PCB Designer Engineer Apprenticeship

Occupation: PCB Design Engineer

Printed circuit board design engineers oversee the creation of printed circuit boards (PCB) used in phones, computers, and other electronic devices. As a PCB Design Engineer, the responsibilities include library component creation, schematic capture, PCB layout, and documentation of the fabrication and assembly drawings. The PCB Design Engineer will work on creation of new designs, updates and changes to existing designs, and overseeing the manufacturing of these products to ensure they meet industry and company standards. These boards are the core of modern electronic products, acting as the circuit interconnection, component mounting structure, and signal integrity control mechanism of all electronic products. The PCB Design Engineer must design the board in such a way that it meets the specific needs of each product. 

PCB designers must design and implement various circuit boards and perform revisions to apply changes that are based on the specifications of customers and engineers. They need to collaborate with the companies that fabricate and assemble PCBs to discuss the reliability, quality, cost-effective, and timely deliveries of PCBs. PCB designers must also use ECAD software to perform the various design activities of the PCB systems. 

The term of the apprenticeship shall be defined by the attainment of competencies, both technical and behavioral, of the assigned position. The following represents an average apprentice’s work process schedule (WPS) over the period of the apprenticeship. During the apprenticeship, apprentices are placed in work areas with mentors that align with the business needs and the apprentice’s skill set. Feedback from mentors and supervisors is collected regarding progress toward competencies.

Competency in the work processes outlined herein can be demonstrated through a variety of venues including observation, proficiency demonstration/aptitude exam, questions and answers, learner’s products, simulations, project work, and/or mentor testimony or evidence all as demonstrated on the job.