Rosemont, IL – Members of the SMTA Great Lakes chapter and Chicago Public Schools - Education to Careers reaffirmed their commitment to a program that has brought hands-on knowledge of electronics manufacturing into the classrooms of local students eager for real-world experience and education.

At a press conference at Assembly Technology Expo last week, SMTA and CPS-ETC leaders spoke of the ongoing success of a program well into its third year that prepares students for their lives beyond the classroom, by combining a rigorous academic program with career and technical education, hands-on training, and exposure to the career world.

“This … is about the revitalization of manufacturing and jobs,” said Ross Clark, president of SMTA’s Great Lakes chapter. “It’s about young adults making our local high-tech manufacturing sector stronger, more competitive and better prepared to meet the challenges of the future.”

The Great Lakes chapter has worked for the past 2 1/2 years with the CPS-ETC program and local high-tech manufacturers to align ETC’s electronics manufacturing curriculum with industry standards. Program leaders engaged IPC, and made a substantial financial contribution that allowed ETC electronics instructors to become IPC-certified last August.

“This will bring the CPS-ETC Electronic Manufacturing Program up to current industry standards,” Clark said. “As part of this program, the Great Lakes chapter will also cover the cost for students to obtain their own IPC certifications upon graduation and the successful completion of IPC’s examination.

Working in conjunction with Chicago schools, and with Richard Wierzbicki, a teacher at Curie Metropolitan High School in Chicago, the original curriculum architect, the Great Lakes chapter developed the Electronic Manufacturing Education Model program. “This model program has the potential to expand into other industries within Illinois,” said Ray Prendergast, program manager, Office of Education to Careers. “Through SMTA, we have a national conduit to expand into other regions throughout the U.S. This program is unique at the high school level, and is a shining example of the collaboration that can make our schools and business communities more successful. This potential expansion also is aligned with the Chicago Manufacturing Renaissance initiative. The Illinois Manufacturers Association, the Mayor’s Office of Workforce Development, the Chicago Workforce Board, the Illinois AFL-CIO, Chicago City Colleges and the Tooling and Manufacturing Association support this initiative.”

In a statement, David Raby, president of SMTA, said, “We encourage SMTA’s local chapters across the country and around the world to act on their own initiative and develop innovative and helpful programs with their communities, of which this initiative is a stellar example. 

For more information visit etcchicago.com, or contact Ray Prendergast at 773-553-2471; rprendergast@cps.k12.il.us.

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