It’s Kick-off Time! (For IPC Education Foundation Scholarships)

^{Dr. John W. Mitchell, President and CEO of IPC (far right), awarding scholarships at IPC APEX EXPO 2019’s STEM Outreach Program}

I am honored to be asked to write the scholarship kick-off blog for the IPC Education Foundation.  As someone who values education both on a day-to-day basis and as an academician (I hold an EdD), finding ways to make education available to more people economically is very important to me (I literally wrote a book on it!). I’m excited to share my passion for both in introducing these new scholarships.

Education Paths

As you know, there are many paths from which to choose as you pursue an education.  The more traditional approaches include four-year degree programs, two-year colleges, community colleges, high schools, trade schools, and others, each focusing in a slightly different way on their audiences’ needs and desires.  How wonderful is it that we don’t have to be limited to just one option as we strive to obtain degrees? You can even start in one place and continue via another venue before or after completion. I like having options.

Cost of Education

While it’s great to have options for your education, it’s also important to know how to pay for them.  According to a recent Forbes.com article, the cost of higher education has risen eight times as fast as wages have.  So, how can you afford to go to school? Fortunately, there are several paths you can pursue to make college more affordable.  One of the most popular ways is through scholarships. And the IPC Education Foundation (IPCEF) is here to help.

IPC Education Foundation Scholarships

The IPC Education Foundation has just announced its first scholarships of many, in an ongoing effort to provide growing sources of funding for eligible students.

The goals of the IPC Education Foundation are to change perceptions, create pathways and prepare students.  We can achieve those goals in several ways. We can provide students with real-life experiences at electronics facilities, introducing them to professionals in the field. We can prepare students to engage in the workplace by providing education geared toward specific goals, enabling success in the workplace. We are also striving to overcome the perception that jobs in the manufacturing industry are unsafe and unrewarding.  There are many career pathways that you might pursue in your career in the electronics industry. IPC Education Foundation can help you to understand these pathways and provide you industry- developed and adopted programs that are both portable and stackable to allow you to reach your professional goals.

Teacher Excellence Award

One last point I’d like to make is that in addition to the many student scholarships that will be offered, there are also awards for the instructors.  The Michael V. Carano Teacher Excellence Awards are available to student-recommended instructors. Mike Carano is a well-known, highly sought after international professional development instructor who has provided great value to our industry, and this award is fittingly named after him. There is both a cash and learning library access component to the Michael Carano Teacher Excellence Award.

It is wonderful you are pursuing your education, and I sincerely hope that you can appreciate the value of continual learning throughout your life. I urge you to lift a bit of the financial burden that can be part of formal education by applying for an IPC Education Foundation scholarship.

Here’s to your continuing education!

Dr. John W. Mitchell