Help Shape a More Inclusive Semiconductor Research Workforce

The CHIMES IKC, along with the REWIRE IKC, the National Epitaxy Facility and the Compound Semiconductor Manufacturing Hub are seeking to better understand the barriers to increased diversity of the UK semiconductor workforce and the actions needed to overcome them.

The objectives of the pilot study are to deliver: 

• A report into the key challenges which limit the recruitment and retention of a diverse technical workforce in the semiconductor sector (defined as technical work involving semiconductor materials or devices in terms of theory, design, modelling, fabrication, characterisation or other experimentation).

• A set of key recommendations for interventions which could be trialled to improve the diversity of the semiconductor workforce. 

Call details 

The Semiconductor Partners are seeking an additional partner with expertise in equality, diversity and inclusion (the EDI Partner) to lead a pilot study to investigate current barriers to increasing the diversity of the technical workforce in the semiconductor sector.  The Semiconductor Partners aim to collaborate with the EDI Partner and to provide expertise about the semiconductor sector and access to a broad cohort of the current workforce who can provide insights into their experience in the sector.  This cohort includes researchers who are minoritised in the sector.  In addition to a broad cohort who currently work with or for the Semiconductor Partners, the Semiconductor Partners can also facilitate access to a wider range of organisations and workers within the semiconductor sector via their network of contacts and collaborators.  The Partners have come together in order to provide an opportunity for a more wide-ranging and relevant study than could be achieved by any partner individually, or by other similarly sized EPSRC investments.   

The study 

The selected EDI Partner will have responsibility for delivering a pilot study which investigates the key challenges which limit the recruitment and retention of a diverse workforce in the semiconductor sector, and provides recommendations for interventions that could be trialed to overcome these challenges.  The proposal should outline the format that the EDI Partner proposes for such a study, within the available budget, and this could include any or all of: 

• The use of surveys, which the Semiconductor Partners could publicise and promote throughout the sector. 

• Workshops or focus groups, for which the Semiconductor Partners could collaborate in the recruitment of participants and in the organisation of logistics. 

• Structured interviews with relevant stakeholders, for which the Semiconductor Partners could collaborate in the recruitment of participants and in the organisation of logistics. 

• Other approaches, as defined by the potential EDI Partner. Suggestions for how the Semiconductor Partners could collaborate in delivery of these approaches are welcomed. 

The expected deliverable from the study is a report on the key factors limiting recruitment and retention of diverse researchers in the semiconductor sector, consisting of 

• A one-page executive summary with recommendations 

• Five to ten pages of supporting evidence 

For more information on this call, please visit: https://rewire-ikc.org/engage-with-rewire/edi-pilot-study-diversity-of-the-semiconductor-research-workforce/