This week, students in the 25-26 cohort of Skyline College’s SkyBayTech Electronics Manufacturing Technician program celebrated completing their second globally recognized industry certification: the IPC 7711/7721 in Electronics Rework and Repair. Taught right on campus in the college’s premier Electronics Design Lab facility, students gain the certified skills and abilities to complete complex component- and board-level repair operations critical to the tech and aerospace industries. The 25-26 cohort also utilized these skills during a comprehensive repair project this semester, successfully repairing a variety of both consumer and professional electronics equipment, including items such as: a PlayStation 5 (PS5), gaming controllers, a historic Geiger counter, an induction cooktop, a vintage tube amplifier, an analog video analyzer, and a selection of electronics test and measurement lab equipment. Within these repair projects, the program also integrates AI technologies and tools for electronics troubleshooting and repair.
The SkyBayTech program offers embedded industry certifications to students, as its faculty are certified industry trainers. Students can certify in up to two Global Electronics Association (IPC) standards, each a $2500 value available to the students for FREE:
· The IPC J-STD-001 Electronics Soldering and Solderability (in ELEC 265)
· The IPC 7711/7721 Electronics Rework and Repair (in ELEC 285)
The SkyBayTech program has granted 28 certifications to students this academic year and, to date, a total of 64 unique certifications over the program’s first four years, totaling $160,000 in industry training value provided to students for FREE. The program is partnered with regional industry, and has helped students place or upskill in the STEM Technician workforce, including the AI sector, to internships and job opportunities at: Stanford Linear Accelerator, Lawrence Livermore Labs, United Airlines, Toborlife AI Robotics, Meyer Sound, PG&E, NBC Sports, Local Electronics Assembly positions, and more.
To learn more about the SkyBayTech Program, email Program Services Coordinator Danay Weldegabriel (weldegabrield@smccd.edu), program faculty Professor Nick Langhoff (langhoffn@smccd.edu), or head to www.skylinecollege.edu/skybaytech to find information on course scheduling, dual-enrollment offerings, college and industry certifications, and job opportunities. Limited space is still available to join the 26-27 SkyBayTech cohort and workforce placement program. To join, simply sign up for ELEC 111, 231, and 265 for the Fall 2026 semester.
The SkyBayTech Electronics Manufacturing Technician program was launched with support from the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Advanced Technological Education (ATE), grant award No. 2000971. The overarching grant project goals were to meet industry need for electronics technician Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA) through a practical, hands-on, project-based curriculum and structured industry partnerships. Over five NSF-funded years, the project built a sustainable program that now serves students, local industry, and the broader education community, drawing on lessons learned that have informed similar initiatives nationwide. The program faculty would like to thank the National Science Foundation and Skyline College’s leadership for the overwhelming programmatic support.
