From Construction Work to PCB Design in Under a Year 

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

At the Anaheim Electronics & Manufacturing Show in October, I had the opportunity to talk with some new PCB designers, including Jon Smith of Frontgrade Aethercomm.

During the Anaheim show, John Watson, a PCB design instructor at Palomar College, led a panel of his past and present students, including Jon, who shared his story of switching from a construction career to PCB design in a matter of months, courtesy of Watson’s Palomar College design curriculum.

After the panel discussion, I asked Jon to expand on his personal and professional story. How many other potential PCB designers are out there in fields like construction? Thanks to instructors like Watson, the time it takes to produce a trained PCB designer—from scratch—is less than you might think.

Andy Shaughnessy: Jon, you've already graduated from John's class, and you had a completely non-electronic job before this. How did you get into this? What were you doing before?

Jon Smith: I used to be in construction and I got tired of being in pain. Something had to change. I ended up taking classes at Palomar College, specifically drafting and design. It wasn't until I started John Watson's class that something just went off in my head. I was instantly intrigued. It was just the craziest thing I've ever seen. Who knew that this career even existed? When you think of a PCB designer, you think “electrical engineer.” But you don’t have to be an engineer to be a PCB designer. One thing led to another and it’s been great.

Shaughnessy: Your wife even called John and said, “Thank you for helping my husband.” She really noticed a change in your happiness level.

Smith: Yes, she did. Working in construction, and being in pain, you act differently. So, once you find yourself again, it impresses other people. You also impress yourself and things get a lot better.

Shaughnessy: What kind of construction were you in?

Smith: I was in sewer pipe rehabilitation—very nasty, very heavy stuff with very long hours. Working in the middle of the street was very dangerous. All around, it was not a fun place to be.

To read this entire article, which appeared in the November 2024 issue of Design007 Magazine, click here.