Demands

Professionals who are trained in both data science and engineering will help define the next phase of semiconductor and AI evolution. However, a significant skills gap still exists, with experts predicting a shortage of 67,000 semiconductor professionals in the U.S. alone by 2030.

Evolving an AI pilot into a productive integration is not solely technical. It’s largely organizational and skills-based, requiring alignment across countless moving parts in a high-speed environment:

• Data infrastructure should be robust and accessible.
• Engineering workflows must incorporate AI-driven insights without creating bottlenecks. 
• Governance frameworks must define model validation, monitoring and update protocols.
• ROI metrics must be defined or revised to connect AI to operational performance.

Connecting all of these dots successfully requires a highly skilled, collaborative team. As AI becomes embedded in production systems, engineers and operations leaders must develop fluency in model interpretation, risk evaluation and cross-functional collaboration.

Build the Skills To Scale the Future

As the semiconductor industry navigates this AI-driven inflection point, there’s never been a better time to get the skills needed to find a competitive edge.

The Semiconductor Industry Association projects 115,000 new semiconductor jobs will be created by 2030, yet roughly 58% will go unfilled. This presents an incredible opportunity for professionals looking to pivot into this burgeoning industry or for employers looking to upskill their team with future-proof skills.

Mastering AI Integration in Semiconductor Manufacturing, an online course backed by the expertise of IEEE, gives learners a robust understanding of AI’s transformative potential in semiconductor manufacturing, along with practical skills to implement AI strategies effectively within their organizations. Upon completion, participants will receive professional development credits and a shareable digital badge.

If you’re an employer, discover how expert-led AI and semiconductor training can empower your workforce, and connect with a dedicated IEEE content specialist to begin enrolling your organization.

 

In 2025 and beyond, semiconductor sales—along with employment opportunities for engineers in the dynamic chip industry—are expected to rise precipitously.

Semiconductor sales are projected to hit nearly US$700 billion in 2025, grow to US$1 trillion by 2030, and potentially reach US$2 trillion by 2040, according to a Deloitte Insights report.

A number of trends are driving the semiconductor industry forward. First, post-pandemic sales of computers, tablets, smartphones, and other wireless and wired communications devices—which collectively accounted for nearly 60% of global semiconductor sales as of 2023-2024—are forecasted to experience strong growth during the next five to ten years. Additionally, demand for high-tech “generative AI chips” is on the rise. These chips enable computers’ central processing units (CPUs) to execute machine learning algorithms for everything from facial recognition applications to customer service-related chatbots, language processing for voice assistants, and more. 

On the design side, growth of the semiconductor market is supported by an increasingly popular chip manufacturing strategy known as “shift left,” which enables tasks that were once performed sequentially to be done concurrently for greater efficiency and cost savings.

Working to Meet Demand

To keep pace with projected growth, manufacturers are expanding capacity worldwide:

For example, after investing US$65 billion into chip fabrication facilities in Phoenix, Arizona in 2020, industry leader Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) recently announced additional investment of US$100 billion in order to double that location’s manufacturing capacity. Supported by almost US$8 billion in funding from the U.S. CHIPS (“Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors”) and Science Act of August 2022, key player Intel recently announced its plans to invest US$100 billion to expand its U.S-based domestic chip manufacturing capacity and capabilities in Arizona and Ohio. 

Elsewhere around the world, STMicroelectronics recently announced its intention to build a new, high-volume manufacturing facility in France. Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) is working to expand three of its existing Chinese facilities in Shanghai, Beijing, and Tianjin. Manufacturers Nvidia, AMD, and Micron have all announced plans to establish new operations in India.

A Skills Gap Persists

While worldwide sales of semiconductors, as well as manufacturing capacity to meet demand, are all on the uptick, one major challenge stands to potentially derail production: a global shortage of skilled workers.

“Because semiconductors are foundational to virtually all critical technologies of today and the future,” the SIA study confirmed, “closing the talent gap in the chip industry will be central to the promotion of growth and innovation throughout the economy.”

Experts from Deloitte agreed, noting that the semiconductor field will need “electrical engineers to design chips and the tools that make the chips,” while “digital skills, such as cloud, AI, and analytics, are needed in design and manufacturing more than ever.”

Positioning Engineers for Success in Semiconductors and AI

To support workforce development, IEEE offers online learning programs that equip semiconductor professionals with cutting-edge AI and chip design skills. These include:

• Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Chip Design:
  Offered by IEEE Educational Activities in partnership with IEEE Future Directions and IEEE Global Semiconductors, this course program discusses the significance of artificial intelligence and machine learning. It provides an overview of how these technologies are shaping the future of chip design as well as key applications in design automation, relevant technologies, deployment considerations, and future prospects.
• Integrating Edge AI and Advanced Nanotechnology in Semiconductor Applications:
  This five-course program created in partnership with the IEEE Computer Society helps learners understand the intersection of artificial intelligence, edge computing, and nanotechnology with real-life applications and future trends.
• Semiconductor Manufacturing: Impact and Effectiveness of AI
  This course offers a comprehensive introduction to the evolving landscape of semiconductor manufacturing with special emphasis on the integration of artificial intelligence into this critical industry.

Upon successfully completing the programs, participants earn professional development credits, including Professional Development Hours (PDHs) and Continuing Education Units (CEUs). They’ll also receive a digital badge highlighting their proficiency in the technology area which can be showcased on social media.

For institutional access, contact an IEEE Content Specialist. Individuals can explore and enroll directly via the IEEE Learning Network.

