Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1319500
DECEMBER 2020 I PCB007 MAGAZINE 33 Samuel Traynoff, Process Engineer 11 months Had you worked in a different industry prior? Which one(s)? No I have not worked in a different industry. Was electronics manufacturing something you sought out? I had not actively sought out a career in elec- tronics manufacturing, I was applying to mul- tiple locations that were accepting chemical engineers. My introduction to the PCB indus- try was when I came in for my interview and I went on a tour of CEC's facilities. This is when I found out that PCB manufacturing met my criteria of a fulfilling career—a hands-on pro- cess that produced a meaningful product. Do you see a career path for yourself? I see a career path at Calumet where I con- I am not a desk jockey and my work keeps me in a constant cycle of working at my desktop and being on the manufacturing floor. There's boundless enjoyment in solving issues, sifting through production data, and using your own hands. What are the things that are better at Calumet than where you were before? I did not fully enjoy my consulting experi- ence and although I enjoyed my research ex- perience, it was incredibly repetitive and there wasn't a career path for me. At Calumet Elec- tronics, I am never bored and although situ- ations can be stressful, I don't imagine there will be a time I throw my hands up and leave frustrated. What is your educational background? I earned my Bachelor of Science degree in En- vironmental Engineering from Michigan Tech- nological University in 2018 and my Master of Science degree in Environmental Engineering from Michigan State University in 2020. Do you find you use your degree in your job? Yes, I do. I have to utilize my chemistry and fluid dynamics background daily. I've dabbled in permitting as well. What advice would you give to a fabricator on recruiting and hiring young talent? Continue/initiate the intensity with career outreach and internship programs. The addi- tion of a well-rounded introduction into the PCB industry, like MacDermid's PCB 101 We- binar series, would provide excellent detail for people interested in the PCB industry and for interns to hit the ground running. With the continuation/addition of intern programs, they need engineering mentors. Although they may be intelligent, newcomers/interns typically lack intuition of process flow and some strug- gle with the fluctuating workloads. To avoid interns stalling, a solid program structure and accessible communication to senior engineers must be established. It is ideal to have self- driven interns, but they need the necessary in- formation and tools to flourish. tinue contributing to the company, while also learning new PCB manufacturing processes and growing as an engineer.