UK Electronics Skills Foundation announces Government funded Semiconductor Skills initiative
Following the recent announcement by Lord Patrick Vallance, the Minister for Science, about an investment of £4.75M in support of semiconductor skills, the UK Electronics Skills Foundation (UKESF) has announced the launch of the Semiconductor: Skills, Talent and Education Programme (STEP). This investment in building a robust pipeline of skills will provide crucial support enabling more young people to pursue Electronics Engineering careers, and help to underpin the long-term success of the UK semiconductor sector.
Semiconductor: STEP will consist of four connected projects, from schools’ outreach through to post-graduate training. The UKESF will work with a number of collaborators, including CSA Catapult, Techworks, Aston University, Sheffield University, STFC and the Institute of Physics, along with 30 UKESF partner universities, to deliver the projects and maximise impact.
The projects include:
Find out more about the programme here.
The UK Semiconductor sector is “strategically vital and globally competitive”, and supports “high-value roles in design, R&D, and manufacturing” (Semiconductor Workforce Study, 2025), which have the potential to provide rewarding careers for young people. However, the demand for semiconductor skills vastly outstrips supply. This multifaceted approach will begin to tackle the skills shortage in the UK’s semiconductor sector.
Stewart Edmondson, CEO, UKESF commented “We’re absolutely thrilled to be asked by DSIT to deliver the Semiconductor: Skills, Talent and Education Programme (STEP). This investment in starting to build a robust pipeline of skills will have an incredible impact on the Semiconductor Industry as a whole, and provide crucial support enabling more young people to pursue careers in our sector.”
This programme builds on the UKESF’s strong track record of working collaboratively with Schools, Universities and Employers to deliver meaningful Electronics outreach and engagement activities.
The UKESF are delighted to welcome Bangor University as the 30th UK university to become a UKESF Partner. Undergraduate students studying Electronics (or a related degree) at the university will now have the opportunity to apply for the multi award-winning UKESF Scholarship Scheme.
To date, the UKESF has worked with over 100 electronics and technology employers to offer scholarships to undergraduates from the partner universities. Students awarded a scholarship are supported throughout their degree with paid work placements to develop the skills they need to thrive in the electronics industry, professional development, networking and outreach opportunities.
This new collaboration is positive news for companies involved in the scholarship scheme as there will be even more talented and high-achieving students to connect with.
The UKESF Scholarship Scheme is an exemplar of effective engagement between industry and universities. The scheme has been recognised with a Princess Royal Training Award and, last year was awarded Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Programme of the Year at the Electronics Weekly Women Leaders in Electronics awards.
“It’s great that Bangor University are formally joining the UKESF as our 30th partner. Last year, we worked closely with Bangor University to hold an outreach event as part of the ‘Spark their Imagination’ programme to inspire the next generation of Electronics Engineers in Wales. We were really impressed by the School of Computer Science and Engineering and its activities to promote Electronics.”
Stewart Edmondson, CEO, UKESF
“The School is delighted to be joining the UKESF as a partner University. It has been the School’s ambition to encourage more young people to study and pursue a career in Electronics for many years with its outreach programme, and being partnered with the UKESF will allow us to strengthen this goal. For our own undergraduate students, being able to apply for the UKESF Scholarship Scheme will broaden their skill set and open doors to a career in the Electronics industry.”
Dr Daniel Roberts, Senior Lecturer in Electronic Engineering, Bangor University
Find out more about the UKESF Scholarship Scheme here
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has today published the UK Semiconductor Workforce Study, a report based on extensive research into the sector. The UKESF is pleased to have contributed to this report.
The report analyses the UK Semiconductor sector in detail and highlights a number of skills challenges including:
Speaking about the UKESF’s involvement in the research, Stewart Edmondson, Chief Executive, said “We have long championed skills development and the importance of building a future skills pipeline. This is a thoroughly well researched report with detailed analysis. It highlights the scale of the challenge faced by our vital Semiconductor industry, and makes practical, actionable recommendations that collaboratively – working with government, industry and academia – we can implement to ensure a thriving and sustainable sector.”
The UKESF is fully supportive of the report’s recommendations, and there is significant alignment with our strategy and approach. In particular, about strategic interventions to raise awareness about semiconductors in schools, expand the Higher Education pipeline, provide more opportunities for undergraduates to specialise in semiconductors, strengthen industry-academia collaboration and tackling the gender imbalance.
