Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1083315
38 I-CONNECT007 I REAL TIME WITH... IPC APEX EXPO 2019 SHOW & TELL MAGAZINE Inspiring the Next Generation of Industry Leaders: IPC STEM Student Outreach Program by Patty Goldman I-CONNECT007 At IPC APEX EXPO 2019, I spoke with Colette Buscemi, IPC's senior director for education programs, about the success and expansion of the IPC STEM Student Outreach Program, activities and scholarship opportunities for students through sponsor support—including I-Connect007—and feedback she received on the event. She further addresses other educa- tional opportunities aimed at inspiring the next generation of industry leaders in both high schools and colleges, and the announcement of the new IPC Education Foundation and IPC Education Day on January 31. Patty Goldman: Colette, let's start with a little bit about you. You're new with IPC. Can you tell us about that first? Colette Buscemi: Absolutely. Thank you for speaking with me. I joined IPC in January of 2018 as the senior director for education programs focused on develop- ing education programs for pre- college and post-secondary stu- dents with the fundamental goal of helping address the skills gap and workforce issues facing the electronics industry. Before I joined IPC, I was with the Digital Manufactur- ing Design Innovation Institute (DMDII), which is part of the National Network for Manufac- turing Innovation (NNMI). And before that, I worked for the British government, oversee- ing the U.K.'s international trade office in the Midwest. I got my start working with a manu- facturing trade association based in Chicago, supporting small- to mid-sized manufacturers to improve processes, expand into new mar- kets, and access funding, so in some ways, this opportunity has brought me full circle. Goldman: We had a very nice program with high school students today here at IPC APEX EXPO 2019. Can you tell me about it? Buscemi: We just finished this year's IPC APEX EXPO STEM Student Outreach program, and it was a big success. We had six schools participate from the San Diego region including 100 students and their teachers and instructors. The point of this experience was to expose stu- dents to all things electronics within this industry—careers, Colette Buscemi speaks with STEM students at IPC's STEM Student Outreach program.