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JUNE 2024 I DESIGN007 MAGAZINE 41 Matties: Mehdi, you're here in the U.S. taking the advanced level course, but how long will you be here? Kacem: I will be here for the entire course and will finish the certificate. I want to get an internship, gain experience, and then return to Tunisia to open my own business. Matties: That's a great goal. John, when someone completes the course from basic through advanced, what do they do next? Watson: Our focus at Palomar is not just to give them that training and experience, of course. We don't just hand them a certificate and say, "Congratulations, bye!" We focus on getting our graduates into internships and jobs. We work with both sides of the spectrum, training the next generation of designers and opening up their first oppor- tunity. We work with companies that have con- tacted us in their search for designers. We don't just teach the students PCB design. Near the end of the class, we talk about their resumé, the interviewing process, their next steps aer school, and what they should be doing. We then hook these individuals up with the companies that are waiting. One student in my basics class last year was a construction worker who knew nothing about electronics. All he had was a dream, I guess you'd call it, of changing his job. Construction was killing him, and he was exhausted every day. It was one of those situations where he knew nothing about electronics, and he went through the 32 weeks of training. At the end of the training, he walked right into an OEM, and now he is a PCB designer. is course changed his life. I'll always remem- ber the call I got from his mother, in tears, as she said, "I want to thank you for changing my son's life." at's powerful right there, and this is why we do this. It's changing people's lives for the better and giving them an opportunity. What's exciting about this is that we're now expanding outside of Palomar College. We are now taking this message and this program into high schools. We have a PCB design course we are presenting to high schools in their STEM programs and robotic teams. We're very excited about what's happening right now. Of course, there's a lot of interest in electronics and innovation, but I don't think people see the deeper meaning. High school students want to know how this works, so it's really exciting to be a part of showing this to individuals. Matties: Mehdi, what advice would you give a young student who is looking at a career in this field? Kacem: Just be motivated and follow Mr. Wat- son, who is a great teacher. Matties: It doesn't get better than that, John. Thank you, Mehdi. So, if somebody wants to enroll in your class, what should they do? Watson: is is an online course, and anyone can take it. I recommend registering at Palo- mar.edu to begin. Our next course begins Aug. 23, and we're looking forward to seeing some brand-new faces there. Matties: Is the course in August in-person? Watson: No, that is online. We're still doing online courses, but we are considering going to hybrid, which would be one week in the classroom and one week online. Even if we go to a hybrid format, because we now have both national and international students like Mehdi, we are looking at having high-definition cam- eras in the classroom so that no one misses anything. Matties: I certainly appreciate what you're doing, John. You are making a difference in the world, and you are good for the industry. Thank you very much. Mehdi, do you have any final thoughts you'd like to share with our readers? Kacem: Just follow your dreams. Matties: Thank you both very much. Watson: ank you, Barry. DESIGN007