IPC International Community magazine an association member publication
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C O M M U N I T Y M A G A Z I N E 3 7 S U M M E R 2 0 2 5 The story starts with a new Cer- tified IPC Trainer class I was teach- ing. During the morning introduc- tions, one student said, "My name is Symon…" Before he could even finish, I replied, "Symon Franklin?" At this point, we realized who each other was and that we had known each other since we were 11 years old. We attended high school together and then went our sep- arate ways after graduating. Little did we know that our paths were not that different. During the class, I discussed involvement with IPC commit- tees, explaining that it assists with using the documents. It helps you know not just what was changed in the document and associated training programs, but why the information and criteria were changed. I feel this is fundamental to the correct use of the docu- ments within the supply chain. Symon seemed to really connect with these ideas. He began his committee membership with IPC- 610, and I mentored him through to his current leadership positions in many IPC committees, includ- ing IPC-610. We also like to say we are the unofficial founders of the Emerging Engineer Program because we traveled the world together attending various Global Electronics Association events. For the purpose of this article, I asked Symon to share some of his thoughts about participating in IPC committees. Symon, why did your company make the initial investment in supporting your committee involvement? Symon: The initial decision was taken to support the European training meetings to give CIL a presence at these meetings, become more aware of upcoming developments, and help shape future decisions. What value did your company see in having you as a committee member? It was being able to have a stake in the shaping of industry consen- sus, which would directly affect our business and the industry as a whole. What have you personally gained in being a committee member? I have been able to work with and build connections with peo- ple from different sectors of the industry and at different stages of the journeys within the industry. I've made lifelong friends who have supported me professionally and personally. Does being a committee member give you a better understanding of the IPC documents and standards? Most definitely, as you are not only seeing the changes that are made to the documents, but you can understand why those changes were made and the discussion that led to that rationale. How does this understanding support you when working with customers and suppliers? Customers have a particular way of looking at something in the standard, but being involved in the decisions being made on improving the document allows us to educate them on areas that they may not have considered. As you are also a Certified IPC Trainer (CIT), do you feel the knowledge gained during com- mittee events improves the qual- ity of the courses you present? Being on both the training and standards committees has improved the way I deliver the training content because I don't just tell my students what's in the standards but, in many cases, why it's there or why it is written in a particular way. Being a committee member is incredibly beneficial to all par- ties—myself, my company, and the Global Electronics Association—as we are all part of the symbiotic knowledge-sharing that these committees inevitably foster. Thank you to Symon and the many other committee volunteers I get to work with. Your dedication and commitment mean the Global Electronics Association can set the standards we need. B I T S & B Y T E S Join a Committee • IPC EU Training Committee • IPC-A-600 • IPC-A-610 • IPC-J-STD-001 • IPC-7711/21 • IPC-A-620 • IPC V-ESSC