Technology, Skills and Training in Microelectronics

To cope with changing market requirements firms have had to invest in advanced manufacturing systems. By combining the benefits of flexibility and specialisation, new manufacturing systems have produced a shift in production with important implications for labour and product markets. These systems may lead to flexibility in organisation, management and labour, as well as technology. In order to cope with the relative shortage of skilled workers in the microelectronics industry, there is a need to expand training programmes and make them available on a massive scale. This is justified on economic and social grounds, as this shortage is increasing faster than the growth in technical sophistication.