# From Design To Assembly: How PCEA Connects The Electronics Ecosystem with their President Mike Buetow

- Show: [EMS@C-LEVEL](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level)
- Published: 2025-12-16
- Length: 14m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-12-16-from-design-to-assembly-how-pcea-connects-the-electronics-ecosystem-with-their-p

## Summary

Mike Buetow, President of the Printed Circuit Engineering Association (PCEA) and publisher of Circuits Assembly, discusses the organization's role in connecting the electronics ecosystem from design to assembly. He highlights PCEA's growing training curriculum, developed with industry experts like Rick Hartley and Gary Ferrari, and its strategy to bridge the workforce gap by engaging students through events like PCB East and PCB West. Buetow and host Philip Stoughton also analyze the 'missing generation' myth, the potential of AI in manufacturing, and the importance of breaking down silos between designers, fabricators, and assemblers.

## Chapters

- [0:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-12-16-from-design-to-assembly-how-pcea-connects-the-electronics-ecosystem-with-their-p#t=7) Introduction and PCEA Overview
- [2:29](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-12-16-from-design-to-assembly-how-pcea-connects-the-electronics-ecosystem-with-their-p#t=149) Workforce Development and Training Curriculum
- [3:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-12-16-from-design-to-assembly-how-pcea-connects-the-electronics-ecosystem-with-their-p#t=210) The Missing Generation Myth and Student Engagement
- [6:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-12-16-from-design-to-assembly-how-pcea-connects-the-electronics-ecosystem-with-their-p#t=390) Event Strategy: PCB East, FPGA Horizons, and Assembly
- [8:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-12-16-from-design-to-assembly-how-pcea-connects-the-electronics-ecosystem-with-their-p#t=506) Breaking Silos and Industry 4.0
- [10:32](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-12-16-from-design-to-assembly-how-pcea-connects-the-electronics-ecosystem-with-their-p#t=632) AI, Data Lakes, and Management's Role

## Topics

- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)

## Most relevant to

established companies

## Mentioned

- PCEA (company)
- Circuits Assembly (product)
- PCB East (product)
- PCB West (product)
- BCB Detroit (product)
- FPGA Horizons (product)
- Wayne State University (other)
- Rick Hartley (other)
- Gary Ferrari (other)
- Susie Webb (other)
- Mike Creed (other)
- Steph Chavez (other)
- Arch Systems (company)
- Luminovo (company)
- Co-Factor (company)
- AMD (company)
- Adam Taylor (other)
- Chris Shea (other)
- CHIPS Act (other)
- Hermes (other)
- CFX (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [How PCEA is Transforming Electronics Education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-04-17-how-pcea-is-transforming-electronics-education) (OnTrack)
- [PCB West 2025: Electronics Industry Insights with Mike Buetow](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-10-31-pcb-west-2025-electronics-industry-insights-with-mike-buetow) (OnTrack)
- [The Critical Shift: Bridging the Generational Gap in PCB Design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2024-03-26-the-critical-shift-bridging-the-generational-gap-in-pcb-design) (OnTrack)
- [Design for AI & the PCB Design Education Revolution w/ John Watson](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2024-10-10-design-for-ai-the-pcb-design-education-revolution-w-john-watson) (OnTrack)
- [322: Learn Assembly Code](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2020-02-28-322-learn-assembly-code) (Embedded.fm)

## Citing this page

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