Technology sector continues driving jobs

AUO, the world's third largest TFT-LCD manufacturer, said it will hire 2,500 new workers to fill entry-level, mid-level as well as managerial positions.

The company said it will begin its hiring process in mid-March. The company will not only look for TFT-LCD professionals but also those with expertise in solar and OLED technologies, part of AUO's effort to contribute to a cleaner earth.

AUO stressed that flat-panel manufacturing was subject to cut-throat competition over the last decades, where manufacturers competed to make panels that were bigger and larger. However, it said the next decade will be a new era where manufacturers will shift their focus to green energy and environmental protection.

As such, AUO is looking for workers with the same set of beliefs who can help fulfill the company's developmental strategy over the next decade, which can be summarized as “new applications, new technology, new business, new markets and new operations.”

The hiring process will officially kick off this Saturday at the Hsinchu Science-based Industrial park (HSIP). Subsequently, the company will hold dozens of job fairs throughout Taiwan at various university campuses including: National Taiwan University, National Tsinhua University, National Cheng Kung University, National Chungshan University, and National Central University, among others, it said.

Separately, TSMC, the world's largest contract chipmaker, plans to hire more than 2,400 full-time employees to replace contract workers, said Morris Chang, TSMC CEO and chairman, via a company-wide letter.

The letter began by saying the company's past success could not have been possible without the contributions from TSMC workers. The letter went on to say the company's future development hinges on the firm's overall competitiveness.

“Therefore, we have decided to add more than 2,400 regular employee positions to replace current outsourced staff,” Chang said. “We deeply believe that employees are our greatest asset, and doing so will not only allow us to take care of more colleagues, it will also bolster morale and inspire us to do our best together.” “The new positions will be open to outside recruitment, according to our principle of hiring people who share common values with TSMC and finding the right person for the right job, while outsourced staff serving with TSMC will receive first priority in recruitment,” he continued.

Both companies' news came after similar recruitment plans by HSIP, Southern Taiwan Science Park (STSP), and Central Taiwan Science Park (CTSP).

Altogether, Taiwan's high-tech triptych plans to hire 18,000 workers this year. HSIP, based in Hsinchu City, will hold a job fair Saturday, where 4,000 openings are up for grabs, it said. Together, the park will hire about 5,000 this year, it said.

Last year, HSIP firms employed 132,161 people, an increase of 1.2 percent from 2008's 130,577, the park said.

STSP, meanwhile, is expected to have 6,000 to 10,000 openings this year, of which 1,500 will come from Chi Mei Optoelectronics, whose 8.5-generation fab is expected to go into mass production in the second quarter, the park said.

Last year, STSP employed 48,626 people, an increase of one percent from the 48,136 in 2008.

CTSP, in the meantime, will offer 2,000 to 3,000 jobs. Last year, the park employed 19,845, a decline of 4.3 percent from the 20,736 for 2008.

TSMC Wednesday reported consolidated February revenue of NT$30.132 billion. For the first two months of 2010, TSMC had consolidated revenue of NT$60.268 billion, a 1.38-time growth from the same period last year.

The company expects first-quarter revenue to be between NT$89 billion and NT$91 billion. The company is likely to hit that target, analysts said.

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