THE SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY

IN HO CHI MINH CITY

JOB CHALLENGES AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Vinh P. Nguyen
Staff Physical Design Engineer AMCC Vietnam

Abstract
Awareness of the importance of the semiconductor industry to the countrys industrialization
and modernization efforts, the Vietnam government has chosen semiconductor integrated
circuits is one of Main National Products, and this past spring announced plans to invest more
than $300 million to attract an international device maker to set-up a 180nm/130nm wafer
FAB. In addition, there are about 40 private both domestic and foreign chip design centers, chip
plants operating in HCMC. The semiconductor industry is forecasted to be grow very fast in the
near future. Beside good job opportunities, however, they also implicit some job challenges. In

this talk, I will share my opinions about job challenges and job opportunities of the
semiconductor industry in HCMC. Some statistical data including IC design centers, engineer
expertise, salary, benefit, will be reported. The last, I will share my experiences (almost TIPs)
to participants, especially for new graduates, how they can find a job in this field, write a good
resume, win a job interview and how to become a key ASIC design engineer.
May 2014

The Semiconductor Industry in HCMC Job Challenges and Job Opportunities

[1,3,4]

Page 2

Contents
Self-Introduction
About AMCC Vietnam
The Semiconductor Industry in HCMC

Overview
IC Design Centers
Engineering Statistical
Job Challenges and Job Opportunities
Forecasts

For New Graduates

TIPs to help finding jobs

TIPs to help writing a good resume
TIPs to help winning the job interview
How to become a key ASIC engineer

Conclusions & Discussions

May 2014

The Semiconductor Industry in HCMC Job Challenges and Job Opportunities

Page 3

Self-Introduction
8+ years hand-on ASIC design experiences with more than 20 tap-outs. Chips taped
out include wireless, network, ARM/PowerPC embedded chips, video/audio codec,
set-top-box and low-power SOCs.
Currently working as a Staff Physical Design Engineer at AMCC Vietnam
Was Senior ASIC Back-End Engineer, eSilicon Vietnam.
Was Lead Hardware Designer, Signet Design Solutions Vietnam.

Research interest:
ASIC low power designs, design flow development, open source EDA tools, open cores.

M.S.EE Candidate, University of Sciences HCMC (expected 2015).

B.S. in Physics, University of Sciences HCMC, 2000 2005.
Recipient of the Texas Business Groups scholarship for excellent students in 2002.
Recipient of the National University HCMCs scholarships in 2002.

May 2014

The Semiconductor Industry in HCMC Job Challenges and Job Opportunities

Page 4

About AMCC Vietnam

AMCC Headquarters:
215 Moffett Park Drive
Sunnyvale, CA, US.

AMCC Vietnam: (since 2008)

Tan Thuan, Dist. 7, HCMC, Vietnam.
About 150 engineers including FPGA,
ASIC frontend/backend, hardware
design/validation/diagnostic,
software,

Market Leadership
#1 Wi-Fi Access Point
#2 Cellular Base Station
#1 Data Center Interconnect
#1 Optical Transport Network
Industry Leading Multi-Gigabit SerDes
The worlds first ARMv8 64-bit Server-on-a-Chip Product
290+ Patents and Patent Pending Inventions
May 2014

The Semiconductor Industry in HCMC Job Challenges and Job Opportunities

[9]

Page 5

The Semiconductor Industry: Overview

The revenues of Vietnams electronics and hardware
industries rose from over $2.5bn in 2005 to $5.5bn in
2010.
About 40 companies including design centers, R&D
institute, chip plant,

More than 4000 engineers both chip design and chip

assembly/packaging,
Over 7 major universities and research centers in
HCMC teach the design of the integrated circuit to
provide different levels such as B.S., B.E., M.S., Ph.D.
A semiconductor FAB (180nm/130nm) was planed to
operate in 2016-2017 (Saigon Hi-Tech Park).

