MEMBER

Neil Weaver
VP of Product Development & Applications Engineering
SEH-America

Question: Neil, what are the biggest opportunities to sustain a robust, skilled workforce at SEH-America?

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"The semiconductor industry is forecasted to have more than one trillion dollars of revenue worldwide in 2027 and most of that is generated from silicon wafers like those we make at SEH America.  So that is very exciting and a huge opportunity.  We need to highlight the intrinsic value of manufacturing these fundamental elements of the modern economy, right here in Clark County.  SEH America and the HTC member companies have an important role to play in all of the amazing electronics which make our world so exciting.   Getting the message out to the community that these great jobs exist here will require improved communication with the local education systems and with many workforce development partners.       

The SEMI (semi.org) organization and US Department of Commerce project a near-future shortage of hundreds of thousands of workers nationwide to fill jobs in the US semiconductor industry.  Preparing folks to fill them is part of our opportunity.   There are needs in technical STEM related fields as well as many roles in the business systems which support and sustain production. "

Question: What is the most important industry shift that you expect over the next year, and how are you preparing for it?

"The demand for the silicon wafers produced by SEH America is booming from data centers and the AI ramp-up, as well as the increasing semiconductor content in automobiles and smart devices.      The technical demands on our product get tighter every year, and we have to keep pace with our customers and with our competition worldwide. This presents great challenges and opportunities. Many of our customers and their customers really want products to be made in the United States and this is a great advantage we have. There is competition around the world, including from China, and we have to keep improving in every way."

Question: What fuels your passion by being involved with the Southwest WA High-Tech Council?  

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"I am a great advocate of the importance and excitement of making vital and essential products. And as a materials engineer, I love talking about the materials supply chain. Communicating this message to folks who do not know much about semiconductors is a lot of fun. We can only be successful if the Clark County community appreciates what we do, and wants to work for us, and allows us to continue as successful businesses."