Siemens and Arizona State University (ASU) have introduced a joint online training program focused on printed circuit board (PCB) design. Titled 'PCB Design Fundamentals: From Discovery to Production', the program gives learners a direct route to skills that are in high demand across the electronics sector.
Responding to a growing shortage
Manufacturing continues to face a persistent shortage of professionals able to design hardware. With electronics now embedded in almost every industrial product, from machinery to connected devices, the need for people who can guide complete PCB design processes keeps rising. The program is built to address exactly this gap.
Learners work through the full journey, from an initial design idea to a production-ready board. This gives them insight into the steps required to turn a concept into a physical, manufacturable component.
Accessible online learning
The microcredential format lowers the barrier to entry. Participants can study online and at their own pace, without committing to a full academic degree. That approach fits the way many companies want to upskill staff quickly in specific, practical competencies.
- Focus on the complete PCB design cycle
- Flexible, online delivery
- Emphasis on skills that can be applied immediately
For manufacturers, the collaboration is significant because it narrows the distance between education and industrial practice. Companies gain access to a growing pool of professionals with concrete design knowledge, while learners strengthen their position in the job market. By having a technology company and a university develop the program together, the result is training that is both academically grounded and practice-oriented.