Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1212069
REAL TIME WITH... IPC APEX EXPO 2020 SHOW & TELL MAGAZINE I I-CONNECT007 63 Carano: There's a lot of interest. There are a couple of technical schools that IPC is reaching out to right now. They have doubled the num- ber of student chapters at universities from last year at this time, and Minneapolis is on their target list. When we look at where IPC mem- bers are located, there's a large database in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, and Western Wisconsin areas. There's a lot of circuit board assembly and OEMs. Another part of our RBP business is a spe- cialty process line of chemicals technically formulated for the medical device industry. I'm heavily involved in working with the medical device companies, particularly the large, embedded medical device companies. There are also a lot of smaller ones, including startups, improving lives medically through implantable devices, such as stents, pumps, and pacemakers. A lot of circuit boards are being used in medical devices, both internally and externally. One group is heavily involved in circuit boards because they have to buy the insert those components into devices, etc., so it's exciting. IBM Rochester is in the area, and there are major influences from companies such as Medtronic, St. Jude Medical, and many oth- ers. It's a great area, and we're in the begin- nings of this expansion, if you will, into the high schools, technical schools, universities, establishing chapters. IPC is doing a great job with that student outreach. It's phenomenal, and it's going to make our industry stronger going forward, as well as help the U.S. and North America be more competitive with a well-educated, well-trained workforce. I can't say enough about what IPC is doing, and I was very fortunate to be a part of it in some way. Goldman: I'm happy to hear that there are finally going to be some courses on IPC EDGE for PCB manufacturing people, which has been largely assembly-related to this point. Carano: Right. They're transitioning to IPC EDGE in February, which will be a computer- compatible learning system; it's not your every- day PowerPoint. It's going to create a richer, more meaningful educational experience. One of my IPC courses on advanced troubleshoot- ing for PCB defects will be six two-hour ses- sions, which offers 12 hours of contact time complete with case histories and quizzes, but we've already talked about adding another week of two-hour slots; eventually, it will be a 16-hour course or longer. There has been a big demand for online education; people don't necessarily have time during the workday, or they want to work on something in their leisure. This will be an opportunity for many young engineers, chem- ists, designers, and those involved in circuit board assembly to get involved with that. IPC has made these investments, which shows great leadership. We all see the need for more education. The committees need you. Get involved. Goldman: When you volunteer and get involved, you learn as much as you teach. You get as much as you give. Carano: You hit the nail right on the head. Sometimes, you get back more than you give. You're reaching someone who maybe had doubts like I did when I met Dieter Bergman, wondering what I was doing in the industry doing micro-sections. You have the chance to impact someone just like you have been. Everyone has one or two special teachers that cared, reached out, and made a difference in their life. I have fond memories of my physics and chemistry teachers, even in high school, because they got interested in the sciences and engineering. When your students or colleagues know you care, they get it, and they respond. Goldman: And they see your enthusiasm, as do I. You've been doing this for 40 years. How long are you going to keep doing it? Carano: As long as it keeps being fun, and that's what I like about it. It is fun, and as you said, you learn something every day. I learn a lot, particularly when I travel to see fabricators, assemblers, and OEMs to hear about where they want to take their products and the indus-