IPC International Community magazine an association member publication
Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1523888
IPC COMMUNITY 81 SUMMER 2024 Justin Struthers Kingston Technology Simply put, the best part about my job is the people. But from a technical standpoint, the variety of work is the best part. From building custom, aesthetically pleasing modifications for machines and equipment to installing new or rewiring old circuits. Each day and each project is something different. Plus, the industry is just so exciting! it in a way that is holistic and leads to achieving our outcomes. In other words, sustainability is not going to work if it's not integrated into the company's strategy, in how we operate, how we manufacture, how we do business, and how we talk to customers; it's integrated into everything. How has the electronics manufacturing indus- try's work changed over the years as sustain- ability has become a more critical focus? Now I see a lot more interest and genuine passion. There is a sustainability passion in the hearts of many people at Flex, and that is what makes the work so powerful. I was in Memphis, Tennessee, this week, and I had the opportunity to visit the Flex site and see the passion of the general manager's leadership and how it is shared throughout the team. At the site, sustainability is assigned as a percentage of the team's duties. It is very nice to see how each site manages to inte- grate sustainability in its own way, but all ladder up to our goals. Do you think the electronics industry is doing enough on sustainability to address the challenges the world is facing? I think the world is doing what it can with what it has. The challenge is that globally, we are already late. Everything has to move very fast, and sometimes, we cannot achieve that speed. This is not only in the electronics industry; I think it is a common characteristic of all industries in gen- eral. It will be very important that we strategize and set priorities. The important thing is to start now. Some- times, I am asked how to start. My answer: With anything you can. If your company is small, then start small, such as by focusing on reducing waste or turning off the lights when you're not using them. Depending on the scale of each company, there are more impactful activities, but the first thing is to feel empowered to start, and the sec- ond thing is to prioritize. If we want to do it all, we will go crazy because there are millions of causes that we all must work on. So, we have to priori- tize. The pandemic taught us that something we see far away can also affect us here. It impacts us, and, of course, we need to take action. I enjoyed this interview enormously, and your passion is contagious. Let's do something together: Flex, IPC, and IPC members can make a constant campaign and continue to strengthen these efforts. Thank you. Let's contribute positively so that our time in this world doesn't leave a negative impact but ensures that future generations do not have to pay for our broken dishes. What's the best pt of yr job?