-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- smt007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueDo You Have X-ray Vision?
Has X-ray’s time finally come in electronics manufacturing? Join us in this issue of SMT007 Magazine, where we answer this question and others to bring more efficiency to your bottom line.
IPC APEX EXPO 2025: A Preview
It’s that time again. If you’re going to Anaheim for IPC APEX EXPO 2025, we’ll see you there. In the meantime, consider this issue of SMT007 Magazine to be your golden ticket to planning the show.
Technical Resources
Key industry organizations–all with knowledge sharing as a part of their mission–share their technical repositories in this issue of SMT007 Magazine. Where can you find information critical to your work? Odds are, right here.
- Articles
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Media kit
||| MENU - smt007 Magazine
Here’s Looking at You, Kid
February 13, 2025 | IPC Community Editorial TeamEstimated reading time: 1 minute

Our industry is facing a two-fold challenge: finding the next generation of PCB designers and training these young technologists. Most high school career counselors don't know anything about this career, and electrical engineering grads leave college with little or no PCB design knowledge. Where do we start?
We asked two PCB design instructors, IPC’s Kris Moyer and Palomar College’s John Watson, to weigh in on the best methods for finding and training the designers of tomorrow.
Andy Shaughnessy: Gentlemen, as PCB design instructors, you have front-row seats to what’s going on, so, how can we find and train the next generation of PCB designers?
John Watson: We have a weeklong program at Palomar College that takes place in the high schools where the kids get to work on an actual PCB design. Next week we are visiting two high schools in the San Diego area. It definitely is something I hope to expand on, depending on who wants to pick up that sort of program. The first step is to get them to notice when they are young. There are a lot of intelligent kids in high school who are very intuitive, and they pick this up very quickly.
Kris Moyer: Yes, I agree. We also need them to see that PCB design is an actual engineering discipline. When I was in high school, I was looking for my path to engineering, but part of our problem today is we have not defined board designers as “board engineers.” We have to show that this is a desirable, cutting-edge job. We have to introduce the narrative earlier and change that narrative to engineering.
To read this entire conversation, which appeared in the February 2025 issue of Design007 Magazine, click here.
Suggested Items
Acquisition of MADES Strengthens Cicor's Pan-European Leadership in the Aerospace & Defence Sector
04/03/2025 | CicorCicor Group announces that it has signed an agreement to acquire 100% of the shares of Spanish electronics company Malaga Aerospace, Defense & Electronics Systems S.A.U. (MADES).
Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2025: Axxon—Leading Innovations in Dispensing Technology
04/04/2025 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOAxxon-Mycronic showcases its four major divisions this year, highlighting their focus on dispensing technology and conformal coating for electronics. Jeff Leal, Director of Business Development and Strategy, explains how his company is expanding into North America, particularly in Mexico and Europe, backed by a strong customer service model.
Bridging the Gap Between PCB Designers and Fabricators
04/03/2025 | Stephen V. Chavez, Siemens EDAWith today’s advanced EDA tools, designing complex PCBs in the virtual world does not necessarily mean they can be built in the real world. This makes the relationship between a PCB designer and a fabricator pivotal to the success of a project. In keeping with solid design for manufacturing (DFM) practices, clear and frequent communication is needed to dial and lock in design constraints that meet expectations while addressing manufacturing concerns.
IPC APEX EXPO Newcomer: Faith DeSaulnier of TTM Technologies
04/03/2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamDuring the Newcomer’s Welcome Reception at IPC APEX EXPO, the I-Connect Editorial Team spoke with several first-time attendees. The following is our interview with Faith DeSaulnier, a process engineer based at TTM Technologies’ facility in Forest Grove, Oregon.
Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2025: Insights into PCB Design and Manufacturing with Polar Instruments
04/03/2025 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOErik Bateham discusses Polar's latest book, which enhances insights for PCB designers and manufacturers. The book, "The Designer's Guide to... More Secrets of High-Speed PCBs," features a guest chapter on 2D via design modeling. Erik highlights the industry's shift towards UHDI and the challenges in measuring at micron levels.