Click here to read the full report.
‘Spark their Imagination, Power their Future’ – an innovative programme aimed at encouraging young people in Wales to pursue careers in Electronics and semiconductors – has successfully concluded after 18 months of impactful activities.
The programme, funded by Innovate UK and delivered by the UK Electronics Skills Foundation (UKESF) in partnership with CSA Catapult, comprised a range of events, outreach activities, and tailored support to inspire the next generation of Electronics Engineers.
It was designed to address an Electronics skills shortage affecting the growth of key sectors, including compound semiconductors, an area where South Wales has established itself as a global hub. Despite this, just 120 Welsh students began Electrical and Electronic Engineering degrees at UK universities in 2021, highlighting the urgent need for action.
Speaking about the programme, Stewart Edmondson, Chief Executive, UKESF, said:
“The Spark their Imagination programme has been significant success, and I am very proud of the impact that we have made. The results demonstrate the importance of a holistic approach – supporting both teachers and pupils, and implementing different activities to break down barriers of access to Electronics and raise awareness of rewarding careers in the industry.
At the heart of the programme has been a successful partnership between the UKESF and the CSA Catapult, and we really appreciate and value the strong relationship between our two organisations.”
The programme included:
Events – The UKESF met 295 pupils from across Wales at events. Events took place at Bangor University, University of South Wales, Centre for Integrative Semiconductor Materials at Swansea University, Cardiff University and the University of Wales Trinity St David.
Schools resources – 45 schools received free Electronics equipment and supporting resources to help teachers to develop their students’ knowledge. Resources included those from our Electronics Everywhere and our Insight into Electronics programmes.
Sparc Award – This Award recognised 24 students who started Electronics or a related course at university in the 2024/25 academic year. It provided financial support and mentoring, and aimed to help address underrepresentation and improve social mobility.
Download the full report here.
Following the success of this programme, CSconnected have provided funding from SIPF for further Electronics interventions in Wales. Through Sparking STEM Futures, the UKESF will provide more schools with access to interactive resources, as well as host several more events, one of which is Girls into Electronics at Swansea University on 26 June 2025. Find out more here.
The UKESF Scholar of the Year 2024 was announced at the TechWorks Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony in central London on 4 December.
Henry Wall, University of Cambridge / Multiple Access Communications Ltd, received the prestigious award of Scholar of the Year Award, and Philip Heptonstall, The University of Edinburgh / AMD was recognised as Runner Up.
L-R, Philip Heptonstall and Henry Wall with Stewart Edmondson, CEO, UKESF
The Award recognises UKESF Scholars achievements across several categories, including their academic achievements, their performance whilst undertaking their industry placement, and their commitment to outreach and promoting Electronics to young people. Both Henry and Philip performed outstandingly in all three categories.
Henry Wall, Winner, UKESF Scholar of the Year 2024
Henry is studying MEng Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering at the University of Cambridge. Upon winning the Award, Henry said…
“I think winning the reward feels like a prize for all the dedication and hard work I have put into my engineering degree, outreach focuses and internships so far.
My Scholarship has enabled me to complete a very rewarding summer internship at MAC Ltd, working across disciplines and learning a plethora of knowledge I will use in my career going forwards. Furthermore, I think the UKESF Scholars Workshop provided was excellent, and certainly taught me about aspects of a career in engineering I hadn’t considered before. Adding to this, I made long lasting friends at the workshop, and cultured my network within this exciting industry.
I started out with a passion for cars and mechanical engineering, but focusing on the cutting edge of engineering at university I soon began to realise that our present and future is shaped by Electronics and semiconductors. It is such an interesting industry to be part of, with constant progression, new and exciting opportunities, and a hand-in-hand relationship with the forefront of our physics knowledge in quantum and nano technologies.”
Peter Gould, Managing Director, Multiple Access Communications Limited, congratulated Henry…
“Henry Wall was an intern with Multiple Access Communications Ltd (MAC Ltd) this summer as part of the UK Electronics Skills Foundation (UKESF) sponsorship scheme. We like to integrate our summer interns into our existing project teams and give them challenging engineering problems to solve so that they get real experience of what it is like to work in a company like MAC Ltd. Henry worked on a field programmable gate array (FPGA) deployment of a standard encryption library and gained valuable experience in networking protocols, C coding, Unix command line tools, Matlab modelling and the Very High Speed Integrated Circuit Hardware Description Language (VHDL). We were very impressed with the way Henry tackled the engineering challenges that we threw at him and what he achieved during his time with us! All of us at MAC Ltd would like to congratulate him on being awarded the UKESF Scholar of the Year.
