Solderjoint_No2_Magazin - Flipbook - Page 46
tours, guest speaker/networking events, and
promoting upcoming job/internship opportunities.
Weller: What impact do activities such
as Weller’s recent donation to Stephen
F. Austin State University have on your
educational programs?
The donation creates measurable value by
elevating program quality instantly as it
enables access to professional-grade
soldering stations, allowing students to train
on the same tools used in industry, enhancing realism and quality of lab work. Weller’s
donation was extremely valuable to the university as it provided equipment for their
lab on campus and indirectly supported a
workforce training initiative managed by
another internal department at the Global
Electronics Association in relation to the
apprenticeship program to train the trainer.
Weller: How do you choose which institutions receive support through Global Electronics Association and industry donations?
Weller: What role do hands-on soldering
skills play in the broader context of engineering and electronics education today?
Charlene Gunter: Hands-on soldering skills
play a critical and often underappreciated
role in the broader context of engineering
and electronics education today. While
much of modern education emphasizes
design, simulation, and theory, soldering
bridges the gap between concept and
real-world application.
Soldering is an important skill, because
students physically connect components
and see how circuits function. It reinforces
circuit theory, Ohm’s law, signal integrity,
grounding, and PCB layout through tactile
experience. Soldering isn’t just a trade skill.
It is a cornerstone of hands-on engineering
education and it empowers students to
build, test, fail, and learn which is the
essence of real engineering.
Weller: How do partnerships with companies
like Weller Tools support and advance the
Global Electronics Association, formerly
IPC’s mission in the U.S. and beyond?
Partnerships with companies like Weller
Tools significantly support and advance our
mission, because it builds a bridge between
industry and education. Weller provides
professional-grade soldering equipment
to schools, training centers, and student
competitions. This enables students to train
with the same tools used in real-world
manufacturing. Through these partnerships,
programs can achieve greater impact, which
would not be possible without in-kind donations from partners like you.
Weller’s support makes it feasible for more
institutions (especially high schools and
community colleges) to offer robust electronics programs. It opens doors for diverse
students, including those in underserved
areas or more rural-based institutions, to
gain access to skills development opportunities. It also supports building bridges
and creates opportunities for employers to
connect with future talent through facility
The Global Electronics Association (formerly
IPC) uses a strategic, criteria-based approach to determine which institutions
receive support. Alignment with our mission
is a core principle. Institutions must have
electronics, engineering, or advanced
manufacturing programs that align with the
Global Electronics Association’s mission of
building a skilled electronics workforce.
Support should span across high schools
(especially those with STEM/CTE tracks),
community colleges, technical training centers, universities with engineering/electronics
programs and preference is often given to
institutions serving underserved, rural, or
underrepresented populations to broaden
access. The goal is to maximize impact,
expand workforce readiness, and promote
equity in electronics education.
Weller: How does the Electronics Foundation ensure that its student chapters and
programs align with current industry needs
and standards?
The Electronics Foundation ensures alignment by grounding programs in current IPC
standards, engaging real-world industry
partners, offering hands-on training and
access to industry-relevant courses, leadership development opportunities, curated
