IPC certification aids differentiation

As global economies turn the corner, enrollment in IPC certification is being used to give companies and individuals a way to differentiate themselves and profit from the upturn. Companies are beginning to increase their education programs, while some unemployed workers feel that certification will help them in their job search so they're paying out of own pockets.

As expected, many companies cut back on training as the severity and depth of the recession grew more severe. But around the middle of 2009, that began to change for some educators.

"Companies started saying they wanted training and began setting it up for this year," said Floyd Bertagnolli, President of STM, an IPC Training Center in Fremont, Calif. "One of them said training was about like keeping the electricity turned on, it's just a cost of doing business that they feel they can't cut."

Those who have taken the courses note that it's much easier to apply for jobs. Though many designers learn on the job, it's hard to explain their depth of experience in a short resume. Taking a course that's known throughout the industry provides a way to quantify that knowledge.

"Qualifying the skill level or knowledge of a PCB layout designer can be very difficult," said Tom Selby, designer from Silicon Valley, who is an IPC Certified Interconnect Designer-Advanced (CID+) and holds three other IPC certifications. "This is true if you're the designer wanting to show a prospective client or employer your skill level or if you're the employer looking at a prospective new hire. In either case, having a Certified Interconnect Designer or CID+ certification from IPC demonstrates some level of exposure to industry accepted design standards and best practices."

Anecdotal evidence shows that a growing number of workers are betting that taking classes that clarify their knowledge base will set them above others. Though most students have traditionally attended in cooperation with their employers, that's changed during the severe economic downturn. Holding the certificate helps them compete in the tight job market.

"I've noticed an increase in the number of individuals paying for programs out of their own pockets," Bertagnolli said. "Either they're very concerned about keeping their jobs or they're looking for a job and feel certification will really help them."

Regardless of who pays for the coursework, its benefits will ultimately be measured by the value that's returned to companies and graduates. When students have taken courses, their employers can be sure these employees aren't simple "tool jockeys" who only know how to use software to turn engineering documents into designs that can be manufactured. Those who take the courses understand the principles being used by these tools.

"PCB designers play a critical role when they transition the design from schematics on paper to something that's functionally correct and can be manufactured," Selby said. "Going beyond knowing how to use the design tool a PCB designer should have a good foundation of the fabrication and assembly processes."

For graduate of other programs, the payoff comes when those products roll off the manufacturing line. Inspectors become better at judging boards, eliminating some of the human errors that can impact costs. Companies that invest in training may realize a return with reduced costs for inspection.

"Some inspectors are too loose, so failed parts come back," Bertagnolli said. "Others reject almost everything, so there's a lot of extra rework cost. Trained personnel get away from this sort of personal opinion."

He noted that these returns can be substantial. Inspection is an area that can have a major impact on corporate revenues as well as the company's reputation.

"I was doing training at a company that was ready to stop a product line from shipping, which would have cost them a lot in rework," Bertagnolli said. "It turned out that the inspector didn't understand the book he had used, and the parts weren't defective. That saved the company thousands of dollars."

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