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34 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I MARCH 2022 Feature Interview by Andy Shaughnessy I-CONNECT007 For this issue on planning your design edu- cation, we spoke with Bill Brooks of Nordson ASYMTEK, a long-time PCB designer, CID instructor, and fantastic sculptor. He is also one of the first to ever teach standalone PCB design courses in a college. Aer he earned his certification to teach the IPC CID workshops, Bill served as an adjunct instructor at Palomar College near San Diego, teaching beginning and advanced PCB design classes for 10 years. I asked Bill to share his thoughts on setting up a PCB design education career plan, and the need to stay on top of your game as a PCB designer. Andy Shaughnessy: You've had experience teaching PCB design at the college level, as well as decades of industry experience. When you were teaching, how did you help your stu- dents plan their educational objectives? Bill Brooks: When I was teaching at Palomar College, each student wanted something dif- ferent out of the education and curriculum. Some students were looking to enhance their existing experience by adding PCB design to Setting Goals for Your PCB Design Education their electronics knowledge base. Some were trying to gain the necessary skills to get a spe- cific job designing PCBs in the electronics industry, and some were taking my classes to fill out a degree program at the college without ever using the knowledge in our industry. We helped them define their personal objec- tives by asking questions about their personal goals. en we offered the entire class the goal of achieving certification through the IPC Designers Council. Before you start a journey, it's a good idea to know where you want to go, develop a plan to get there, execute that plan, evaluate your progress, and make any adjust- ments along the way. Shaughnessy: What would you advise to PCB designers who want to set up their own strate- gic learning plans and educational objectives? Brooks: Understand where the industry is headed and prepare for the skills you will need to place yourself as an asset in the industry. Ask questions of the experts in the field, connect with others who are going the same direction. Never stop learning; be curious. Bill Brooks