 

If you think that opportunities for continuing education, training, and development aren’t a major determinant of job satisfaction for employees as well as a key driver of success for organizations, think again.

Nearly two-thirds of employees claim that a lack of opportunities for development and advancement are among the top reasons for leaving their job. This is nearly on par with too little compensation. Similarly, in another major survey, 43% of employees claim that a lack of advancement opportunities is one of the primary reasons why they quit their last job.

From an employer’s perspective, studies show that the ability to offer employees quality opportunities for continued learning and development is critical to an organization’s growth and success.

Companies that invest in the training and development of their workforce were found to be 17% more productive. They are also over 20% more profitable than those that did not offer such opportunities.

Seven out of ten employees share that opportunities for continued education made them feel more connected and loyal to their workplace. Additionally, 80% confirmed that opportunities for learning “add purpose to the work” and enhance feelings of accomplishment and self-actualization. With no surprise, a whopping 94% of employees report that they stay longer at companies that invest in their growth through training and development— proving once again that opportunities for ongoing learning are key to employee retention.

In terms of the skills that will be required in the years to come, continuing education will be increasingly necessary for individuals and organizations alike. It is anticipated that nearly 70% of all workers’ skills worldwide could be disrupted by 2030 due to the growth of artificial intelligence in the workplace. This requires an ongoing focus on skills gap assessments and upskilling activities.

IEEE eLearning Library: Your Go-To Source for Continuing Education

As the world’s largest technology association for the advancement of humanity, IEEE serves as the professional home for the engineering and technical community. One of its many resources, the IEEE eLearning Library, offers hundreds of high-quality online courses in core and emerging technologies. These are tailored for technical professionals, faculty, and students. The IEEE eLearning Library taps into a wealth of expertise from IEEE’s global network of over 450,000 industry and academia members in a vast array of subjects. These include aerospace and defense, automotive technology, artificial intelligence, blockchain, and cloud and edge computing to telecommunications, cybersecurity and data privacy, Internet of Things, power and energy, systems engineering, and much more.

Each course within the IEEE eLearning Library is developed by IEEE Educational Activities in partnership with subject matter experts from various IEEE technical societies and organizational units. Some of these include IEEE Power & Energy Society, IEEE Standards Association, IEEE Communications Society, IEEE Digital Privacy Initiative, and more. Individuals can access courses via the IEEE Learning Network. Meanwhile, organizations can offer their employees the full library or a subset of courses pertinent to their needs and/or industry.

Courses are offered in self-paced, digestible hour-long sessions that accommodate learners’ busy schedules. Completion of courses awards microcredentials and digital badges bearing professional development hours (PDHs) and continuing education units (CEUs). These enable professionals to verify and promote their new skills throughout both their organization and the industry.

What’s In It For You?

Organizations and employees can enjoy many benefits by building the IEEE eLearning Library into their continuing education plans.

Among them, the IEEE eLearning Library is an optimal way to deliver standardized training to employees (especially those in different locations). It helps position them for growth, development, and career advancement. The results of this investment to an organization include increased employee engagement. It also leads to improved productivity and performance, enhanced profitability, and greater innovation and industry competitiveness. These benefits come while saving money on travel, materials, and instructor costs thanks to the easy online format that employees can access anytime, anywhere.

Whether you want to enhance your knowledge within your own technical field or expand to other technical specialties, the IEEE eLearning Library offers the technical training to meet your and your organization’s needs. Explore access options through IEEE Xplore®, the IEEE Learning Network (ILN), or through your organization’s own Learning Management System.

Contact an IEEE Account Manager to learn more about the best option(s) for you or your organization’s learners today!

If you’re looking to access courses as an individual learner rather than through your company, browse eLearning content from IEEE Educational Activities offered on ILN.

Check out our infographic to learn more about the IEEE eLearning Library. 

 

Resources

Hastwell, Claire. (21 April 2023). Employee Training and Development: The Benefits of Upskilling or Reskilling Your Team. Insights.

Parker, Kim and Horowitz, Juliana Menasce. (9 March 2022). Majority of Workers who Quit a Job in 2021 Cite Low Pay, No Opportunities for Advancement, Feeling Disrespected. Pew Research.

Poll on the Importance of Growth Opportunities to Employee Satisfaction and Career Success. Great Place to Work US. 

Trisca, Lorelei. (12 September 2024). Employee Development Statistics You Need to Know Right Now. Deel.

The State of L&D in 2022. TalentLMS and SHRM Research.

(30 April 2023). The Future of Jobs Report 2023. World Economic Forum.

More than 1.4 billion people in the world speak the English language. Used to communicate to global audiences, English is currently spoken in more than 75 countries and non-sovereign entities around the world. It’s also one of the most common languages used in the fields of business, science, and technology worldwide. For that reason, research shows that honing one’s skills in English can benefit both native and non-native English speakers alike. However, many engineers tend to focus on honing their technical skills and often spend less time improving their English proficiency in the areas of reading, writing, and speaking. This has led society to routinely joke that an individual “writes like an engineer”– something that isn’t necessarily a compliment!

According to a Penn State University study, which explored why industry professionals often feel that engineering graduates possess weak English and communication skills, the authors concluded that “part of the disparity arises because the communication assignments that engineering students perform in college significantly differ from the writing situations (audiences, purposes, and occasions) that engineering graduates encounter in industry.”

As such, a range of studies confirm that time spent refreshing and strengthening one’s English and communication skills is a great investment that can pay engineers tremendous dividends.

