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Foundations of the Future: Student-focused Professional Enhancement Opportunities

Attracting workforce talent and providing tangible opportunities to careers in electronics manufacturing have been an integral focus of the IPC Education Foundation since it was founded. One way we’ve done that is by giving high school students exposure to the world of electronics at the annual IPC APEX EXPO STEM Outreach Event, where they’ve learned hands-on soldering skills, and engaged and connected with industry representatives. However, due to the timing of this year’s trade show, we won’t be able to host a STEM outreach event. Here’s what we’re doing instead.

IPC Emerging Engineer Program Student Participants
It’s evident that IPC APEX EXPO allows for endless engagement and connection opportunities. Therefore, we decided to collaborate with existing programs at the show and promote specific opportunities to our student member network. College and university students have been participating in IPC’s Emerging Engineer program since 2020 and benefit a great deal from the program offerings. Students are paired with industry experts who serve as mentors to receive career guidance and an inside look into the industry. They also learn from the dedicated industry volunteers who participate in standards development, attend the various professional development workshops and technical sessions, and network with industry representatives. The IPC Education Foundation provides each student member participating in the IPC Emerging Engineer program with a travel grant.

Teresa Rowe, senior director, Assembly and Standards Technology at IPC, oversees this mentorship program. She says, “IPC’s Emerging Engineer program is a unique opportunity to engage with electronics industry experts outside of the classroom. I encourage students interested in a career in electronics to consider participation in this program to learn, share and build their expertise.”1 We anticipate a new cohort of three to four students joining the forces in 2024. To learn more about the Emerging Engineer Program, click here. The application deadline for 2024 participation closes on Nov. 17.

IPC Technical Poster Session: Student Call for Abstracts
Another exciting program highlight at IPC APEX EXPO are the tracks for Technical Paper and Poster Session. To increase student participation, the IPC Education Foundation is promoting these two tracks through its student network and by providing scholarships to deserving student candidates. Winners will be named in the following two categories: Best Student Research Paper and Best Technical Poster presented by a student.

IPC has been promoting this opportunity across various channels and invites engineers, researchers, academics, students, technical experts, and industry leaders to participate in the Electronic Circuits World Convention 16 (ECWC16) Technical Conference hosted by IPC APEX EXPO 2024. To learn more about this opportunity, please click here. While the deadline to submit a Technical Paper and Professional Development Course has passed, there is still time to submit an abstract to participate in the Poster Session. Deadline for submission is Jan. 22, 2024.

Application Deadline Extended for IPC Student Board Liaison Officer
Students actively involved in the IPC Student Chapter Program and serving as leaders amongst their peers have the opportunity to represent heir fellow student members as the IPC Student Board Member by serving on the IPC Board of Directors.

To learn more about this opportunity, please watch the video message below from current IPC Student Board Member Henry Crandall, who is pursuing a PhD in electrical engineering at the University of Utah. He encourages students to apply for this once in a lifetime opportunity. If you are interested in applying, please visit ipcef.org for additional information and application details.

During a recent interview, Henry shared, “It has been extremely inspirational to learn about the various IPC Board Members’ journeys as they are all extremely dedicated and hardworking professionals who truly embody what is attainable in this industry, as an engineer and business leader.”

No matter where you are in your academic pursuits or professional track, he says, electronics manufacturing is an exciting career path due to its widespread nature and touches across disciplines. “It has been really eye opening and empowering that after the pandemic, it is almost as if a spotlight came over this industry and it is almost a much-needed recognition. It is robust and completely essential, and more people and government and the larger population are getting an appreciation for that, which is welcomed.”

Through the range of opportunities mentioned here, students are encouraged to take the necessary steps to participate to grow professionally and personally. There are ample chances to enhance your knowledge and skills which adds your profile and resume. These curated programs allow students to explore career paths, enable networking with future employers and industry experts, and aim to develop the talent our industry needs.

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

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