MiraCosta College has partnered with the Veterans Association of North County and ViaSat to create a new Electronic Assembly Course that will benefit those who are transitioning from the military for jobs as electronic assemblers at an advanced manufacturing company. The course will be taught at the Technology Career Institute in Carlsbad on Sundays from Sept. 11 through Dec. 18. The course covers 80 hours of instruction, and those who complete the curriculum will earn certification as an electronic assembler. Cost is $300 per person, a fraction of what a similar course would cost if offered by private industry. The course, however, is open to anyone. Viasat is hoping it will help fill a pending shortage of workers certified as electronic assemblers. “This course serves to further illustrate how MiraCosta College is responsive to the needs of our community, and the manufacturing community in particular,” said Scott Hannum, a Navy veteran and manufacturing manager at ViaSat who helped develop the curriculum and will be teaching the course. “We are thrilled to be working with ViaSat to offer the Electronic Assembly program,” said Christine Jensen, the Special Programs Coordinator with Community Education & Workforce Development who helped put the program together. “This course will provide individuals with a solid foundation in electronics, soldering, testing, documentation, and production. In addition, students will sit for the IPC-A-610 test to earn industry recognized certification. This class is designed to help those who would like to gain a new skillset that will help them get a new job or move up within their current company. Whether our students are Veterans, right out of high school, or are looking for a better job, we hope this class will provide the opportunities for growth they’re looking for.” Discussions to create the program began during a recent Manufacturing Day event in which companies hold sessions aimed at showing the next generation of makers what manufacturing is all about. Hannum said discussions among veterans soon centered on the aging workforce of manufacturers and how that provides an opportunity to groom a new generation of employees. The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics forecast steady growth in employment of electronic assemblers, who earn an annual median wage of nearly $38,000 in the San Diego/Carlsbad region, with potential to earn more than $55,000 annually. The new Electronic Assembly Course is one of several programs developed in consultation with industry that are offered at the Technology Career Institute. Others include programs in Machinist Technology, Engineering Technician Training, Welding, and Introduction to Solar PV Installation. For more information about the program, call (760) 795-6820.