We are very proud of you Henry and wish you every success in your final year of study at the University of Cambridge and your future career!”
Philip Heptonstall, Runner Up, Scholar of the Year 2024
Philip is studying MEng Electronics and Computer Science at The University of Edinburgh. On being recognised as Runner Up, Philip commented…
“To me, the award is a recognition of effort. It’s a sign that my contributions were recognised, and people believe they have a positive impact. It’s positive feedback that will encourage me to continue my efforts to develop my knowledge and to promote STEM.
The UKESF Scholarship has made a significant contribution to my career and degree. Starting out, I was put in touch with a graduate UKESF scholar whom I could ask for career advice, helping me navigate my options. My internships with AMD have provided me with opportunities to develop my technical knowledge and context of how these technologies were applied. I cannot understate the importance of context – going back to university after my internships, I found myself far more interested in courses that related to these technologies. Finally, UKESF has provided me with several opportunities to give back to the community in volunteering for STEM workshops and talks.
As an Electronics Engineer, I love that the topics you learn and work with so fundamental to modern life. Growing up with computers inspired me to choose my degree, and through it I have learned how all the pieces work and fit together to provide us with the experience we are all familiar with. The depth and complexity in every component fascinates me, and my interest in the topic is what led me to my current internship at AMD.”
L-R, Henry Sands-Grant (graduated Scholar), Stewart Edmondson (CEO, UKESF), Skye McConnville (graduated Scholar), Oana Lazar (graduated Scholar), Philip Heptonstall (Runner up – Scholar of the Year 2024), Henry Wall (Winner – Scholar of the Year 2024)
As part of our skills advocacy work on behalf of the UK’s Electronics sector, we have recently responded to two separate Government consultations.
We believe that ensuring a strong Electronics skills base is integral to future growth of our sector, and more widely the UK’s prosperity. In particular, for the semiconductor ecosystem we need to develop a robust future skills pipeline to act as a ‘magnet’ for investment, and to support future innovation and research.
Department for Education Curriculum and Assessment Review
In response to a call for evidence from the DfE, the UKESF has submitted a response to champion Electronics, practical work, and improved careers support within the school curriculum in England.
Read our response in full here.
Invest 2035 Consultation
The UKESF has submitted a response to the consultation on the Industrial Strategy which champions investment in Electronics skills as a key driver for building a resilient and innovative UK Electronics and semiconductor industry.
Read our response in full here.
At the UKESF, our charitable purpose is to encourage more young people to study Electronics and to pursue careers in the sector.
We are working tirelessly to ensure that more young people are aware of Electronics, and we are part of a wider ecosystem of organisations that are working together to inspire the next generation with STEM. Indeed, one of The IET’s aims is about “Inspiring tomorrow’s generation with the advancements of today”.
This made us think… who or what has actually inspired young engineers?
We have undertaken some research to find out. We have surveyed early career engineers, who have either applied for or received a UKESF Scholarship, and are either studying for, or have graduated from, an Electrical and Electronics Engineering or related degree. We asked them to tell us who, or what, inspired them to choose Electronics.
The results surprised us! Read our report here.
Technology is the future, and Electronics Engineering is a fascinating career that is integral to advances in healthcare, net zero, AI, communications and much more.
This year, as part of our celebrations for Tomorrow’s Engineers Week and National Engineering Day, we asked some young Electronics Engineers to share a few words of inspiration for those considering a career in engineering.
Ben summarised it really neatly:
“Electronics is a career of the future. Where do you want your future to take you?”
Ben Huggett, CMR Surgical
“For me, Electronics is a very creative discipline. It allows me to use maths and physics to solve real-world hands-on problems, and I find that extremely rewarding.”
Lucy Hodgins, University of Southampton
“Imagine creating the next generation of smart devices that can change the world. Electronics offers endless opportunities to innovate and make a real impact. Your innovations could revolutionize how we live, work, and connect.”
Amrik Sadhra, Arm Ltd.
