# How PCEA is Transforming Electronics Education

- Show: [OnTrack](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack)
- Published: 2025-04-17
- Length: 55m
- Episode: 291
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-04-17-how-pcea-is-transforming-electronics-education
- Listen: https://podcast.altium.com/e/how-pcea-is-transforming-electronics-education/

## Summary

Mike Buetow, president of the Printed Circuit Engineering Association (PCEA), discusses the organization's mission to bridge the PCB design skills gap through its Certified Printed Circuit Designer (CPCD) curriculum and university partnerships, notably with Wayne State University. He details the launch of the new PCB Detroit show and the development of an AI roadmap to establish trust in automated design tools. Buetow argues that future AI adoption will likely be company-specific rather than a single universal tool, emphasizing the need for designers to train models on proprietary data.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-04-17-how-pcea-is-transforming-electronics-education#t=0) Introduction and PCEA Overview
- [5:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-04-17-how-pcea-is-transforming-electronics-education#t=338) CPCD Curriculum and DFM Focus
- [12:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-04-17-how-pcea-is-transforming-electronics-education#t=773) Wayne State University Partnership
- [21:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-04-17-how-pcea-is-transforming-electronics-education#t=1304) PCB Detroit Show and Midwest Ecosystem
- [26:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-04-17-how-pcea-is-transforming-electronics-education#t=1569) University Adoption Challenges
- [36:59](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-04-17-how-pcea-is-transforming-electronics-education#t=2219) AI Roadmap and Industry Trust
- [48:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ontrack/2025-04-17-how-pcea-is-transforming-electronics-education#t=2911) Company-Specific AI Models

## Topics

- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Design for manufacturing & NPI](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/design-for-manufacturing)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- PCEA (company)
- Wayne State University (company)
- PCB Detroit (product)
- PCB East (product)
- PCB West (product)
- CPCD (product)
- Altium (company)
- Siemens (company)
- Cadence (company)
- Arduino (product)
- Plexus (company)
- MIT Media Lab (company)
- Rochester Institute of Technology (company)
- Stanford (company)
- North Carolina State University (company)
- Intel (company)
- Austin Community College (company)
- University of Alabama (company)
- Rick Hartley (other)
- Susie Webb (other)
- Charles File (other)
- Phil Marcou (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [From Design To Assembly: How PCEA Connects The Electronics Ecosystem with their President Mike Buetow](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ems-c-level/2025-12-16-from-design-to-assembly-how-pcea-connects-the-electronics-ecosystem-with-their-p) (EMS@C-LEVEL)
- [The Walmart Greeter of Electronics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2026-09-18-the-walmart-greeter-of-electronics) (The Amp Hour)
- [539: My Ai Powered Ergonomic Chair](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/making-it/2026-09-25-539-my-ai-powered-ergonomic-chair) (Making It)
- [Layout Review with Zachariah Peterson](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2026-03-11-layout-review-with-zachariah-peterson) (The Amp Hour)
- [205: Advances in Electronic Product Engineering Methods](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-12-14-205-advances-in-electronic-product-engineering-methods) (Product Startup)

## Citing this page

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