Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1433652
20 SMT007 MAGAZINE I DECEMBER 2021 are new engineers, operators, or tech- nicians to those who need to develop more advanced skills, getting them up to speed and engaged, as well as caring for them along their path in the electronics industry. Matties: It's great seeing these young en- gineers and the STEM students, frank- ly, at the show. e enthusiasm in which they're participating is noticeable. Mitchell: Let me share some insight on our volunteers. We see a lot of people reaching retirement age. What happens when they retire? What's le of the in- dustry? What happens to standards com- mittees? We've been doing the Emerging Engineer Program for a while and each year it continues to grow, which we find very gratifying. Not only because of the number of participants, but because you have cross-company mentors, where people are spending their time to help these newer folks get more experience in the industry. Matties: at makes a big difference right there. Mitchell: It does. Being concerned about hav- ing another 60+ years ahead of us, we surveyed how many years of experience each committee member has. I expected to see that 80% have more than 20 years of experience on these standards committees. I was wrong. It's bal- anced from an industry experience perspec- tive. We thought, "We don't have a problem to solve here." We have people with a little bit of experience, mid-experience, mid-senior, and super senior. at's the perfect combination. We will continue to monitor it, but it was so good to see it wasn't a situation with 80% of the people retiring in the next five years. at's not the case. Matties: at is good news. Now, as you look forward to 2022, what do you think the indus- try should be mindful of ? What should we re- ally be paying attention to, aside from the ob- vious challenges? Mitchell: If companies can leverage the success they're currently having, not just for 2022, but to set them up for the next decade, that is what I think industry should be thinking about. What are the investments they can make now, while they're flush, that will pay divi- dends for the long term? at could be in terms of machinery, systems, talent, new customers, or new niches they want to explore. ere are a lot of opportunities. ose companies that will have the brightest future through the ebbs and flows of the industry are the ones that are pre- paring right now. Matties: at's not typical thinking in U.S. busi- ness, though, when you talk about 10 or 20 years out; people typically look at quarter to quarter. Mitchell: Yes. As we think about the Factory of the Future, there's such a different perspective