(Courtesy photo) A close-up of bonding work, one of the various skills that Microelectronics Boot Camp students learn during their 10-week sessions.

NASHUA — All 12 members of the 24th graduating class of Nashua Community College’s 10-week Microelectronics Boot Camp training program received job offers from local industry partners by the time their commencement was held last week.

“This class worked well together, embraced a common goal and assisted each other,” said Jon Mason, NCC’s coordinator of corporate, community and continuing education.

“They laughed together, cried together and supported one another,” he added.

The graduates, listed alphabetically, include Erik Bienvenue, Illy-Khadija, Michael Brooks, Harrison Colegrove, Devina Duncan, Jacob Ford, Joshua Ford, Derek Gobis, Eva Ouellette, Michael Phaneuf, Brooklyn Shay and Jennifer Young.

Mason, who oversees the Microelectronics Boot Camp, said the graduates exemplified the Nashua Community College mission, “They truly are what NCC and the industry are looking for,” he said, emphasizing students’ teamwork and camaraderie. “This class made bonds that will follow them through their careers and lives.”

(Courtesy photo) The 12 graduates of Nashua Community College's most recent Microelectronics Boot Camp and two of their instructors gathered for a photo last week in front of the college.

Jim Flis began leading instruction for the Boot Camp in 2018, and said this group benefited from an updated curriculum, and new practices to improve efficiency.

“A big change for this cohort was implementing an idea from a student that greatly enhanced epoxy storage and organization,” Flis said. “Another big change was a first-time soldering project where instead of soldering generic components and being measured on their skill, the students built a functional project where they were also measured by how well it actually operated upon completion.”

Flis praised the grads for their overall work ethic, describing the class as “one of the most productive, cohesive groups I’ve had the pleasure of working with.”

About the Boot Camp

The Microelectronics Boot Camp teaches wire/ribbon bonding and die attach for microelectronic components in manufacturing.

Developed in partnership with BAE Systems in 2016, program leaders work closely with industry partners such as Cirtronics, Mercury Systems, L3 Harris Technologies, API Technology, MACOM, MIT Lincoln Labs, Lockheed Martin, Monzite, among others. All program graduates get the chance to interview with BAE Systems, the program’s founding partner.

Boot Camp students have ranged in age from 18 to their 60s, and include workers from across industries seeking a career change, recent high school graduates, and veterans.

Many come from assistance programs like WIOA and MY TURN INC. Alumni also support each new generation of students as lab assistants on campus, and as workplace mentors.

Microelectronics Boot Camps enroll throughout the year. Each session runs 40 hours per week for 10 weeks. Tuition is $5,500 per student.

The next session begins July 11. For more information, including how to enroll in an upcoming program, contact Jon Mason at jmason@ccsnh.edu or 603-578-8900, ext. 1763.

–Content provided by NCC communication specialist Tina Forbes

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.