For instance, in a 2024 Pearson survey of 5,000 individuals worldwide for whom English is a second or additional language, four out of five respondents believe that strong English language skills can contribute to as much as an 80% increase in salary. At the same time, roughly half of those surveyed feel that strong English skills will also expand their range of job opportunities, enhance their ability to be promoted to more senior positions in their field, and ‘futureproof’ them against the threat of artificial intelligence (AI) obsoleting their job.

These aren’t just perceptions.

English and Communications Skills Affect On Career Trajectory

According to industry speaker and communications consultant Skip Weisman, engineers without strong communication skills often risk damaging important relationships with colleagues and undermining their own objectives when they speak or write. The Engineering Management Institute agrees, noting that strong English skills can help engineers better communicate with and present concepts to their management as well as create more useful technical documents that share product and project specs or findings. Strong communication skills may also help engineers to lead teams and interact more effectively with other non-technical divisions of their company, such as marketing and sales.

Without proficiency in English skills, an engineer’s career trajectory may be limited. For example, Wisconsin-based Rockwell Automation is among the many high-tech companies which regularly screen candidates for strong proficiency in English reading, writing, and speaking based on the importance of those skills to their employees’ effectiveness and success.

Engineers are inherently creative and analytical problem-solvers. However, their jobs also require teamwork and consensus-building, public speaking and listening skills, and a strong ability to provide clear written and verbal communication of often-complex technical concepts in order to express themselves and bring their ideas to reality. As a result, amid the many important proficiencies that engineers require for career success, a recent analysis by Indeed ranked “effective written and oral communication skills” among the top three most critical.

Build Your Technical English Skills with Training from IEEE

IEEE English for Technical Professionals is designed to address the communication gap and help engineers and technical professionals, both native and non-native English speakers, to improve their language skills in a way that fits the needs and priorities of working adults in technical fields.

Ideal for entry or mid-level technical professionals, engineers, and managers, this 14-lesson program imparts English language standards via practice activities that are essential for an engineer’s daily success. The modules are designed to strengthen reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills with a speech-to-text feature. Whether discussing a project with peers, submitting a technical proposal to a funding source, or justifying technical findings to a supervisor, this course program helps learners build confidence and enhance their effectiveness and productivity on the job.

Connect with an IEEE Content Specialist today to learn more about how to offer this program within your organization.

Interested in the course program for yourself? Visit the IEEE Learning Network (ILN).

Resources

(12 March 2024). English Skills Have Life-Changing Impact. Pearson.

(30 September 2022). 20 Traits or Skills of Successful Engineers. Indeed.

Hill, Peter. (29 January 2019). How Good Writing Skills Can Benefit Your Engineering Career. Engineering Management Institute.

Koelsch, James. (1 December 2011). Is Writing an Essential Skill for Engineers? Automation World.

Brown, Meghan. (10 February 2022). English Is the Language of Tech, and Improving Your Skills is the Best Path to Success. Engineering.com.

Assi, Karolina. (19 April 2022). A Huge and Helpful Guide to 67 English Speaking Countries (and More!). Berlitz.

Donnell, Jeffrey A., Aller, Betsy M., Alley, Michael, and Kedrowicz, April. (2011). Why Industry Says That Engineering Graduates Have Poor Communication Skills: What the Literature Says. Penn State Leonhard Center for the Enhancement of Engineering Education.

Bosavage, Jennifer. (26 July 2019). Why Communications Skills Are Critical To Engineers. IEEE Spectrum.

Sol the Engineer. (21 January 2019). Why (Many) Engineers Suck at Writing and What Can We Do About It . . . The Engineering Mentor.

Fasano, Anthony. (11 June 2015). Communication Skills for Engineers – The Seven Deadly Sins and How to Overcome Them. Engineering.com.

Author and leadership expert John Maxwell once famously said that “the single biggest way to impact an organization is to focus on leadership development. There is almost no limit to the potential of an organization that recruits good people, raises them up as leaders, and continually develops them.” A culture of leadership development and innovation boosts profits and engages workers.

Experts confirm that there are clear benefits to fostering leadership by encouraging your employees’ professional growth and nurturing and developing leaders in your company. Studies show that promoting a culture of leadership, innovation, and continuous learning offer value for organizations, or can present significant impediments to success in their absence.

By the Numbers

• 10%: The number of true “natural leaders” there are in the population, according to leadership research conducted in 2023 by career website Zippia. However, Zippia’s research also shows that another 20% of individuals have the requisite talents and could be cultivated into high-quality leaders with the right training and development.
• 7%: The amount of annual sales companies give up (or don’t capitalize on) for every year that they delay or deny the professional growth and development of those who show leadership potential, according to Zippia research.
• 22%: How much more profitable companies are that engage their employees by building a culture of leadership, innovation, and recognition versus those that don’t, also according to Zippia research.
• 82%: Percent of leaders who agreed that an organization that can’t innovate will fail within five years, according to a 2023 survey of nearly 10,000 leaders and employees in the tech industry by Miro, an innovative platform for distributed teams.
• 4 out of 5: The number of tech/information workers surveyed who agreed that a culture of innovation boosts employee engagement and keeps employees “more invested in and excited about the company’s future,” according to the aforementioned Miro research.
• US$8.8 Trillion, or 9% of the world’s GDP: The cost of low employee engagement to the global economy, according to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace: 2023 Report.
• 20-25%: Percentage increase in overall job performance, productivity, and leadership behaviors demonstrated by those who underwent leadership training, according to a 2017 study on Leadership Training Design, Delivery, and Implementation published in the Journal of Applied Psychology.
• 10X: How much faster top innovation companies are at developing new products than their weaker counterparts, according to a McKinsey study. The study also found that top innovators are three times more likely to meet their customers’ needs than weaker competitors.
  

