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　　US "Defense" magazine October 6 article, original title: The success of the semiconductor industry requires more than just the "Chip Act" Biden signed the "Chip Act" in August, aiming to bring semiconductor manufacturing back to the United States and strengthen The overall technological competitiveness of the United States. However, for improving the security of the US manufacturing supply chain, the "Chip Act" is only the first step, and professionals are the most core and important part. But government investment in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) professional education has declined in recent decades, resulting in a severe shortage of qualified high-tech industry talent.

US President Biden, data map (Visual China)

　　Back in 2015, economic experts predicted that the U.S. would need about 1 million more STEM professionals to maintain its edge in science and technology. Now, there is a growing gap in demand for these professionals. The talent bottleneck is particularly evident in semiconductor applications, where semiconductor manufacturers are now grappling with a shortage of employees. In August, a Taiwanese semiconductor manufacturing company was forced to delay the start of construction of a chip manufacturing plant in Arizona by six months, in part because of a labor shortage. A sufficient workforce becomes a central consideration in semiconductor company decisions.

　　To enrich the talent pool, it is first necessary to provide funds to support related research and industrial development. Second, there is a need for a big push from the government, such as increasing access to scholarships for STEM majors. In addition, even if there are not enough native-born Americans with the required skills, foreign nationals with the required skills could be allowed to remain in the United States, alleviating the labor shortage facing semiconductor companies. In Ohio, for example, Intel has pledged $20 billion to build two new factories, with foreign workers in chip manufacturing making up 10 percent of the workforce. As more companies move semiconductor manufacturing back to the U.S., thousands of jobs will remain vacant unless the industry has the right to retain foreign talent. Therefore, Congress must reform immigration policies, such as allowing foreign students who successfully contract with companies to convert their student visas to 5-year work visas; prioritizing citizens from India and Japan, further demonstrating U.S. commitment to allies and partners, At the same time increase the labor force.

　　All in all, the Chip Act is the first step toward improving U.S. competitiveness, but there is more to be done.