Speech by Minister of State for Trade and Industry Foo Cexiang at the Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association Semiconductor Dinner 2026

Your Excellencies,

Mr Brian Tan,

Chairman of the Singapore Semiconductor Industry Association,

Industry leaders and partners,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Good evening.

INTRODUCTION

1. The Semiconductor industry was a family that I worked very closely with, because we provided all the infrastructure to make all the facilities in Singapore work. And tonight it is my pleasure to join you at the SSIA Semiconductor Dinner.

2. Let me first thank SSIA for bringing together companies, government agencies, unions, educators, researchers, international partners and, most importantly, students.

3. Tonight’s gathering reflects the strength of Singapore’s semiconductor ecosystem, where research, design, manufacturing and talent move together.

4. Chairman asked whether I was familiar with the super cycle of growth that the semiconductor industry is currently in. How could I not be? I believe almost all of Singapore will be very aware of the rapid growth that the semiconductor industry is currently in, leading the way not just for your own industry, but powering the growth of Singapore’s manufacturing overall. So congratulations to everyone, and thank you for all your hard work. But when we think about it, I think back to 1968, when we had our first assembly and testing plant. I think back to 1984, when we had our first wafer fabrication plant and integrated circuit design operations.

5. And fast forward 42 years from then, our ecosystem today spans manufacturing, design, equipment, materials and research, contributing close to 6 per cent of Singapore’s GDP and supporting close to 35,000 jobs across engineering, research and development, manufacturing and design.

6. Having recently taken on appointments at both the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Manpower, I see two closely connected priorities: keeping Singapore competitive and enabling Singaporeans to build good careers from that competitiveness. Growth must create opportunities for our people, whose capabilities in turn sustain that growth. I mentioned at another platform today that we must ensure that in Singapore, artificial intelligence is not just an elevator for some; it has to be an escalator for everyone. And being the industry powering this AI revolution, I’m glad that the semiconductor industry will be leading the way, transforming growth and creating jobs.

7. As the industry enters its next phase, our task is clear: to keep Singapore a relevant and trusted global node, while ensuring that workers and especially young Singaporeans can see a place and a future for themselves in it.

INNOVATING AND SCALING BEYOND BOUNDARIES

8. This year’s theme, “Innovate and Scale Beyond Boundaries”, offers a useful way to think about this next chapter.

9. The industry is entering another period of profound change. AI is driving demand for more powerful and energy-efficient chips, while advanced packaging is changing how chips are designed and integrated. Geopolitical uncertainty, supply-chain shifts and competition for talent are also reshaping investment decisions.

10. Singapore cannot compete on scale alone. We must compete by solving harder problems, bringing new technologies into production faster, and most importantly developing people who can work confidently at the frontier of technology.

11. Let me share how a few of our semiconductor companies have been leading the way.

a. GlobalFoundries has deployed machine learning for predictive maintenance, quality control and workflow optimisation at its 300-millimetre fabrication plant. Together with remote support tools, these efforts reduced downtime, improved efficiency and earned the plant recognition as a World Economic Forum Lighthouse.

b. Manufacturing innovation must do much more than raise productivity. It must help workers move beyond routine tasks, exercise better judgement and take on higher-value roles.

c. This brings me to two priorities: helping today’s workers grow alongside technology, and developing the next generation of talent here in Singapore.

TRANSFORMING OUR WORKFORCE ALONGSIDE TECHNOLOGY

12. AI and automation will change work across engineering, quality control, supply chains and corporate functions. Workers will naturally wonder whether their jobs will remain relevant and whether they can keep pace.

13. We should equip our workers early and give them confidence in using new tools, and support them in applying their experience to higher-value work.

14. Business and workforce transformation must move together. Companies must redesign jobs and invest in people, while unions, Government and industry partners help workers navigate change and acquire emerging skills. This practical support should begin before jobs have been transformed.

15. This is the strength of our tripartite model: transforming businesses while bringing workers forward.

16. SSIA and NTUC LearningHub, have curated industry-specific AI courses to help workers apply AI in areas such as automated systems, robotics and business-process automation.

17. Micron has trained more than 200 engineers in AI and is extending this know-how to reskill over 120 technicians for redesigned roles in an increasingly automated manufacturing environment. This is what it means to place people at the heart of transformation.

18. Tonight, we will recognise companies that have made significant contributions to workforce transformation through the Workforce Transformation Awards.

19. I congratulate all the recipients. Your efforts show that innovation and worker progression are not competing objectives.

DEVELOPING OUR FUTURE MAKERS

20. Our second priority is to develop the next generation. And this is a serious topic in Singapore, because it is the question on the minds of many young Singaporeans. For many, graduation is a time of excitement, but also uncertainty

21. Our graduates want to know whether there will be good opportunities, whether their skills will remain relevant, and whether they can build meaningful careers amid rapid technological and economic change.

22. The semiconductor sector can provide such a future.

23. It brings together advanced manufacturing, engineering, research, design, sustainability and AI. To our young entering the sector today, you will be able to help design and build the technologies of the future.

24. This is why the Semiconductor Future Makers Movement, launched by SSIA earlier today, matters greatly. By bringing companies and schools together, you will be able to help young Singaporeans encounter the industry throughout their education. The possibilities will be visible and accessible to young people from the outset.

25. Let me share the journey of a young person growing up in Singapore with semiconductors. Semiconductors are everywhere, but often invisible. Young people see the phones, electric vehicles and AI applications that chips make possible, but may not see the engineers, technicians and researchers behind them, or realise that there are such wonderful jobs they could aspire to.

a. SSIA, industry partners and LEGO Education will pilot a programme across primary schools to introduce semiconductor concepts through play, problem-solving and creative building.

b. As they grow a bit older, SSIA and the National Youth Council will curate job tasters, industry visits, mentorships and interactions with professionals for around 4,000 students over three years.

c. And as they grow even older, NUS, Applied Materials and Micron will also collaborate on a scholarship initiative to support students pursuing semiconductor-related education and development opportunities. So from primary school, all the way to university, SSIA will be with young Singaporeans.

26. And it’s not just SSIA, it’s all the companies that make up SSIA. Your contributions and your investments in our young across many generations have been a big part of the success of the Singapore story, and I appreciate the ambition of your semiconductor ecosystem to continue to do this for the next generation.

27. This is how we will build a new generation of makers to develop their abilities, pursue their ambitions and build the future from Singapore.

CONCLUSION

28. Ladies and gentlemen, Singapore’s semiconductor success has been built by people willing to learn, companies willing to invest and an ecosystem willing to work together. For someone deciding what comes next, this journey can turn an unfamiliar industry into an exciting possibility.

29. May this strong spirit carry us into the next chapter. Our continued competitiveness depends not only on sophisticated technologies, but also on the strength of our workers and young people.

30. This is how Singapore will remain a relevant and trusted global node: a place where innovation creates opportunity, technological progress brings people forward and every generation helps build what comes next.

31. Thank you, and I wish everyone a very enjoyable evening.