Invest in Your Team’s Growth and Success Through the IEEE Professional Development Suite

Experts agree that developing leaders and promoting a culture of innovation and learning will increase employee engagement and retention, boost sales and profitability, and move your organization forward. Within the fast-moving, rapidly-evolving, and competitive tech arena, the IEEE Professional Development Suite is uniquely adapted to support this culture of innovation and learning.

The IEEE Professional Development Suite is specially-designed for current and aspiring technology leaders who want to develop their essential business and management skills. The programs help sharpen the unique skills needed to advance their teams, create engaged and inspired workplace environments, and support their organizations in advancing technology and innovation.

Programs included in the IEEE Professional Development Suite are:

IEEE Leading Technical Teams

This live learning program recognizes the unique challenges that come with leading technical groups. It’s designed for team leaders, managers, and directors of engineering and technology teams.

In addition to the live, 6-hour training, attendees will also participate in the “360° Leadership Practices Inventory.” This leadership development tool solicits confidential feedback on the participant’s areas of strength and opportunities for improvement from their team members, peers, and managers/supervisors. The program also encompasses instructor-led exercises and case studies demonstrating the application of best practices to various workplace challenges. Participants will also learn the “Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership” and receive valuable peer coaching. Learn more about IEEE Leading Technical Teams training sessions featuring both in-person and virtual options.

IEEE | Rutgers Online Mini-MBA for Engineers and Technology Professionals

This flexible mini-MBA, offered by IEEE in partnership with Rutgers Business School, is specifically designed to help engineers and technology professionals obtain the critical business skills needed for long-term career success. The 15-week curriculum covers topics such as Business Strategy, New Product Development Management, Financial Analysis, Sales and Marketing, Leadership, and more. Learners will benefit from a combination of expert instruction, peer interaction, self-paced video lessons, interactive assessments, live office hours, and hands-on capstone project experience.

Overall, this unique program, which is the only online mini-MBA curriculum specifically designed for engineers and technical professionals, trains participants to make more informed business decisions and better align their technical capabilities with proven business strategy. The program offers flexible learning opportunities for individual learners as well as customized company cohort options. Learn more about the IEEE | Rutgers Online Mini-MBA for Engineers and Technology Professionals.

Intensive Wireless Communications Course Series

Exclusively presented by the IEEE Communications Society, this highly interactive live course series provides the training necessary to stay ahead of key topics and developments in the dynamic and rapidly-evolving wireless communications industry.

Designed for people with an engineering background who want to enhance their knowledge of wireless communication technologies, this course is an ideal way to train individual employees or your entire team at once! Learn more about the Intensive Wireless Communications Course Series.

Advanced Topics in Wireless Course Series

Presented exclusively by the IEEE Communications Society and designed for engineers and technical professionals with an existing working knowledge of wireless who are looking to enhance their skill set, this course dives into the latest advancements, applications, and use cases in emerging connectivity. By completing this course, your team will have the knowledge and skills necessary to excel in the fast-paced world of wireless communications.

Participants in this live, online course series will develop a comprehensive view of 5G/NR technology, a profound understanding of the implementation of all of the ITU-specified use case categories (e.g., enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB), mIoT, and URLLC), and a robust foundation on the network architecture evolution technology enablers towards fully-open radio access networks. Learn more about the Advanced Topics in Wireless Course Series.

IEEE eLearning Library 

IEEE offers hundreds of hours of high-quality online courses in core and emerging technologies. Tailored for professionals, faculty, and students, the IEEE eLearning Library taps into a wealth of expertise from our global network of over 450,000 industry and academia members. IEEE eLearning Library courses cover a wide array of disciplines and standards—whether you or your learners want to enhance knowledge in their own technical field or expand to other technical specialties. Tap into courses in areas of aerospace and defense, artificial intelligence, communications and telecommunications, cyber and data privacy, power and energy, standards and more! Learn more about the IEEE eLearning Library.

Don’t wait to tap into the IEEE Professional Development Suite! Help foster the growth and leadership skills that will propel your organization to higher levels of innovation and success.

 

Resources

Kizer, Kristin. (29 June 2023). 35+ Powerful Leadership Statistics [2023]: Things All Aspiring Leaders Should Know. Zippia.

Morgan, Felix. (6 September 2023). Navigating the Innovation Paradox: Insights from Miro’s New Survey. Miro.

State of the Global Workplace: 2023 Report. Gallup.

Bouchrika, Imed. (18 January 2024). 24 Leadership Training Statistics for 2024: Data, Insights & Predictions. Research.com. 

Lacerenza, C., Reyes, D., Marlow, S., Joseph, D., Salas, E. (2017). Leadership Training Design, Delivery, and Implementation: A Meta-Analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 102 (12), 1686-1707.

Banholzer, Matt, LaBerge, Laura, West, Andy, and Williams, Evan.  (14 December 2023).  How Innovative Companies Leverage Tech to Outperform. McKinsey & Company.

With careers in engineering and technology evolving so rapidly, a commitment to upskilling is imperative to employee growth and the ability to stay competitive in today’s marketplace. Maintaining the appropriate credentials— such as a certificate or digital badge that attests to successful completion of a specific set of learning objectives – can further differentiate you and your company from those who don’t hold the same qualifications.

