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JULY 2020 I DESIGN007 MAGAZINE 39 intelligently re-pin and fan-out the FPGA—cre- ated a firm understanding of design that I now use when communicating with members of my standards development committees (or dazzling my non-engineering friends who still think that printed boards are little wafers of magic). The classes I took consisted not only of novices like me but a dozen other individuals from across the industry who brought a wide range of educational backgrounds and indus- try experience. For example, there were elec- tronics manufacturing veterans who had been designing boards for decades and wanted a refresher on more advanced topics like signal integrity and design tool usage. On the man- ufacturing side, there were fabricators who wanted to gain insight into the design process of the boards they were minting. I also noted there were individuals from across the orga- nizational hierarchy—managers like myself, as well as individuals working in entry-level positions who wanted to gain a leg up on their competition. The diversity of the class made for interesting discussions, and Kris was quick to defer to individuals who possessed skill sets relevant to the lesson. Considering the diversity of the professional demographic who enroll, it is worth noting there are generally no hard prerequisites for IPC EDGE courses. For example, the only require- ments for the PCB Design Fundamentals I course is a general understanding of electronic components (capacitors, resistors, inductors, etc.) and a basic familiarity with board-design ECAD tools. However, I will say that while I was much more comfortable with mechanical CAD software upon starting the course, I was hot-keying my way around the design tool in no time. This is probably because the tool is so user-friendly, due in no small part to the course instructor's expertise. Rather than bask in the success of these courses, the IPC Education team, and its ensem- ble of industry savants and educational experts, are just getting started. The PCB Design Funda- mentals I course is starting up its summer term, and, later this year, IPC Education will debut courses that are a bit more specialized than this one. The syllabi of these courses generally build off the topics covered in the PCB Design Fundamentals courses and include design for military/aerospace applications, rigid-flex design, design for extreme environments, and advanced packaging concepts. I actually have my hands on the syllabus for the advanced packaging course—the perks of being IPC staff—and I'm excited for what's in store. Students will learn about compressing circuit topology to suit next-generation, high- density form factors, all while maintaining signal integrity. There are lessons devoted to the use of microvias and sequential lamina- tion to build HDI designs, as well as how to synthesize these advanced techniques into building high-component-density circular or non-standard geometry boards. It sounds like this course is going to be a lot of fun! More importantly, this advanced packag- ing course—and all the current and upcom- ing printed board design-focused IPC EDGE courses—will be a worthwhile and valuable addition to any printed board designer's tool- kit. More than that, they are valuable to any member of the electronics engineering manu- facturing supply chain who wants to improve through continuing education. Again, there's that magical phrase—continu- ing education. While I doubt you will undergo forced word- associations anytime soon, I hope I've planted a new synonym to IPC—continuing educa- tion—in your head and that you will explore the options for professional development avail- Students will learn about compressing circuit topology to suit next-generation, high-density form factors, all while maintaining signal integrity.