IPC International Community magazine an association member publication
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IPC COMMUNITY 90 SUMMER 2024 O ne of the most difficult and urgent challenges facing the electronics industry is a chronic shortage of ade- quately skilled workers. Electronics manufacturers globally report that their growth is constrained by an inability to recruit, onboard, retain, and upskill workers. Recently, IPC unveiled an expansion of its strategy to address the work- force challenges of the U.S. electronics manufac- turing industry and called on its more than 3,200 member companies to join in the effort. A whitepaper, "Building Electronics Better: A Plan to Address the Workforce Challenges Fac- ing the Electronics Manufacturing Industry," written by David Hernandez, IPC vice president of education, Carlos Plaza, IPC senior director of education, and Dr. John W. Mitchell, IPC presi- dent and CEO, presents a holistic view of the work- force challenges facing the industry and outlines IPC's approach to devel- oping industr y-wide solutions that are engag- ing, scalable, efficient, and effective. At the heart of IPC's approach i s a n u n p r e c e d e n t e d and ambitious initiative to create career path- ways within this dynamic industry. The Challenge There is no singular workforce problem. Most of the rhetoric and literature surrounding work- force development focus on a singular facet: a gap between the knowledge and skills of the current workforce and the evolving needs of industry. While the skills gap presents a significant chal- lenge to the electronics manufacturing industry, it is a symptom of deeply rooted challenges. The workforce challenge in the U.S. electronics indus- try is a byproduct of four key failures: • The lack of an industry-driven pipeline • The lack of effective and efficient onboarding programs • The lack of a career pathways system • The lack of a rapid upskilling infrastructure EDUCATION A Plan to Address Workforce Challenges By Sandy Gentry, Contributing Editor, IPC Community