According to Careertech, “credentials provide proof of knowledge, verify a student’s capability to perform a particular trade, skill, or occupation, and give students incentive for further achievement.” As such, credentialing programs are key tools that both validate learning and motivate learners.

Not only do individuals benefit from capitalizing on credentials that they can “stack,” but so do companies. Here are some key benefits that companies and employees reap from credentialing.

Lower Turnover

Opportunities for continuing education and credentialing have long been strongly linked to employee job satisfaction. Many companies, including Microsoft, have found that offering training and credentialing opportunities help motivate and retain employees by ensuring that employees feel seen, heard, and valued. Ultimately, these programs encourage promotion from within. They also help reduce turnover and costly recruiting expenses for organizations.

Empowered Leadership

According to a study by the Center for Association Leadership, members with a variety of credentials were more compliant with standard industry practices, more engaged in industry-related initiatives, and more likely to take on leadership roles than their non-credentialed counterparts.

Greater Ability to Attract Talent

Research done by Lorman Education found that nearly 60% of the 72.2 million-strong millennial demographic— the largest workforce generation in the U.S.— identify “development opportunities” as extremely important when deciding whether to apply for a position. As a result, a company’s ability to offer high-quality training and the corresponding credentials that demonstrate skill mastery can make it a more attractive employer to qualified candidates.

Enhanced Productivity

Digital credentials can help boost workforce productivity, a benefit that both companies and their employees will enjoy. Within the IT sector, for instance, a joint study conducted by Microsoft and the International Data Corporation (IDC) found that credentialed technical professionals were nearly 90% more productive than their non-credentialed counterparts— a benefit which skills trainer Global Knowledge said often translated to companies in the form of enhanced efficiency and skills-driven return on investment. At the same time, the Microsoft/IDC survey also found that technical professionals who had undergone additional training were more likely to be promoted based on management confidence in their skills and maturity— a clear benefit for professionals as well.

Higher Salaries

Employees with additional credentials can reap financial rewards from their extra effort. According to Ryan Miller, Director of Client Success at career consulting company Employment BOOST, the addition of relevant credentials to a resume can potentially lead to salary increases of anywhere from 5%-20% depending on the industry and credential.

Improved Job Security

Simply put, the acquisition of skill-based credentials helps professionals keep up with and stay ahead of an ever-evolving workforce. For companies and professionals in today’s rapidly-changing technical landscape, confirmed Danny King, CEO and Co-Founder of Accredible, “digital credentialing can now be an invaluable tool for the corporate world and educational system to reskill, upskill, and facilitate career change—it’s a crucial tool for success.”

The message is clear: credentialing programs help empower employees and strengthen companies.

Among their many benefits to companies, credentialing programs elevate employee skill sets, boost productivity and engagement, and reduce employee turnover and recruiting costs. At the same time, job training programs and continued education can help employees develop individual skills, increase their marketability, and advance their careers. They also foster an employee’s sense of achievement while promoting greater leadership in and ownership of their roles.

The IEEE Credentialing Program: A Top Source of Continuing Education Credits 

Technical training programs give employees opportunities to enhance their career skills and demonstrate to current and potential employers a willingness to learn new skills. And for many engineers, completion of a certain number of professional development hours (PDHs) and continuing education units (CEUs) each year is also required in order to maintain their professional engineering license.

One way for companies to strengthen and elevate their in-house technical training is through alignment with the IEEE Credentialing Program. As the world’s largest technical professional home, IEEE represents the best and brightest minds in engineering today and offers credentialing in the relevant content that engineers need to stay ahead. In addition to supporting engineering professionals in achieving their career goals, the certificates and digital badges available through the IEEE Credentialing Program help companies enhance the credibility of their training events, conferences, and courses in an effort to increase employee attendance and engagement.

While professional development hours (PDHs) and continuing education units (CEUs) are often required in North America, other countries often accept IEEE certificates towards their own domestic requirements.

Overall, an IEEE credential is an assurance of quality education for employers and a source of pride for learners since they can share that their credentials have been verified by the world’s largest technical professional organization. By aligning with the IEEE Credentialing Program, you can easily add PDHs and CEUs to your continuing professional education offerings. Learn more about the IEEE Credentialing Program and discover how you and your company can benefit.

 

Resources

(26 March 2015). Why is Credentialing Important? Advance CTE.

Day, Ryan. (5 October 2017). 5 Reasons Why Certifications Are Helping Your Career (And Your Company’s Bottom Line). Skillsoft Global Knowledge.

Engholm, Ginny. (14 February 2022). How Certifications Can Help Grow Your Career. HRCI Learning Center.

(24 August 2016). Credentialing’s Two-Way Benefits. The Center for Association Leadership.

(24 October 2017). What Are Micro-Credentials and How Can They Benefit Both Business and Employees? DeakinCo.

(1 September 2021). 39 Statistics That Prove the Value of Employee Training. Lorman Education Services.

Duplin, Sophia. 10 Tips to Offer Continuing Education Credits to Your Workforce. BeaconLive.

Perna, Mark C. (25 July 2022). Workforce Credentials Are Going Digital. Here’s Why This Helps Everyone. Forbes.

Pino, Ivana. (24 May 2023). Experts Say That Earning Relevant Certifications Can Boost Your Salary by as Much as 20%. Here’s How You Can Boost Your Own Pay. Fortune.

Online learning opportunities from IEEE will help you capitalize on the record-high level of investments in technology being made worldwide.