“Electronics is an exciting and rewarding field to be involved in – it powers the world! If you’re passionate about understanding how things work and turning ideas into real world devices, it just might be for you.”
Qali Mohamoud, Aston University
“If the idea of programming microprocessors and designing circuits excites you, electronics engineering is a path that will keep you engaged and challenged. You’ll be amazed by how these tiny electronic components come together to perform complex tasks.”
Lau Yi Jun, University of Southampton/AMD
“Electronics allows you to have a deeper understanding of the devices you use every day, and the opportunity to have an impact on devices of the future, whether that be helping improve energy efficiency to tackle climate change or more accessible medical devices!”
William Burbidge, University of York/Microelectronics Support Centre – MSC
“Despite having studied the same Electronic Engineering course at the same university, I don’t know any two people in my cohort who have the same job. In fact, our careers are so diverse even just a year or two on, that I’m certain we wouldn’t be able to swap jobs even for a day, despite having the same background. When we say that the possibilities within Electronics are endless – we truly mean it!”
Oana Lazar, University of Southampton/Tessent Embedded Analytics
Considering a career in Electronics? Find out more here
By Andy Gothard, Director of Programmes, UKESF
In the few short weeks since I joined UKESF there has been one consistent theme – I’ve been absolutely wowed by the talent, enthusiasm, energy and commitment of the young people I’ve met.
So, I suppose that I shouldn’t be surprised at the quality of this year’s cohort of young people applying to join our Scholarship Scheme – but what has surprised me is the sheer number of applications we’ve had. Around 500 bright and motivated undergraduates, all meeting the high academic standards we demand from potential Scholars.
This means that we will have a gap between the number of brilliant students seeking work experience, and the number of Scholarships we’re actually going to be able to award. There will be around 400 applicants unable to take their first steps into the Electronics industry alongside their degree.
This is a scheme designed by industry, for industry. But it also needs backing from industry; from companies who recognise the very real returns on any investment in future skills.
Feedback from our sponsor companies, many of whom take Scholars on every year, proves that when they arrive in the workplace these young people are much more than just ‘an extra pair of hands’ for the team. They really add value, bringing new ideas and delivering results. Very frequently they return work-ready to their sponsoring company at the end of their degree, and immediately start delivering value once again.
This year, we have 50 participating organisations – but as the numbers above demonstrate, there is room for many more.
There is still time to get involved.
There are 500 bright, high-performing and committed young people are ready and keen to get work experience in the industry. If you’re an employer, we can connect you with that talent pool.
Get in touch with me by email at [email protected] or by phone on 07768 082 044.
The UKESF is pleased to share its Impact Report 2023-24.
Highlights from the year include:
Are you interested to find out more about our mission to encourage more young people to study Electronics and to pursue careers in the sector? Do you think you could help? Get in touch to find out how you could be involved.
By Stewart Edmondson
Each year, towards the end of the Summer, we host 60 UKESF Scholars in York for our Workshop. This is a residential professional development course for undergraduates entering the final year of their degree. This year we had Scholars from 17 universities (and having completed work experience at 38 different companies!) come together to hear expert speakers, participate in fun team building activities and begin to establish their professional network, all whilst preparing for graduate recruitment.
It is always a fantastic experience and this year was no exception. Our aim is that the Scholars’ feel inspired by the event and, in turn, I always find it incredibly inspiring to spend time with these fantastic young people. We ensure that the atmosphere is welcoming and collaborative, and those that participated helped us to create a safe space for discussion and learning. It’s a busy, thought provoking and exciting week. The packed agenda covers human behaviour, ethics, negotiation, managing diverse teams, sustainability, cyber security, as well as advice on networking, CV’s and entrepreneurship.
Our recent report into graduate work readiness discussed the non-technical skills that are sought after by Electronics employers, and our workshop aims to provide effective support for Scholars to build their skills and confidence beyond their Electronics subject knowledge.
We’re always thrilled to hear the feedback from the workshop, and this year, 98% of our Scholars rated it good or excellent. This year they told us:
“I thought it was an invaluable experience and I appreciate the effort gone into it!”
“It was particularly great to meet a range of female electrical engineering students as there aren’t that many around at uni!”
“Brilliant to see many topics from passionate and captivating speakers”
In 2022, our Scholarship received a special commendation from the Princess Royal Training Awards for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Our efforts to break down barriers and challenge stereotypes is evidenced by this years’ workshop cohort which comprised 30% female participants.
