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ECIA Foundation Overview 

The ECIA Foundation promotes the value of the electronics components industry and facilitates our member’s efforts to give back by encouraging careers in the industry and supporting education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Foundation Mission

The ECIA Foundation promotes the value of the electronics components industry through developing, leveraging, and deploying educational and awareness based initiatives.

A Board of Directors governs the  ECIA Foundation. The ECIA Foundation Board supports organizations that influence and promote STEM careers and the hiring of U.S. veterans.

Recruitment Resources

ECIA has a number of resources that can help your team recruit, train and retain employees. Visit the Recruitment Resources page to learn more.

ECIA PACE Training

We are pleased to announce the launch of a unique training program for ECIA members and sponsor companies that explains key concepts and terminology to employees new to the electronics industry. The ECIA Foundation, led by Foundation President Jim Kaplan, worked with a committee and ECIA Service Partner Lectrix Group to develop an introductory series of 5 courses.  The courses are hosted on the ECIA website for all members to use as part of their annual dues!. The initial five courses include: 

  • An Introduction to the Electronics Industry: Manufacturers, Independent Manufacturers’ Representatives, and Distributors
  • The Supporting Industry Partners
  • Taking a Product to Market: How a Component Manufacturer Launches New Product
  • An Introduction to Basic Electronic Components and PCBs
  • Electronics Industry Terms & Definitions

Click here to read more about it! 

Affiliations

AEA - Association Education Alliance  
AEA is a collective of 40+ wholesale-distributor trade associations. Through ECIA membership, you have access to many training opportunities where your sales teams can learn from professionals - at a discounted member rate. The Alliance recently released their Confronting the Labor Shortage Whitepaper which provides "Strategies and Solutions for Distributors Facing a Growing Skills Gap."

The University of Innovative Distribution (UID) is AEA’s major educational program. It is a four-day intensive educational session held in conjunction with Purdue University. Dates for 2020 are March 8-11.

FIRST®
The ECIA Foundation is honored to assist Dean Kamen – inventor, scientist and founder of FIRST®.  Kamen’s quest is to ignite the imaginative minds of our youth and instill a love of science exploration. The successful FIRST® program – For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology – has provided a venue for science-minded kids to compete on a level that rivals their athlete peers. Started in 1992 with 28 teams in a New Hampshire high-school gym, the competition now involves over 3,500 teams across the globe vying for bragging rights and college scholarships.  ECIA worked with our member companies to coordinate the donation of millions of electronic components needed to make team kits for the 2013 - 2020 competitions.

Donate to FIRST 

 

FIRST® Alliance Designation
The ECIA Foundation was awarded special recognition as a FIRST® Alliance member in 2016.

At the state/local level, Alliances can have a significant impact in the community by creating more teams, engaging more Mentors, and reaching out to more students. FIRST Alliances:

  • advocate and promote career opportunities in STEM in grades K-12;
  • look to build on existing STEM related programs; and
  • seek ways to engage their memberships in FIRST Mentor/Coach opportunities as a means of workforce development, increased community involvement, and encouraging their employees to give back to the communities

Through this affiliation, ECIA members will have access to an FIRST alumni group of enthusiastic young people interested in a variety of STEM related careers.