One look at the rapid technological advancements taking place all around us in today’s digital society and the bottom line is clear:  technology doesn’t just fuel business anymore — it is the business.

Such was the conclusion drawn by Deloitte’s 2023 Global Technology Leadership Study, which surveyed nearly 1,200 chief information officers (CIOs), chief technology officers (CTOs), and other senior technology decision-makers worldwide.  While the average technology budget as a percentage of revenue for these companies was 3.64% in 2018, it increased to 5.49% in 2022. Deloitte expects that number to rise to 5.85% in 2024 – an unprecedented 60% increase in just about five years.

Deloitte experts attribute this significant increase in tech investment to pent-up demand for technology during the pandemic. Another factor they identified is the recent dispersion of leadership roles in the corporate tech space, which now authorizes a broader range of leaders beyond just the CIO (such as CTOs, Chief Digital Officers, and Chief Data Officers, to name just a few) to drive tech-related investments. 

A Post-Pandemic Infusion of Funds 

The pandemic, along with its subsequent supply chain issues and shipping delays, served as eye-opening reminders of how dependent many economies were on foreign suppliers for key technologies.  This realization became a major catalyst for the recent spike in tech investment.

In the U.S., for example, The CHIPS (“Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors”) and Science Act, enacted in August 2022, earmarked over US$50 billion for domestic research and manufacturing of semiconductors in America.  It also established a 25% tax credit for capital investments in semiconductor manufacturing.  Since then, the U.S. White House reports that companies have committed over US$231 billion of investments in semiconductor and electronics technology and manufacturing in an effort to boost America’s global competitiveness and make its supply chains more robust and resilient.

The European CHIPS Act, enacted in February 2022, similarly aims to strengthen Europe’s competitiveness and resilience in semiconductors and their various applications.  And there are many more investments as countries around the world consider their own role in the overall semiconductor landscape.

Other Technology Investments

The global rise in tech investments goes way beyond just semiconductors, however. For instance, through its recent investment in electric vehicle brand Ceer — a joint venture between PIF (the Public Investment Fund, a global sustainable investor), Taiwanese-based Foxconn, and BMW — and its new manufacturing plant in King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia is hoping to enter the electric vehicle (EV)/renewables space and diversify from oil into what it describes as “the industries of tomorrow.”

All of the aforementioned global tech investments aim to attract top talent and create workforce opportunities. However, experts warn that it’s a dream which may not be fully realized based on the current state of the talent pool.

“A lack of talent is a top issue constraining growth,” said the authors of the McKinsey Technology Trends Outlook 2023. This survey of 3.5 million job postings across a variety of tech fields found that there are up to twice as many job postings than qualified applicants for many of the skills in greatest demand. According to the report, this is especially true in such areas as artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, semiconductors, quantum technologies, space technologies, and electrification and renewables.

Invest In Your Company’s Growth and Success

With technology changing rapidly and investments in technology being made at record-high levels around the world, organizations need to fill the talent gap with targeted training in order to position their company and workforce for success in the evolving marketplace. Among the best and easiest ways to achieve that is through the broad range of online learning opportunities offered by IEEE.

A variety of studies confirm that online learning is cost-effective (often half the cost of traditional classroom training!), efficient, and convenient.  And according to separate studies by the Research Institute of America and the Association for Talent Development, it’s also associated with higher retention rates as well as greater employee engagement and productivity. Given all of the many advantages of eLearning, there’s never been a better time to invest in your company’s growth and success by participating in these and other online learning opportunities through IEEE.

IEEE eLearning Offerings:

• The IEEE Learning Network — Access hundreds of educational courses through this online learning platform, which offers the latest continuing education in engineering and technology.  From instruction in 5G, the smart grid, and renewable energy to AI, next-generation IoT, current standards, and much more, the IEEE Learning Network (ILN) can help you advance your career, refresh your skills, or just keep you on top of the latest industry trends.
• The IEEE | Rutgers Online Mini-MBA for Engineers — Offered by IEEE in conjunction with New Jersey’s renowned Rutgers Business School, the IEEE | Rutgers Online Mini-MBA for Engineers is an outstanding and convenient program expressly designed for engineers and technology professionals.  The 12-week program covers key topics such as business strategy, managing new product development, analyzing financial statements, intellectual property strategy, sales and marketing, and leadership.  The course offers a robust combination of expert instruction, peer interaction, self-paced video lessons, interactive assessments, live office hours, and a hands-on capstone project experience.

For more information or to register for any or all of our comprehensive collection of online learning opportunities, visit https://innovate.ieee.org/educational-resources/. 

Resources

(9 August 2023).  “One Year after the CHIPS and Science Act, Biden-⁠Harris Administration Marks Historic Progress in Bringing Semiconductor Supply Chains Home, Supporting Innovation, and Protecting National Security.”  White House Briefing.

“European CHIPS Act.”  European Commission.

(26 July 2023).  “Saudi Arabia Drives Towards an Electric Future.”  Public Investment Fund (PIF) News.

“From Tech Investment to Impact:  Strategies for Allocating Capital and Articulating Value.”  Deloitte Insights.

Chui, Michael, Issler, Mena, Roberts, Roger, and Yee, Lareina.  (20 July 2023).  “McKinsey Technology Trends Outlook 2023.”  McKinsey Digital.

Roshi, Ludjon.  (25 February 2023).  “E-Learning Statistics 2023.”  Codeless.

Utah and Connecticut recently joined a growing number of U.S. states – including California, Colorado, and Virginia — passing data privacy laws. These regulations give citizens greater control over their data and empower them to hold organizations that violate the rules accountable. A number of federal governments, including the European Union, China, Brazil, have also passed similar laws.

