As semiconductor technology gains prominence alongside innovations such as AI and big data, the competition for key talent to spearhead the semiconductor industry is intensifying because securing the best talents is essential for the continuous growth of the semiconductor industry and the company. Samsung Semiconductor is putting the best effort to recruit top talent through our distinctive HR system and also continues to enhance employee capability through diverse learning and development programs. Also, through open communication with our employee create a culture that is diverse and inclusive.
Samsung Semiconductor proactively looks to secure excellent talents through various efforts. In particular, we host programs like the 'Tech&Career Forum' and 'Samsung Shining Star' to secure outstanding domestic and foreign talents looking for a career in high-tech industries such as semiconductors, AI, software, and displays.
The Tech & Career Forum is a global job fair held to attract industry experts in regards to semiconductor. The event is held both in Korea and the United States as well as other parts of Asia and Europe, widening our access to diverse talent pools. Our executives also attend these forums to provide a differentiated, communication-oriented experience, including lectures and discussions on semiconductor technology trends, corporate culture, and company’s mission and vision.
To attract younger talents, Samsung Semiconductor also runs "The Samsung Shining Star Program". A five-day event for undergraduate freshmen and sophomores, the program invites science and engineering students to gain in-depth knowledge of semiconductor technology through lectures by Samsung Institute of Technology faculties, and visits to Samsung Semiconductor's various business sites through.
Samsung Semiconductor runs the 'University MPW (Multi-Project Wafer)* Program’ to support researchers and students getting hands on necessary wafer prototypes for verifying chip design in order to foster the semiconductor ecosystem and future semiconductor related talents.
The MPW program is the only technical support program in Korea that provides the 8-inch 130nm to advanced 14nm FinFET process, where students can verify their ideas with MPW provided by Samsung. With the support, students and researchers may present their accomplishments on global semiconductor platforms such as ISSCC.
In 1995, to expand the semiconductor ecosystem in Korea, Samsung worked with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy to launch the KAIST IDEC government fund program. The program started by supporting 0.8 micrometer (μm) MPW to 30 domestic graduate students, and today expands its support with up to a 28FD-SOI process, which is advantageous for RF and low power design. Such collaborative efforts have helped improve the domestic university research environment by producing more
than 2,000 chips in the last 29 years.
Furthermore, Samsung Semiconductor is strengthening industry-academic cooperation with leading universities worldwide to recruit semiconductor talents and foster the ecosystem. As a global leader in semiconductor, Samsung Semiconductor will continue to put its best effort into supporting and expanding its cooperation with the academic community.
* Multi-Project Wafer: provides various design layouts on one wafer
We aim to expand the program in the future and strive to create opportunities for participating students to work together with a great vision in the semiconductor field.
At Samsung Semiconductor, we offer various opportunities for our employees to grow and improve so that they may reach their potentials. We provide not only the education on latest technical curriculums on semiconductor but also various programs that support individual growth.
In 2023, Samsung Electronics was selected the 'The World's Best Employers' by Forbes and has been keeping the position for four straight years. Such achievements was reachable from various efforts such as operating various communication channels for transparent communication and fostering organic cooperation.
"We Talk", a monthly town hall meeting held by the CEO and key executives is one example of how our management shares business philosophy and direction. During the meeting, employees are open to asking questions online and answered promptly. We also host "Tea Talk", a weekly meeting between the CEO and employees, to listen to the voices of our employees to actively collect their opinions and strengthen mutual trust.
We also conduct the Samsung Culture Index (SCI) every year among employees worldwide in order to assess the health of our current organizational culture in three areas: fun to work, colleagues to work with, and a company to be proud of. We also operate the Pulse Survey, which asks employees about their happiness and opinions about the company. Through regular monitoring of our organizational culture, we will continue to strive to build a healthy organizational culture where employees
can enjoy working.
DS University is a platform where employees can use to cultivate creativity, learn new skills and develop expertise. The in-house training program offers over 720 job-related courses, leader classes, language programs, and various career development contents tailored to individual growth paths.
Our unique learning program “OASIS” allows our employees to spend up to 5 days a year for a time to soley concentrate on self-development. Employees can use this time to go to the DS Education Center, opend in 2022, where private study rooms, studios, and lecture halls is provided so that employees can soley focus on learning.
We also hold “Talent Development Fair” and “Dream Fair” so our employees can share their growth stories and best practicies. The Talent Development Fair provides the perfect setting to share the experiences of learning and growth within the organization. At the Dream Fair, we showcase improvements and growth experiences undertaken by new hires in their first year. Through these events we also point out areas of improvement so that we can create an environment where our members can fully unleash their potential.
Samsung Semiconductor runs the Samsung Institute of Technology (SSIT), a higher education institution. SSIT teaches employees by strengthening their technical capabilites in regards to semiconductor and confers an semiconductor-engineering degree. As of 2024, 1,142 bachelor's, 877 master's, and 98 doctoral graduated from SSIT. In addition, we provide online and offline training on non-technical courses such as communication, work efficiency, and self-development through the DS EssEntial Program (DEEP)1) that is available for all employee. As of 2023, 15,513 employees completed the program.
From new hires to current leaders, leadership program is offered to all emplopyees to foster leadership in workplace. In addition to the 1:1 leadership coaching for executives, leaders are trained in various areas of business and management as well as organizational culture, and liberal arts, selectable per need. This enables our leaders to learn the necessary knowledge and skills tto support organization growth. Moreover, leaders also host egular One-on-One sessions with employees to support individual success. We also operate a separate training course for employees but are performing departmental leadership roles to cultivate basic leadership competencies.
In the first and second half of each year, we conduct learder assessments for leaders such as part managers, group managers, and team managers to help them realize and understand their leadership. In the first half of 2022, we conducted a "Multi-faceted leadership diagnosis". Kept stricly confidential, supervisors, colleagues, and department members participated in the assessment. In the second half of the year, the "Enhanced Assessment" evaluated work competence, support for department member growth, respect and consideration, and fairness. The results of the assessment will be used to so that leaders can improve their work performance.