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Foundations of the Future: Get More Engaged in 2020

Since the inception of the IPC Education Foundation in January 2019, the mission remains to create connections between electronics manufacturers and supply chain companies, academia, and the emerging workforce. In this column, which will be authored by multiple authors from the IPC Education Foundation, we will share updates on programs and activities.

Plans for Engaging in 2020

In 2020, we will focus on a range of engagement activities bringing the opportunities in electronics manufacturing to light. These engagement activities include facility or industry tours, speaking opportunities, informative webinars, and attending and presenting workshops at select conferences.

Our main initiatives will be to host facility tours at industry members’ sites providing students insight into the entire electronics supply chain. IPC members such as original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), electronics manufacturing services (EMS) providers, PCB fabricators, and a host of other companies along the supply chain provide students with an in-depth look at industry day-to-day activities. The goal is to prepare students by sharing advice and providing guidance about industry-related pathways so that students consider electronics manufacturing a viable career choice.

Additional activities include providing industry representatives as speakers on campus at IPC Student Chapters and in the classroom at local high schools or participating in webinars. These activities will allow students to ask questions and engage in our industry. The interactive nature of the engagement activities provides students and teachers with relevant information regarding the skills and qualifications needed and awareness of industry professional development opportunities, such as internships.

Scholarships

The IPC Education Foundation awarded $30,000 in scholarships in 2019. Twenty-three IPC Student Members in 2019 each received $1,000 scholarships to support their academic pursuits, and we plan to award more than $50,000 in 2020.

Shelby Brewington from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore IPC Student Chapter shared, "I am so grateful that I was chosen to receive this scholarship. As a senior at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, I will be able to use it toward my education for my final semester. This scholarship reward lessens the loans that I would have to borrow and will make it easier for my life after college. Upon graduation, I plan on starting a career as an electronics technician."

Mohamed El Amine Belhadi from the IPC Student Chapter at Auburn University expressed, "The IPC scholarship inspired and boosted me to accomplish further advanced research in electronics reliability for future applications. I will use the funds to acquire more research materials and pay for the PCB design training."

Click here to see the difference the scholarships are making in the winners’ lives.

The scholarship winners are dedicated members at the following IPC Student Chapters: Auburn University, Colorado School of Mines, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, Illinois Institute of Technology, University of Utah, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, University of Maryland, Binghamton University, Michigan Technological University, University of Utah, Valparaiso University, University of California San Diego, Triton College, American River College, Sacramento State University, and Oregon Institute of Technology.

Acknowledging the commitment educators make daily to preparing students to be forerunners in the electronics manufacturing industry, The Michael V. Carano Teacher Excellence Award ($1,000) was awarded to Dr. Sa'd Hamasha (assistant professor for industrial and systems engineering at Auburn University, research leader at NSF Center for Advanced Vehicle and Extreme Environment Electronics, and IPC Student Chapter Advisor at Auburn University. Dr. Hamasha has also published over 70 research papers in the electronics manufacturing field.

We also plan to launch a high school student scholarship this year. More information about scholarships, eligibility requirements, and application deadlines will be announced soon.

IPC APEX EXPO STEM Student Outreach Program

We look forward to our largest event to date that will take place on February 6 at the San Diego Convention Center during IPC APEX EXPO 2020. Two hundred high school students and educators from the San Diego region will join us during an interactive day of hands-on technical activities, career exploration, and industry engagement. This event would not be possible without the generous sponsorship from TTM, Weller, Nordson, Panasonic, and I-Connect007. During this engagement event, we’ll recognize some of the IPC Education Foundation Scholarship winners. Read more about the IPC APEX EXPO STEM Outreach Program here, and view the photo library from last year’s event here.

Get Involved

If you are interested in hosting a facility tour, speaking at a school, or sponsoring a scholarship, please contact me for more information.

Editor's note: Click here to watch a video interview with Charlene Gunter du Plessis from IPC APEX EXPO 2020.

Charlene Gunter du Plessis is the senior director of the IPC Education Foundation.