While the U.S. does not currently have a federal data privacy law, federal regulators are still taking action. The U.S. Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission recently settled a suit against Twitter over allegations that it misled people over how their phone numbers and email addresses would be used, slapping the social media company with a $150 million USD fine.

Meanwhile, a recent ruling in a $650 million USD class action lawsuit against Facebook found it violated the Illinois’ 2008 biometric privacy law over its handling of facial recognition data. As a result, the social media giant must pay over 1.4 million residents up to $397 USD.

These legal actions are only the beginning. According to CPO Magazine, legislators in at least 27 states in the U.S. have introduced data privacy bills in the last several months.

“By 2024, it’s likely that almost every state will have its own version passed into law,” writes Bill Tolson, Vice President of Global Compliance & eDiscovery at Archive360, in CPO Magazine. “This is getting little to no attention in the business world, and yet it requires serious effort to ensure compliance. Businesses getting prepared now are barely ahead of the curve; those that put it off till the laws hit the market will have to scramble to keep up.”

Data Privacy Professionals Are In High Demand

Data privacy professionals are quickly becoming some of the most in-demand technical professionals in the world today. A recent report from the recruitment company TRU Staffing Partners found a 30% increase in open data privacy jobs, due to a combination of the rise in remote work and the recent proliferation of data privacy laws. In addition to there not being enough data privacy professionals, the report also found a shortage of professionals with the right qualifications. According to CPO Magazine, some key findings from the report include:

• Qualified data privacy professionals have a competitive advantage in the current job market. Whereas it generally took up to six weeks for someone with the right qualifications to get hired after submitting their resume in 2019, it took roughly one week on average in 2021.
• Data privacy professionals typically have a minimum of two job offers at a time. When they are actively looking for a job, this increases to three.
• Privacy professionals have seen a 22% growth in pay (earning about $20,000 – $30,000 USD more in general annually for the same positions). Similar increases are anticipated by 2023.
• About 75% of these positions are in corporations, 20% are in consulting and software companies, and 5% are in the legal industry.

As more governments pass regulations and organizations seek to fill their knowledge gap, now is the perfect time for technical professionals to learn the ins-and-outs of data privacy.

Growing Your Data Privacy Skills

As privacy grows in importance, the need for technical professionals to possess strong knowledge in the area also grows.

Protecting Privacy in the Digital Age, brought to you by IEEE Educational Activities in collaboration with IEEE Digital Privacy, is a four-course program that provides a framework on how to operationalize privacy in an organizational context, how to make it usable for end users, and how to address emerging technical challenges to protecting digital privacy. Connect with an IEEE Content Specialist today to learn how to get access to this program for your organization. Interested in access for yourself? Visit the IEEE Learning Network (ILN).

Ethical transparency is critical to an organization’s success and it must be included in digital environments. Successful digital environments require rigorous ethical standards that incorporate honesty, impartiality, protection, security, and privacy.

AI Standards: Roadmap for Ethical and Responsible Digital Environments provides instructions for a comprehensive approach to creating ethical and responsible digital ecosystems. Contact an IEEE Content Specialist to learn more about how this program can benefit your organization. Interested in getting access for yourself? Visit the IEEE Learning Network (ILN) today!

Resources

Bensinger, Greg. (30 May 2022). How Illinois Is Winning in the Fight Against Big Tech. New York Times. 

Casale, Elizabeth; Collum, Christopher; Shreve, James; Sosnicki, Luke. (27 May 2022). Utah and Connecticut enact comprehensive data privacy laws. thompsoncoburn.com. 

Gordon, Marcy. (25 May 2022). Twitter to pay $150M penalty over privacy of users’ data. ABC News.

Sauer, Megan. (25 May 2022). Some Facebook users are receiving $397 checks over data privacy violations—and these tech companies could be next. CNBC. 

Tolson, Bill. (20 May 2022). Data Privacy Conundrum: When Different States Play by Different Rules. CPO Magazine. 

Ikeda, Scott. (9 May 2022). Data Privacy Jobs Report Shows Demand for Privacy Pros at Record High Thanks to Complex Regulatory Requirements, Mass Migration to Cloud Services. CPO Magazine. 

Have you been stuck in the same technical profession for years? Whether you are looking for a job with more opportunities or desire to move into a completely new field, making the right moves and staying focused on your goals will be essential to landing your next gig. Here are seven steps you can take to get there.

Start by asking yourself what you want in your next career:

What do you like and dislike about your current role? Do you prefer to work in teams or independently? What are the skills and tasks you find most enjoyable? Create a list of these preferences to use as a reference while you look to make your career switch. 

Consider your personal values:

Perhaps you like your job, but the organization you work for conflicts with your values. Make a list of organizations whose values align with your own. You can typically find this information in a company’s mission statement. Once you’ve determined which organization’s values are in sync with yours, take a look at their job openings and see what opportunities are available that may interest you. 

Check out which industries are growing the most:

This research will give you valuable insight into what fields are providing the best opportunities. You can often find this information through government research— such as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projections— or by researching career websites, which often contain salary data. 

Rebrand yourself as a professional:

Once you know the type of job you want and the kinds of organizations you wish to find employment, rebrand yourself in a way that aligns with your desired position. Be sure to revise your online career profile, business cards, resume, and social media profiles in a way that sends a message to potential employers that you are a good match for them. Your cover letters should also reflect this personal branding. 