Applications are now open for the 2024/24 Scholarship Scheme. If you’re an undergraduate student, find out if you’re eligible to apply and begin your application here.
If you’re an employer and would like to find out how your company could benefit from connecting with a UKESF Scholar, click here for more information or get in touch by email at [email protected].
By Stewart Edmondson
It is a simple enough and reasonably sounding question to ask “are the graduates entering our industry fit for purpose?”
Prompted by industry wide reports that contributed to the discourse on work readiness over the last few years, the UKESF wanted to understand how prepared Electronics graduates are to enter the workforce.
Through an in-depth focus group with employers, and a survey with both employers and graduates, we explored whether graduates have the expected technical and non-technical skills sought by employers.
Our research found that although some of the results are mixed, the picture for Electronics graduates is reassuring given the concerns raised in other reports.
I would like to acknowledge the invaluable support for this study from my colleague Hilary Price at Aston University.
Our award-winning Scholarship Scheme gives undergraduates the opportunity to gain valuable work experience though their degree, supporting them to develop work ready skills; whilst employers benefit from the chance to engage with capable, motivated undergraduates and establish an effective pipeline for graduate recruitment.
If you’re interested in finding out more, or getting involved, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me at [email protected].
By Stew Edmondson, CEO, UKESF
It’s been almost a year since the Government launched their National Semiconductor Strategy and we have gladly welcomed the step change in activity and interest around Electronics and semiconductors. However, the skills challenge remains the same:
The only way for UK semiconductor industry to sustainably grow and thrive in the long term is to increase the number of students studying electronics at degree level.
The semiconductor industry is forecast to be worth $1T globally, but has for a long time largely been unknown to many outside of the profession. It is crucial for advances in healthcare, security, AI, green energy, communication, and many other sectors on which we rely. At the UKESF, it is our mission to ensure that more school children, their parents and their teachers are aware of Electronics, have the opportunity to learn about it in an engaging way.
To achieve this, we are working tirelessly to advocate for skills on behalf of the Electronics industry. We want to ensure that policymakers and other key stakeholders recognise the importance of semiconductors, both for today, and for the future.
We were pleased to have been invited to contribute to the POSTnote, Supply of Semiconductor Chips, by Debbie Woods and Devyani Gajjar. The document has been produced by Parliament, for Parliament, to provide a reliable and impartial overview of the industry. Our contribution has highlighted that:
The Semiconductor Strategy set out the UK’s plan to “secure areas of world-leading strength in the semiconductor technologies of the future by focusing on our strengths in R&D, design and IP, and compound semiconductors”. Through initiatives like this POSTnote, we can raise awareness of the challenges we face with policymakers so that we can move forward with an aligned, coherent strategy that not only ensures have a good pipeline of Electronics engineers entering industry, but that they have the right skills for the industry to thrive.
Read the POSTnote in full here, and visit our Skills Advocacy page for more information about the work we’re doing.
The UK Electronics Skills Foundation (UKESF) has partnered up with the Royal Institution to deliver a series of Computer Science masterclasses to year 8 pupils.
With the support of UKESF Scholars, pupils had the opportunity to get hands on with an interactive electronics session and participate in a drone competition. The masterclasses were held at a college in Hampshire.
“We are delighted that the students had such a positive experience at the masterclasses. Not only was there a fantastic atmosphere on the day, but pupils reported that they were inspired to learn more about the variety of careers that computer science can lead to, and that they were more likely to consider a career in STEM following the event.” Isabel Culmer, UKESF Education Outreach Advisor
The Insight into Electronics session was supported by UKESF Scholars Alexander Mills and Tao Zeng from the University of Southampton. Pupils were introduced to microcontrollers and sensors using an Arduino kit, and had the opportunity to ask their questions to the Scholars about their journey so far and experiences.
The drone competition was run by UKESF Scholars Shawn Poile and Efstratios Stamatopoulos, also from the University of Southampton, in collaboration with NXP Semiconductors. The pupils programmed drones to fly on an obstacle course, and learned that programming for hardware can come with challenges and unexpected outcomes.
Feedback following the session found that:
If you would like to find out more about Insight into Electronics, click here. For more information about RI Masterclasses, click here.