Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1267313
36 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I JULY 2020 I'm starting this month's column with an exercise in guided association. Let's clear your thoughts and tie you to the moment: Listen to the sound of the wind, the whirring of your desk fan, or the hum of the fluorescent light- ing. Do you feel grounded? Are you ready? If so, speak these three letters: IPC. Now, reflect on the other words that came into your head. I bet you conjured up words like standards, specifications, committee meetings, CID, or something similar. And of course, this makes perfect sense—for decades, IPC and its com- mittees have worked to become the premier standards body for global electronics manufac- turing. However, if you're like the many board designers I've spoken to since I arrived at IPC, There Is No Knowledge That Is Not Power the key phrase that probably did not come to your mind was continuing education. This month, I want to tell you why you abso- lutely should associate IPC with opportunities for continuing education. I will detail how IPC Education's newest programs can empower you to grow as a printed board design profes- sional and become more competitive in both your current job and the job market at large. First, I think it's important to discuss why IPC cares so much about your professional growth. Put very simply, we exist for your suc- cess. Our mission statement declares, "IPC is dedicated to furthering the competitive excel- lence and financial success of the electronics industry." A key part of achieving that goal is ensuring that employees have the knowledge Design Circuit by Patrick Crawford, IPC–ASSOCIATION CONNECTING ELECTRONICS INDUSTRIES