Get more experience in your dream job:

A big obstacle people often face when trying to switch careers is not having enough experience in their desired field. To solve this problem, consider picking up related freelance and/or volunteer work. Not only is it a great addition to your resume, it will show prospective employers that you are serious about making a change. As another benefit, you may also increase your network by creating connections in the field. 

However, if the skills are sophisticated and require training outside freelance and volunteer work, consider obtaining a certification or even going back to school. 

Have a plan:

Your next step is to set goals and to be proactive in achieving them. Commit a certain amount of time each day to network, search jobs, and submit your resume. It’s also important to set a mix of both small and large goals. For example, you can make it a goal to submit two resumes a day or submit five per week. You could plan to attend at least one networking event each month or work towards building a more robust LinkedIn profile. Whatever you decide for your plan, be consistent.

Grow your professional network:

To land a job outside your current field, you need to grow your professional connections to include people in that industry. A few ways to do this include using your alumni network, attending local professional events, volunteering, and reaching out to professionals on social media who work in that field. See if they are willing to speak to you and offer you advice.

Switching careers is not easy for everyone. However, knowing what you want, having goals, and staying consistent can help you be much more successful in landing your next job. 

Build Your Knowledge Through Continuing Education

Jumpstart your career change through continuing education and professional development! Making a point to develop new skills can help show potential employees that you’re dedicated to improving within your current or future field of expertise.

Since its launch in 2019, the IEEE Learning Network (ILN) has provided continuing education to technical professionals from around the world. With hundreds of courses available across IEEE, ILN offers the latest in continuing education for engineers and technology professionals who want to advance professionally, refresh their skills, or stay up-to-date with the latest trends.

Explore the courses and start learning today on iln.ieee.org!

Resources

Indeed Editorial Team. (9 November 2021). How To Switch Careers: A Step-By-Step Guide. Indeed.com.

Adamczyk, Alicia. (22 September 2022).  If you want to change careers, start by finding your ‘why’. CNBC.

Liu, Joseph. (2 April 2019). How To Change Careers, According To 50 People Who Made A Pivot. Forbes.

You have just finished your dream job interview, but that doesn’t mean it’s over. Most hiring managers expect to receive a thank you email. According to a TopResume survey of 334 hiring managers in 2020, 68% responded that thank you emails were important when it came to evaluating a potential candidate.

If English is not your native language, writing the perfect thank you note may seem intimidating. However, if you follow the right formula, it can be easy. Plus, if you had difficulty conveying some of your skills during the interview either due to lack of English fluency or another reason, it is a perfect opportunity to communicate those abilities.

Before you leave the interview, make sure you get the full names and email addresses of the people who interviewed you. (This information is typically found on their business cards.) You should send your thank you follow up notes within a day of the interview. If you were interviewed by more than one person, be sure to send individual emails to each person. Avoid sending a mass email to the entire group.

What You Should Include in Your Thank You Email

Thank you emails should be short, courteous, and to the point. About one to two paragraphs will be enough. Avoid long, complex sentences. When writing emails in English, showing gratitude is essential. However, be careful not to overdo it.

Add personal details to the emails to make them more memorable. Recall any informal conversation you had with the interviewer(s). Try to include something you found out that you had in common. Additionally, mention how you would work with them if you get the job.

“Incorporate what you can into that note to remind them of the rapport you were building, and also to jog their memory about which candidate you are if they were interviewing a lot of people,” Amanda Augustine, a certified professional career coach, told CNBC.

Here are some tips:

• Start the email with a formal salute. “Dear Mr./Ms. XX” is the standard formal salute in English.
• Begin the body of your email by thanking the interviewer for taking the time to meet with you.
• Include something you learned about the interviewer as a person and potential co-worker, manager, etc., during the interview.
• Restate your interest in the job, and reiterate one or two reasons why they should want to hire you.
• Address any concerns the interviewer had about you and list your strengths.

“If there was something they pulled apart or mentioned certain skills you may be lacking, this is your opportunity to reinforce what you’ve done to fill that gap, or relate to something else you did that shows your strengths,” Augustine told CNBC.

You can also add links to any online sources that reveal more about your abilities and projects you’ve done related to the job.

End your email with a closing. Keep it short and polite. Examples include “Thank you for your consideration,” “I’m looking forward to hearing from you,” and “Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me with any questions or concerns.”

Lastly, end the email with a short and formal signature. “Sincerely, [Your name]” is the standard closing for formal emails in English.

For a better understanding of how to write effective post-interview thank you letters, check out these examples and templates.

A thank you note may seem like a small thing, but it can help you stand out among your competition. By following these easy tips, you’ll be a step closer to landing your dream job.

Improve Your Technical English

Enable technical professionals whose first language is not English to improve their language skills. Tailor it to fit the needs and priorities of working adults in technical fields.

Now available on IEEE Xplore and the IEEE Learning Network, IEEE English for Technical Professionals is an online learning program. It uses real-life interactive scenarios to provide non-native speakers with English techniques and vocabulary that are essential for today’s technical workplace. Designed to help learners master essential English skills, this mobile-friendly program is ideal for both working professionals, as well as students. It helps those who are preparing to enter the field.

Connect with an IEEE Content Specialist today to learn more about this program and how to get access to it for your organization.

Interested in the program for yourself? Visit the IEEE Learning Network.

Resources

Liu, Jennifer. 9 November 2020. Here’s exactly what to say in your thank-you email after a job interview. CNBC. 

How to Write Formal Emails in English. Wall Street English.