Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1494346
48 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I MARCH 2023 I have done a considerable amount of trav- eling over the years. In my many visits to the Philippines, I noticed a distinct lack of nursing homes, and learned that it is common prac- tice for children to take care of their parents at home. eir designated term for this practice is ma alaga, roughly translated as "take care of." is practice leads to some fantastic outcomes in the culture, resulting in each age group tak- ing care of its own, with a beautiful overlapping of different generations. What a great concept. If you haven't noticed recently, the PCB design industry is struggling. It is an under- statement to say that we are facing a talent shortage. I regularly get phone calls regard- ing open positions and the need for more designers. At one time, there were designated PCB designers. But with the first economic If Not You, Then Who? downturn in 2008, talent shortages hit many companies. Next in line to fill the designer vacancies were electrical engineers (EE). But that came with inherent problems. First, very talented engineers got pulled away from what they do best: engineering. Second, we quickly found out that many EEs never received any for- mal PCB design training. ey spent years in higher learning, but very little time in PCB design. To make matters worse, the trend seems to be getting worse as Baby Boomers head for retirement. Some surveys estimate that a stag- gering 63% of PCB designers and design engi- neers are planning to retire within a year. is explains the massive sucking sound we all hear. It is the departure of talented and experienced Elementary, Mr. Watson Feature Column by John Watson, CID, ALTIUM