I was fortunate enough to join StratEdge Corporation in May 2021 as an Engineering Technician working in the semiconductor packaging industry. I am currently an aerospace engineering student at Southwestern College and transferring to San Diego State next fall. In my time at StratEdge, I have had the opportunity to work in our electronics lab assisting in electronics assembly and learning, first-hand, the process of wire bonding and die attach for large-scale production.
Before I started school for engineering, I was an apprentice welder and pipefitter at General Dynamics: NASSCO. There I worked on staged construction containerships. I worked with many engineers and architects that inspired me to go into engineering, and after that experience, I knew I was going in the right direction.
In between General Dynamics and StratEdge, I was accepted into NASA’s prestigious Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s NASA Community College Aerospace Scholar (NCAS) program. It was here that I was a winning project manager competing in their Mars rover design project, developing and presenting our own rover design to a team of NASA engineers. I met incredible peers and mentors who helped me see my own potential and potential career path. The experience solidified my desire to become an Aerospace Engineer.
At StratEdge, I’m assigned to our Engineering Development team to assemble their new high-frequency QFN packages and to assist in developing an efficient building process to increase production yields. This particular project involves a lot of fine motor skill practice considering its challenging size of 4mm x 4mm, which can only be clearly seen under a microscope. But with the help of my coworkers, I was able to learn the skills required very quickly.
At StratEdge I have learned many skills from all stages of our production, from screen printing the parts to plating, assembly, wire bonding, and testing. That range of exposure can be difficult at larger companies, and I’ve really enjoyed a fast-paced, innovative environment.
I am very grateful to have a team that trusts me to play such a significant role in the company. As an engineering student, it is really exciting to have real-world problems to solve, and ultimately build my confidence for my future as an Aerospace Engineer.
