25 Years of the DESIGNERS COUNCIL

摘要

The disciplines of engineering and board design and placement are rapidly merging today, obscuring the not-so-distant past when they were distinct fields. In fact, the percentage of designers with less than an associate's degree continues to trend downward, and more degreed engineers are now involved in board design than even before. As the perception and experience of those on the frontlines evolves, it's easy to forget that just a generation ago, designers were looked upon by many as the redheaded stepchildren of the electronics industry. Heavily male, often trained on the job, perpetually worried for their careers: these were common traits of the nascent industry. Across the US, a relative handful of visionaries began taking control of their future. Meeting in hotels and conference rooms, wherever they could find, they shared experiences and hints on the latest technologies, pushed for formalized training and better standards, and most of all, asserted themselves as a critical link in electronics product development.