Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1433652
DECEMBER 2021 I SMT007 MAGAZINE 19 Mitchell: I agree with you. e training pro- grams to help people come up to speed very quickly are critical. ere's also some assess- ment we can do as to how capable an individu- al is. Don't just accept any warm body; do a lit- tle bit of assessment. Matties: I don't think you should throw away your hiring standards just because you're in crisis. At the same time, we must develop the future workforce and that's part of IPC STEM and emerging engineer programs. We are a sponsor of the STEM program, so that's some- thing close to our hearts as well. Mitchell: Yes, we're super excited about the STEM programs and we are doing a lot on that front. is is about building the pipeline for the industry. So, when we say there's a skills gap, Dave Hernandez, our VP of education, is quick to point out that there are four issues and IPC is working on all four. One is the pipeline. e second is onboarding. e third one is path- ways, and the fourth is upskilling. Pipeline is where the foundation comes in, where we're working to help educate, inform, and engage students in high schools, universities, people changing jobs, about what this industry is, and what it has to offer. Onboarding is the very quick turn, helping train people in a repeatable fashion that will get them what they need as fast as possible, which is employees that can be productive. e pathways are about keeping the employ- ees that you have. Is there a pathway for their success? Our design programs provide path- ways. We have this whole hierarchy that, say, if you're new to design, here's the information you need to build the basic skills. Once you have a little bit of experience in design, here are some of the courses. We have online live courses and certification programs that allow you to li your skills. If you're an advanced de- signer, there's a whole slew of specializations that you can get training in. at's building a pathway. If you want a career in design, for ex- ample, what's your next step, and the next af- ter that? We are providing education pathways along the way. Upskilling is training workers on new meth- ods, machines, and materials to succeed in an increasingly competitive global market. Our industry changes all the time, and we need to provide courses, information, and educa- tion to make sure that engineers have the latest skills available, giving them and their company a leading edge. at whole suite of educational offerings helps someone as they evolve from those who