45 Sarawak semiconductor graduates got jobs

KUCHING, 15 Sept: The development of Sarawak's semiconductor talent started showing results when 45 graduates of the Semiconductor Mastery Program CENTEXS-SMD successfully got employment in industry, while local students also produced their first chips through SMD IC Design Competition 2025.

The Chairman of the Sarawak Centre of Technical Excellence (CENTEXS), Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Ghani said that all 45 graduates of the programme are now working with leading companies in semiconductor industry including SMD Semiconductor, Melexis and X-FAB.

"All 45 graduates got jobs in leading companies of the semiconductor industry, proving the effectiveness of this program in generating an industry-ready workforce", he said while addressing Sarawak Semiconductor Flagship Programme at CENTEXS today.

According to him, the development proves the demand for a highly skilled workforce, in line with changes in the semiconductor industry which is now increasingly focused on design, innovation and high-value activities.

Meanwhile, Sarawak State Finance Secretary, Dato Sri Dr Wan Lizozman Wan Omar said SMD IC Design Competition 2025 gives more than 60 participants from 16 local institutions the opportunity to apply knowledge in integrated circuit (IC) design up to fabrication stage.

He who is also Chairman of SMD Semiconductor explained that the first chips designed by students through the competition were now successfully produced, thus becoming an important achievement in developing local semiconductor talent.

"This is an important achievement because it proves with the right platform, guidance and opportunities, Sarawak's youth have high-level talent and are able to bring what they learn into real chip design", he said.

Wan Lizozman said that the combination of training, practical experience and exposure to industry is essential in developing a new generation of skilled energy capable of contributing to the growth of Sarawak's semiconductor ecosystem.

The development shows that Sarawak's talent development ecosystem is now moving from the training phase to real technology production, in addition to providing a local workforce to meet the needs of the high-value semiconductor industry.