LILLINGTON - Nine first-year students in the Central Carolina Community College Laser and Photonics Technology program experienced first-hand some of the logistics of running a successful technical conference when they served as volunteers with the PCB Carolina 2017 Electronics Trade Show and Technical Conference. The event was held Nov. 8 at the McKimmon Center on the campus of N.C. State University in Raleigh. The conference was organized and sponsored by the Research Triangle Park Chapter of the Integrated Printed Circuit Designers Council.

Volunteering to help with the event were first-year students Brandon Huffman and Cameron Wiedholz from Chatham County; Isabelle Karis from Cumberland County; Brittany Cheek, Jamie Turner, Kilvet Zalavarria, and Matthew Zannini from Harnett County; Robert Strickland from Moore County; and Ian Washburn from Wake County. Also attending PCB Carolina from CCCC were nine second-year students, along with John LaVere, CCCC Electronics Instructor; Dr. Jon Matthews, CCCC Harnett County Provost; and Gary Beasley, Lead Instructor of the CCCC Laser and Photonics Technology program.

"This is an outstanding learning opportunity for our students. They are able to attend conference technical sessions, which teach them about available future avenues for continuing education to stay abreast of new and upcoming technologies," said Beasley. "In the exhibit hall, students are able to meet with technology companies, learning about their products, becoming familiar with new technical jargon, and discovering many possible local area career opportunities in their field of study."

CCCC Laser program second-year students have been attending the conference for several years. Last year, Beasley proposed to organizers of the event the possibility of first-year students volunteering to help, particularly since their participation would serve as a powerful learning tool and would be free-of-charge. The event organizers took Beasley up on the offer, and in 2016, CCCC Laser students worked the event for the first time. Earlier this year, the PCB Carolina Designers Council reached out to Beasley to solicit student volunteers to help with PCB Carolina 2017.

Feedback on the CCCC Laser student volunteers' efforts and contributions to the success of PCB Carolina was very positive. Beasley noted that Steve Trasatto, who is in charge of organizing volunteer activities and schedules for PCB Carolina, said the CCCC students came through for the Designers Council again this year at the PCB Carolina Trade Show.

Matthews, attending in support of the students, remarked, "In applied science programs like Laser and Photonics Technology, students reinforce their study of theoretical concepts by engaging in hands-on practice. Their participation as event volunteers gives them direct exposure to a wide range of employers in the field and allows them to demonstrate both their technological acumen and their soft skills. The mere fact that they jumped in at a minute's notice and helped administer a soldering workshop speaks volumes about their abilities and work ethic."

Beasley said he was approached by several event organizers and corporate exhibitors who shared how impressed they were with the CCCC students. Beasley said that they specifically commented about the students' work ethic, politeness, professionalism, and interest in learning. "I was extremely proud of how our students represented CCCC and the Laser program at the event," said Beasley.

To learn more about the CCCC Laser and Photonics Technology program, contact Gary Beasley at 910-814-8828 or through email at gbeasley@cccc.edu.