Foot in the door in Tech

Electronics
#1

There are many interesting jobs in tech. But how does one gain either an entry level position or progress in advanced tech skills? No technician owns some of these piece of equipment as it is so expensive equipment owners are either a college or a company can afford it. As well the training cost are listed as upon request or somewhere in the order of thousands of dollars.

There are advance skills (i.e. Juki for pick and place. sem fib. wire bonding. clean room experience) Yet the only way to gain an understanding with such skill and equipment seems to be an internship to a company. Or maybe an expensive boot camp. I have had an on again off again membership with IEEE, but find not in road via IEEE. Where can an individual reasonably learn advanced skills?

#2

Volunteer with various organizations to gain the basics skills, then get the first entry level job you can. Work your tail off and always learn outside of work. Provide 10X the value than you take out in salary. Help ever chance you get, don’t act like anything is beneath you. If you have any iffy personality traits, work on them, polish your work persona.

Volunteer at professional groups that have a membership of people you might want to know in your field. Help, help, help people achieve their personal and professional goals. Never expect anything in return. One day they might open a door for you that leads to another opportunity. Opportunites will present themselves, but you have to be ready for them, or you risk the chance of setting yourself back.

Do not overstate your capabilities when volunteering. People will invest in teaching you, but you have to excute in order to build and keep trust.

As you gain larger opportunites, DO NOT DROP THE BALL. People have to trust that you can be counted on.

Best of luck!

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#3

Decades ago, someone recommended to me that I join the local professional society, and volunteer to work with them on their projects. All pro-bono stuff if I recall. At the time I simply couldn’t afford to work for free. Part of that rich-dad/poor-dad thing, don’t ya’ know…

Still, if you can do some free work, talking to the folks at the local group would be a place to start. IEEE may know of some sort of learning that you want. I think you’re most likely to find that by attending meetings and chatting with members after said meetings. Go to their events/parties if they have them. Network the bejesus out of them.