Earning your Institute of Printed Circuits (IPC) soldering certification can open up a wide variety of career opportunities for you. The IPC is a trade association that works with manufacturers around the world to develop quality standards for the electronics production industry.
The IPC standardizes the production requirements for electronics to set standards for consistency and support the industry’s growth. As you can imagine, taking certification classes and earning your IPC soldering certification can be a valuable and profitable career move.
But what can you do with your technical certification once you’ve earned it? Here is what you should know.
As a soldering professional, your job is to ensure that every single connection between wires on the piece you’re working on is complete so that the equipment works properly. One small missed connection can render electronics useless, so quality soldering decreases the risks associated with missed connections.
Companies know that when they hire someone with an IPC soldering certification, the new hiree has been thoroughly and properly trained in the latest and most effective soldering techniques. This limits production risks. Completing your technical certification will show employers that you take your soldering career seriously.
There are endless opportunities for soldering professionals in a wide array of niches and industries — almost every one of them uses electronics. Some of the many industries that employ certified soldering technicians who have completed technical training courses are:
Technology
Manufacturing
Electronics
Construction
Aeronautical
Some positions incorporate soldering into everyday responsibilities, and some rely on soldering experts for unique cases and special circumstances.
The following are four ways you can use your certification:
Calibration Technician
These professionals have primary duties that include applying their soldering knowledge to make sure electronic devices accurately measure electrical currents. They conduct quality inspections, too.
Specialty Artist
If you are an artist, you might be interested in earning your certification to solder glass or metal together to apply artistic fundamentals like form, composition, and perspective to your creations.
Electronics Technician
These expert technicians analyze, troubleshoot, and repair electronics, checking that wiring aligns with IPC requirements and standards. Many of them also report electrical steps within a project to support project management functions.
Wiring Engineer
A wiring engineer is responsible for designing electrical wiring systems across an expansive variety of applications. These professionals can also train and supervise electrical team members while ensuring that wiring systems are in line with regulations and standards.
There are numerous soldering careers that use many different abilities and skills, such as quality control methods, reading blueprints, fusing materials together, and more, so there are plenty of options out there to consider.
Interested in learning more? Check out our other articles on soldering and how to advance your career!