Learn more: Program of the development of HCMCs

Semiconductor Industry in the period 2013 -2020

May 2014

The Semiconductor Industry in HCMC Job Challenges and Job Opportunities

[2,4,5,6,11]

Page 6

The Semiconductor Industry: Design Flow & Jobs

May 2014

The Semiconductor Industry in HCMC Job Challenges and Job Opportunities

Page 7

The Semiconductor Industry: Design Centers

Renesas: since 2004

500 -1000 engineers: ASIC frontend, ASIC backend, DFT, FPGA, software, firmware,

eSilicon (was SDS): since 1999

200-300 engineers: memory design, ASIC frontend, ASIC backend, DFT, software,

AMCC: since 2008

100-200 engineers: ASIC frontend/backend, hardware validation/diagnostic, software,

ICDREC: since 2005

100-200 engineers: ASIC frontend/backend, analog, IP, embedded, software,

ATVN: since 2001?

100-200 engineers: frontend, embedded, PCB, software,

Viettel R&D Institute: since 2011?

100-200 engineers: ASIC frontend, embedded, software,

MicroChip: since 2013

50-100 engineers: AMS design, software and solution,

Sigma Designs, Bosch, Marvell, and more.

May 2014

The Semiconductor Industry in HCMC Job Challenges and Job Opportunities

[3]

Page 8

The Semiconductor Industry: Engineer Expertise

Figure 1:Engineer Expertise

May 2014

The Semiconductor Industry in HCMC Job Challenges and Job Opportunities

[1,7,8,11]

Page 9

The Semiconductor Industry: Salary & Benefit

WHY BIG GAP?

Exp/Salary

Min

Max

New grads

$4,000

$6,000

<3 years

$5,000

$9,000

3-6 years

$7,000

$17,000

6-10 years

$12,000

$36,000

>10 years

$20,000

$50,000

Figure 2: Year-base Salary

May 2014

The Semiconductor Industry in HCMC Job Challenges and Job Opportunities

[7,8,11]

Page 10

The Semiconductor Industry: Job Challenges

Challenges in itself:
Academy and Industry gap
Narrow and deep technology
Background different

Lack of EDA tools and LAB (expensive and export-control)

World-wide environment English and communication skills.
Other challenges:

May 2014

Electronic-related industries are still hot, they always be human resource competitors.
Currently depend on FDI, lack of domestic investments
Lack of industry statistical, industry forecast,
Will government's program focus on IC design in short-term?

The Semiconductor Industry in HCMC Job Challenges and Job Opportunities

[5,10]

Page 11

The Semiconductor Industry: Job Opportunities

Hi-tech jobs
Workforce (engineers) hungry
Very compatible salary/benefit

Only Fifteen-year-olds industry (HCMC)

World-wide and professional working environments
More room for research including semiconductor fundamental, technology, system,
application,
Big rewards for any brilliant idea

May 2014

The Semiconductor Industry in HCMC Job Challenges and Job Opportunities

Page 12

The Semiconductor Industry: Forecasts

Semiconductor worldwide revenues (ref. by IDC 2011, 2013):
Will improve by 4.1% from 2011-2016, reaching $368 billion in 2016.
Asia/Pacific will continue to grow its share of semiconductor revenues, with annual growth of 5.3%.

The semiconductor industry in HCMC forecasts by 2017:

Will earn the industrys revenue reaching US $100-$150 million.
Will attract 30 companies with 2,000 engineers, reach totally 6000 engineers by 2017.
May 2014

The Semiconductor Industry in HCMC Job Challenges and Job Opportunities

[4,5,8,10]

Page 13

For New Graduates

Congratulations!
And welcome to the real world!

May 2014

The Semiconductor Industry in HCMC Job Challenges and Job Opportunities

Page 14

For New Grads: TIPs to help finding jobs

Start finding job when doing your thesis.
Consider an internship - most of internships will get job offers!
Contact departments career office.

Join company career days, job search on your interest companys websites.
Create or enhance your profile on professional network such as Linkedin.com
Upload your resume onto job seeking websites such as:
Vietnamworks.com
Kiemviec.com

>>> Need focus on jobs you are most passionate about.

