Bassaleg School in Newport is now offering a semiconductor qualification to students, making it one of the first schools in the UK to do so. This initiative aims to prepare pupils for careers in the growing local semiconductor industry.
The south Wales compound semiconductor sector saw a 14% increase in jobs, supporting 3,140 roles across Wales in 2025, up from 2,748 a year earlier. Of these, 1,914 were direct jobs concentrated around Newport and the M4 corridor. The average salary in this sector is reported to be around £66,000.
Jutta Meier, who leads a semiconductor company in Wales, stated that the industry is creating jobs based on AI, rather than destroying them. The UK's AI minister, Kanishka Narayan, highlighted the need for Wales to "reindustrialise itself" for an AI future and support those affected by changing technology.
AI is also creating new roles and changing existing jobs in other sectors. For example, a Welsh software engineering firm, TiqToq, found that AI made engineers' work more efficient, leading to increased hiring. Social workers in Vale of Glamorgan are also testing AI transcription software to reduce paperwork, enhancing client interactions without replacing staff.