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138 I-CONNECT007 I REAL TIME WITH... IPC APEX EXPO 2024 SHOW & TELL MAGAZINE he had been in the industry since the mid- 1970s, to which the student replied that her parents were born after that. "Those are the kinds of things that remind you of where you are," Rutherford said, laughing. "But the truth is, it's great to be present with them and to see their worlds open up to more possibilities." AJ Arriaga and Krissy Schoemaker of Sum- mit Interconnect also attended the Saturday gathering. Arriaga is in his second year of the program, while Schoemaker is in her first. Both are wet process engineers, and said they love the fast pace of their jobs. "It keeps you so busy," Arriaga says. "There are so many steps to go through, and you have to under- stand how they all interact with each other." Tibi Baranyi, technology group manager at Flex Timisoara, was visiting with technical support engineers Carson Burt and Joshua Dobransky of Indium Corporation, as well as Symon Franklin, production engineer at Cus- tom Interconnect Limited and chair of the IPC-A-610 task force, which had been meet- ing earlier in the day. Their group discussed the need to resolve comments for two standards under discus- sion, which numbered in the hundreds. "And there were more comments coming," Baranyi said. Against the backdrop of Disneyland, palm trees, and the setting sun, these young engi- neers made powerful connections that car- ried them throughout the week, where they were tasked with having conversations with longtime industry experts. You could often see them throughout the week on the show floor, networking with one another and other members of industry. Hannah Grace, a second-year Emerging Engineer, wrote that the program "stands out as a beacon for aspiring professionals, offer- ing invaluable opportunities for mentorship, professional development, and involvement in IPC standards committees and develop- ment courses." The reception set the stage for an engaging and dynamic event, she concluded. Several of these young professionals also attended an event called Faces of the Future, led by Milea Kammer of Honeywell and a panel of other young engineers. Their goal was to talk to Emerging Engineers about how to find a spot in standards committees and, even more, how to be comfortable in leadership positions. It is the second time IPC has hosted such an event, and it was well received by those who attended. "It is very useful," Grace said. S&T