May 2014

The Semiconductor Industry in HCMC Job Challenges and Job Opportunities

Page 15

For New Grads: TIPs to help writing a resume

Choose good template, font size,
Format consistently
Highlight soft-skills is most important!
Self training skill
Teamwork skill
Problem solving skill

Check and fix to jobs requirements.

Check your resume:
English, ,

Ask to help evaluate your resume

>>> Some references are included.
May 2014

The Semiconductor Industry in HCMC Job Challenges and Job Opportunities

Page 16

For New Grads: TIPs to help winning the job interview

Remember and try to understand all job requirements.
Prepare yourself at least 1 week. Imagine some questions and try to get an answer.
Communication skill:
Practice your handshake.
Practice your vocal: should be CLEAR.
Always having a smile and be confident.

Not ONLY say I dont know about it.

Show you are willing to learn very IMPORTANT for new grads!
Show you are very interest in the job.

Learn how to say Thanks you and I am sorry.

May 2014

The Semiconductor Industry in HCMC Job Challenges and Job Opportunities

Page 17

For New Grads: How to become a key ASIC engineer

Set your goals and work for them with full passion.
Choose the right mentor and build up the relationship.
Keep up your good works.

Grow your network.

Build a good Learning strategy:

Global to local, basic to detail

Learn from jobs
Learn from your mistakes
Learn to ask pointed questions tactfully

Be volunteer dont be afraid of work challenges.

May 2014

The Semiconductor Industry in HCMC Job Challenges and Job Opportunities

Page 18

Conclusions & Discussions

The semiconductor industry is very young industry in HCMC (also Vietnam).
The semiconductor industry always be engineering-workforce hungry in the
next 10 years.

The semiconductor industry statistical including design centers, engineer

expertise, base-salary, are reported.
Job challenges and job opportunities of semiconductor industry in HCMC

have been discussed.

Job finding TIPs, job interview TIPs, hi-tech working skills for new graduates
have shared and discussed.

May 2014

The Semiconductor Industry in HCMC Job Challenges and Job Opportunities

Page 19

THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION!

VINH P. NGUYEN
Ho Chi Minh City, 12 May 2014

Page 20

References
1.

An Vu (2013), Integrated chip manufacturing takes off, Vietnam News Magazine,

http://vietnamnews.vn/Sunday/Features/224731/integrated-chip-manufacturing-takes-off.html.
2.

Dang Luong Mo (2013), The IC Design Industry In Ho Chi Minh City The Early days,
https://annualconf.shtp.hochiminhcity.gov.vn%2Fdata%2FPPT_Plenary%2520session%2F03%25209h50%2520%25E2%2580%2593%252010h15%2520The%2520IC%2520Design%2520Industry%2520in%2520Ho%252
0Chi%2520Minh%2520(Handouts).pdf

3.

Dang Trong Trinh (2010), VIETNAM On the way to construct the first IC wafer fab, DAC Global Forum.

4.

Frost and Sullivan (2008), Vietnam - The Rising Tiger in the Semiconductor Industry, http://www.frost.com.

5.

General statistics office of Vietnam (2011), http://www.gso.gov.vn/default_en.aspx?tabid=467&idmid=3.

6.

Philip Koh (2011), Market Trends: Electronics and Semiconductor Manufacturing, Vietnam, 2010-2015,

http://www.gartner.com/id=1702914.
7.

Quoc Hung (2013), City need chip development policy, The Saigon Times daily.

8.

Semiconductor consumption projection in Vietnam (2010),

http://www.2456.com/JasperWeb/htmls/Show/269/MarketNews_en_20100210.html#top

9.

Website Applied Micro Corporation: http://www.apm.com

10. Website SemiWiki: https://www.semiwiki.com/forum/content/2444-2013-semcionductor-market-forecast-lowered.html

11. Website ICDREC: http//www.icdrec.com.vn
May 2014

The Semiconductor Industry in HCMC Job Challenges and Job Opportunities

Page 21