Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1153097
AUGUST 2019 I DESIGN007 MAGAZINE 31 creating those programs at this time. They've talked about having a "train-the-trainer" pro- gram, but they haven't talked about incorpo- rating them as a part of any of the program or packaging them separately. Therefore, if you're a new instructor, de- pending on the time as to when you're going to teach your first class, this becomes a critical issue. The instructor has to prepare, but a lot of people don't want to or don't know how to. They come to the class and say, "How do I do this and that?" IPC has changed the programs with the introduction, creation of the training programs, and distribution of their certificates and all their information is on a better software package in their office. Not only do you have to learn the subject matter with the class, but you also have to learn all about the software to become a better instructor. For a training center, we have people doing that work, but if you're all alone working for a separate company, the instructors have to set up their own class; if they don't do it right away, they might forget. We spend a lot of time helping people to set up their programs. IPC wants to create videos to show how to do those things, but they change so often; it is difficult for them to stay current, so this is the piece in the training that's changing; new students have to learn new methodologies. We have some students say, "I don't want to do that." Well, if you don't want to do that, you're go- ing to disappear because it has become man- datory. Shaughnessy: I've noticed that a lot of instruc- tors and training companies seem to be stay- ing very busy. Is it because of subject-matter experts leaving the industry during the two downturns combined with the older technolo- gists retiring? Lambert: Those are two of the reasons. One rea- son is what you just mentioned—tribal knowl- edge is disappearing, and the material is newer, so you have to get the material out. The other one is the contracts, the implication being you get a contract to build something, and the cus- tomer is going to make sure the people who are going to build their products are certified and qualified. How are the contractors going to prove the validity of their certifications? How are the sub-contractors going to do their due diligence? This creates a lot of new business. Think back to 1995 when Secretary of Defense William Perry canceled all of the military doc- uments/specifications without replacement. At the time, the knowledgeable people who could do training were still around, but that was 24 years ago, so we need to add more new instructors and get them trained in. Shaughnessy: But you're having fun, right? Lambert: I am. It's fun. I interview so many people, talk about different things, and find out that we all have the same problem. We work with different people. Designers under- stand the functionality of the product and ev- erything else. Manufacturing folks are putting components on boards and soldering them. It makes no difference whether it goes in a ra- dio or a rocket ship; you want to get the sol- der right, have it function well, and be sure the product is doing what it's supposed to do. The third thing that's going to happen is the evo- lution of the automotive industry. If they start going to self-driving cars, there are rumors that those companies want to go up to Class 3.