Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1505694
62 PCB007 MAGAZINE I AUGUST 2023 When we were back there talking with them, they were encouraging you to come and spend some time to learn the skill and more about what they're doing. Alley: Yes, I would absolutely love to spend more time with them to learn more about their cra. ere has been encouragement and opportunity for me to do that. What advice would you give a young engineer? Alley: One of the big things is just knowing your customer, knowing who's going to get your product in the end. Be cognizant about manufacturing costs, how something's going together, and if there's a better way to do it. Make sure that your whole team is involved with your design, not just you. I find a lot of bad designs tend to be that way because there was no collaboration; it was all kind of a one- man show. John, what advice would you give to a young student maybe just entering school or about to come out of school and move into industry? Smoker: I would say you don't have to know exactly what you want to do. If you do, fan- tastic. But if you don't know, try to find out, gain breadth, network. Ask your professors or senior classmates to lunch, just talk to peo- ple. at would be the biggest thing because the opportunities I had came from just talking to people and being curious about them. Ask "How do you get to do what you do? How did you get to where you are? What advice would you have for me?" And then the one: "Is there anything that I could work with you on?" at's a big question that a lot of people avoid, but ask! "Do you have a place for me?" And then that just adds to your list of potential things to do and directions to go. Aaron, any advice you would give to a young engineer starting out? Park: I would say don't spend all your time engineering behind the computer. Get out into a shop or out into the backyard with some sticks and nails and make something. Buy a cheap 3D printer, or whatever you can get your hands on, to learn manufacturing as well. You'll learn just as much about engineering by moving from design concept to creating something yourself. ere's a whole other level of satisfaction that comes with that. Learn as much as you can for the entire process! And don't worry too much about the math and thermodynamics and all that stuff. Great advice. Thank you so much. PCB007