BANNOCKBURN, IL – IPC is applauding the US Congress for sending legislation to President Trump that will strengthen workforce education and training efforts.

The president signed the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (the Perkins CTE Act) this week.

The US electronics industry faces a chronic shortage of skilled workers in the US, says IPC. According to an IPC member survey, most companies say the skills gap is constraining their growth and, in some cases, their long-term viability.

IPC has been a staunch supporter of the Perkins CTE Act, having advocated for the measure over the past year. Most recently, IPC president and CEO John Mitchell sent a letter to the leaders of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee in June, urging them to complete their work on the bill. In May, member companies discussed the issue directly with leaders in Congress and the Administration.

“Having access to trained individuals continues to be a top priority for IPC’s 2,300 US member company sites that employ more than two million people throughout the United States,” said John Mitchell. “As a training and certification leader, IPC has made significant investments to address the skills gap for the electronics industry. We commend the US Congress for passing this vital legislation, and the president for signing it into law, to help address these workforce challenges.”

To address the workforce shortage, IPC is making investments in its own education programs, including the move toward delivering more of IPC’s traditional training and certification programs online with the IPC Edge platform; IPC is undertaking an analysis of the critical job roles in the electronics industry to map the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform job functions; IPC is partnering with academic institutions to develop apprenticeship, internship, and related opportunities; IPC is working with schools and nonprofits on a variety of programs to get kids excited about STEM subjects and give them familiarity with the electronics industry; IPC is supporting activities and programs that seek to recruit veterans into the electronics manufacturing industry.

Register now for PCB WEST, the leading trade show for the printed circuit design and electronics manufacturing industry! Coming Sept. 11-13 to the Santa Clara Convention Center.

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