Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1532278
12 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I FEBRUARY 2025 of our problem today is we have not defined board designers as "board engineers." We have to show that this is a desirable, cutting-edge job. We have to introduce the narrative earlier and change that narrative to engineering. Marcy LaRont: John, if you could launch the Kris Moyer and John Watson Institute for Printed Circuit Board Design with a perfect curriculum, what would that look like? Watson: is is actually where I le off at Altium: We were creating a virtual university platform that would include a million students with things like curriculum, mentorship, and apprenticeship tech lounges. We would pro- vide resources for colleges and universities to start their own curriculum. ere would be a lab area where students could do projects. is is still my vision. Education will be the key to the future here; that won't change and, in fact, will become more critical as advancements keep coming. Also, I have officially joined the IPC team as an instructor. I'm now working with Kris and his team. I'm very excited about that. Moyer: We're looking forward to working with you, John. I didn't want to steal your thunder. Shaughnessy: That's great, John. You will work together well. So, is the answer to get the word out to high schools across the country? Watson: Yes. We need to be in high schools, colleges, and universities. We want to offer individual, on-demand, instructor-led train- ing, and make this as practical as possible, get- ting them into a lab setting where they're actu- ally designing printed circuit boards. It would then become a central hub for industry experts to come in and share their knowledge. Moyer: It's not only an industry hub for the experts, but also a hub for organizations look- ing for designers. ere will be a pool to draw from. It's mentorship and apprenticeships. Our objective is to push them toward a rewarding career, not just a job. Shaughnessy: Finding and training new designers are really two sides of the same coin, right? Moyer: Absolutely, yes. Watson: At Palomar, we focus not just on train- ing but opening opportunities for apprentice- ships and getting them into the job market. LaRont: It sounds like a personal goal for you. Watson: Yes, that's really my objective. It's not enough to just give the students PCB design knowledge. ey need and want to work, but many of my students want a new start. is is a new opportunity for them, and I'm trying to get them off on the right foot. I work with many companies that are just waiting for my students to graduate. I also have companies who give me their employees to train, and the employees return to that company and work there. Shaughnessy: Now, what do you imagine will be the hot disciplines of the future? Moyer: ere are a couple of things. First is UHDI. With the shrinking of packaging and of designs and components, ultra HDI leads us into semi-additive manufacturing and modified semi- additive (SAP and mSAP), additive manufactur- ing (AME), and so on. All these processes have to be publicized, and that expertise has to spread John Watson