A shortage of high-tech workers has been forecast for Taiwan's
six major high-tech industries in the next two years, according to
a report on Saturday.
The survey, conducted jointly by the Taiwan Industrial
Technology Research Institute and two other organizations, forecast
a shortage of between 10,000 and 54,000 workers during the
2006-2008 period, subject to how the economy performs.
According to the survey, which covered the semiconductor,
biotechnology, thin-film-transistor-LED (TFT-LED) manufacturing,
telecommunications, information service, and digital content
industries, a total of 140,000 jobs will be created in the six
sectors if the economy experiences a boom.
Even if the economy's performance is only lukewarm, there is
still to be a shortage of some 106,000 new workers.
However, Taiwan's colleges and universities will only turn out
96,000 graduates equipped with the knowledge and skills to work in
these fields.
The semiconductor industry is expected to lead among the six
sectors in terms of job opportunities, with 33,600, followed by the
biotechnology sector with 22,000 and the TFT-LED manufacturing
sector 13,900.
(Xinhua News Agency March 20, 2006)