Happy’s Tech Talk #44: Memories of the ‘Mystery Systems of the East’
The Right Approach: Electro-Tek—A Williams Family Legacy, Part 2
Alpha Insights, Performance by Design: Understanding Heat at the Core of Every Design
Real Progress Toward Solving U.S. Workforce Problems
March 6, 2024 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamEstimated reading time: 1 minute
IPC achieved a landmark in 2023 by creating an apprenticeship program approved by the U.S. Department of Labor. With such a registered framework in place, industry can work through IPC to secure local, state, and federal dollars for workforce development in a way they’ve never been able to do before. Cory Blaylock, director of workforce partnerships at IPC, has been instrumental in developing and moving this program toward adoption and outlines what companies need to know to get involved.
Michelle Te: IPC is not just embracing a change in the revolution of workforce development but driving it as well. What is behind IPC’s efforts?
Cory Blaylock: There has been a solution in the industry for developing talent that offers career pathways, giving employers what they want as well as catering to developing employees. IPC wants to be the one owning it because we're representing everybody in electronics manufacturing.
Apprenticeships, and workforce development, in general, are not user-friendly in their current state. There's a lot of nuance and things that people don't know or understand unless they work in it every day. They may not understand what's required for a registered apprenticeship concerning the rules and regulations of the Department of Labor. We’ve worked through all the red tape so it could be utilized without having to go through all the rigamarole.
Te: Can you define an apprenticeship?
Blaylock: An apprenticeship is an earn-while-you-learn model. Traditionally, we think of apprentices in jobs like plumbing and HVAC. IPC is joining that space to expand and diversify pathways into good jobs and careers in advanced manufacturing.
Continue reading this article in the February 2024 issue of PCB007 Magazine.
Share on:
Testimonial
"Our marketing partnership with I-Connect007 is already delivering. Just a day after our press release went live, we received a direct inquiry about our updated products!"
Rachael Temple - AlltematedSuggested Items
EIPC Technical Snapshot: Sustainability in Electronics Manufacturing
11/06/2025 | Pete Starkey, I-Connect007EIPC selected the highly topical issue of sustainability in electronics manufacturing for the 24th Technical Snapshot webinar on Oct. 29, with guest speakers Satoshi Konagai of Elephantech and Liisa Hakola of the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. The program was moderated by Kirsten Smit-Westenberg, executive director of EIPC, who also introduced each speaker.
Target Condition: Distribution of Power—Denounce the Ounce
11/05/2025 | Kelly Dack -- Column: Target ConditionHave you ever wondered why the PCB design segment uses ounces to describe copper thickness? There’s a story behind all of this—a story that’s old, dusty, and more than a little absurd. (Note that I didn’t add “Like many of us.”) Legend has it that back in the days of copper tinkers and roofing tradesmen, the standard was set when a craftsman hammered out a sheet of copper until it weighed one ounce, when its area conveniently matched the square of the king’s foot.
Life Is a Highway: A Family of 8 Turned the Entire U.S. Into a Learning and Working Environment
11/04/2025 | Steven Bowles, Lockheed MartinIt’s 6:45 a.m. in a modern A-frame cabin tucked into the misty edges of the Cascade Range in Arlington, Washington. I’ve just made a quick Nespresso, checked my calendar of virtual meetings, and verified the Airbnb’s Wi-Fi speed is holding steady. In the next room, my wife Lynsey corrals our six kids into breakfast while planning a day trip to Seattle’s Children’s Museum. By 7:30, I’m camera-ready in a makeshift office nook, leading a discussion on HDI PCB design for an IPC standards committee. After a busy day, our Bowles crew, ranging in age from 1 to 10 years old, is hands-on with activities and exhibits in the museum.
TTM Technologies Receives Two Awards from the Global Electronics Association at the 2025 IPC CEMAC Conference
11/03/2025 | Globe NewswireTTM Technologies, Inc. announced that two of its team members received prestigious Asia Steering Committee Outstanding Service Awards from the Global Electronics Association (formerly named IPC connecting global electronics industry) at the 2025 IPC CEMAC Electronics Manufacturing Annual Conference in Shanghai.
TTCI Brings Hands-On Test Engineering and IPC Training Expertise to PCB Carolina 2025
10/31/2025 | The Test Connection Inc.The Test Connection Inc. (TTCI), a trusted provider of electronic test and manufacturing solutions, and The Training Connection LLC (TTC-LLC) will exhibit at PCB Carolina on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, at the McKimmon Center at NC State University in Raleigh, North Carolina. Attendees can visit Table 4 to say hello to Bert Horner and Bill Graver, and learn more about their test engineering services and technical training programs.