An Inspiring Journey From Animation to PCB Design

Estimated reading time: 1 minute

I recently spoke with Melissa Martinez, a PCB design student in John Watson’s class at Palomar College. In this interview, Melissa shares her inspiring journey from the world of animation to the realm of printed circuit board design. Introduced to the field by her father, an engineer at Northrop Grumman, she discovered her passion for PCB design through John’s curriculum at Palomar. Her story highlights the importance of mentorship and education in attracting new talent to the industry, encouraging young individuals to explore opportunities they may not yet know exist.

Marcy LaRont: Melissa, you came into this industry through a family connection. What were you doing before learning about PCB design?

Melissa Martinez: I was an animation artist who quickly realized that I was now competing with AI, and I wasn’t earning enough money to compete with that. My father has been an engineer at Northrop Grumman for over 20 years, and I knew it was a secure job with a stable income. I knew nothing about the PCB industry until last year when I asked my father about his job, and he found the classes by John Watson at Palomar College. I took the introductory class followed by John’s advanced class. Ultimately, I took a certification course and will be finishing soon.

To read this entire conversation, which appeared in the January 2025 issue of Design007 Magazine, click here.