Five key takeaways from ‘A Fab Future: Skills and Growth in Welsh Semiconductors’
21st July 2025
Last week, the CSconnected community gathered at the Senedd for a landmark event, hosted by Vishay and CSconnected, the event brought together the industry to spotlight the strategic importance of compound semiconductors to Wales, the UK, and the world. The event was a celebration of collaboration, a showcase of progress, and a call to action for the future.
Hosted by Sam Evans, Director of TQ and External Affairs at Vishay, representatives from Vishay, KLA, Kubos Semiconductors, Philtronics Ltd and Swansea University joined an interesting and thought provoking panel discussion regarding Wales role in the industry, the critical role of skills development, and why collaboration is key.
Here's five key takeaways from the inspirational evening that reaffirmed South Wales’ position at the heart of the global semiconductor industry.
Wales is continuing to lead the way
From the opening remarks, the conversations during the panel, to the closing words from Jayne Bryant MS, one message rang clear. Wales is not just participating in the UK semiconductor industry, it’s leading it. The event highlighted the strength of all the members of the CSconnected cluster, each crucial for world-class research, advanced manufacturing, and having the collaborative spirit that’s driving real impact.
Continued investment for further growth – not subsidies
A powerful message from was that the industry needs strategic, long-term investment in order to grow. Historic public funding has already delivered returns many times over, creating high-value jobs and strengthening local supply chains. Continued investment will ensure the region thrives, not just survives.
A clear example of the success of this type of investment is the Newport Wafer Fab site. It was created with government support in 1982, and 43 years later, under Vishay, it still employs over 500 people in some of the best jobs in the region.
Without skills and talent, we can’t grow
The semiconductor industry is growing fast, and with it comes the need for a highly skilled, diverse, and future-ready workforce. We have the talent on our doorstep, but we need to capture and nurture them. The event celebrated initiatives that are already making a difference such as engaging young people and creating clear pathways into the sector. From primary school outreach by the Dragons RFC, who have reached over thousand of students in the past year, to advanced apprenticeships for school-leavers, investing in people is investing in the future.
As Andrew Evans, Senior Director at KLA explained, to attract the best talent, we need to change perceptions, people aren’t aware of the high-value, clean manufacturing and tech jobs available right on their doorstep, and everyone needs to be involved in spreading that message.
The conversation around female representation was also debated by the panel. Both Sinead Inson, Manufacturing Manager at Vishay and Caroline O’Brien CEO at Kubos, reiterated the message that female roles within the industry have increased, but there’s much more to be done to ensure everything from education to job roles to training to attract and retain more girls and women.
Don’t be afraid to focus!
Wales’ focused approach on compound semiconductors as a ‘niche’ in the industry has already made it a global leader, but there’s so much room for us to grow.
The ambition to double the cluster’s size to £1 billion in five years is bold but achievable. As the global semiconductor market heads toward $1 trillion by 2030, and the compound semiconductor industry is targeted to be more than 10% of this market, that’s greater than $100bn, Wales is well-positioned to capture this significant share.
Collaboration is key
Perhaps the most powerful takeaway from the Senedd event was the spirit of collaboration that defines our industry, and specifically the cluster. Our cluster’s success is built on partnerships. The partnerships between academia and industry, between local and national government, and between Wales and the wider world.
The evening was more than a celebration, it was setting the tone for the future. As the UK sharpens its focus on semiconductor strategy and digital infrastructure, South Wales stands ready to lead with innovation, talent, and purpose.
At CSconnected, we believe the future is bright, and it’s being built right here. As Simon, Philtronics stated when asked why he is optimistic about the future, it was that we’ve done it before, and we can do it again.
Want to find out more? Why not read one of our reports.
If you’d like to speak to someone from the cluster, take a look at the upcoming events we’re attending.
Notes to editors:
Contact
Camille Colombier, Marketing Manager
Nina Stevens, Communications Coordinator
comms@csconnected.com
About CSconnected
CSconnected is the world’s first compound semiconductor cluster, located in South Wales. Supported by the Strength in Places Fund (UK Research and Innovation) and Cardiff Capital Region, the cluster unites leading companies, research institutions, and government partners to drive innovation, economic growth, and global leadership in semiconductor technology.
