The year past has brought unprecedented challenges to all of us. But often, times of overwhelming uncertainty also provide incredible opportunities to view the world through a different lens and bring innovative solutions to seemingly insurmountable problems.
This is certainly the case when we look at the landscape for professional development activities that emerged in 2020. While many scheduled in‑person trainings and workshops were postponed or canceled altogether, training providers also embraced the potential of platforms like Microsoft Teams and Zoom and quickly revamped their offerings for virtual presentation. And, without having to incur travel expenses or spend time commuting to in‑person training locations, participation in virtual learning offerings, including seminars, workshops, and symposia, has surpassed almost everyone’s expectations.
Virtual offerings have their limitations and don’t provide us with the same kind of engagement with presenters, instructors, and other participants as in‑person events do. But the 2020 experiments with virtual learning have led to a dramatic broadening of professional development opportunities for industry professionals regardless of their location. And 2021 will no doubt see the widespread adoption of a variety of options for learners everywhere.
So, as 2021 begins, we’ve once again we’ve queried the training resources throughout our industry to provide you with an overview of free or affordable solutions to meet your training goals in the new year. In this article, you’ll find sources of compliance‑related seminars, workshops, and other types of training, offered live, including both virtual and in‑person options, as well as pre‑recorded webinars and on‑demand training offerings.
The information that follows is current as we go to press (early December 2021). But please note that dates for live in‑person seminars, workshops, and symposia provided here are subject to change. So check the listed websites for the most up‑to‑date information on scheduling. Finally, we invite you to submit updates and corrections as well as suggestions for additional listings for our Events section. Please send your comments to us at editor@incompliancemag.com.
Live Virtual and In‑Person Seminars and Workshops
The American Council of Independent Laboratories (ACIL) hosts occasional live virtual webinars related to the Council’s wide range of activities, including technical subjects, ACIL Committee activities, and laboratory business practices. For more information, go to https://www.acil.org/default.aspx and click on the word “Education” at the top of the page. (Also see listing under “Recorded Webinars and On‑Demand Training”)
The American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) WorkPlace Training portal now offers virtual classroom trainings featuring live instructor‑led sessions. Currently, there are more than 25 separate virtual training offerings, covering areas including international standards, management systems, technical subjects, and soft skills. As always, course instructors are subject matter experts with many years of professional training experience. 2021 dates for many A2LA trainings are now available. Additional details are available at http://www.a2lawpt.org. (Also see listings under “In‑House/Custom Seminars and Workshops” and “Recorded Webinars and On‑Demand Training”)
Keith Armstrong of Cherry Clough Consultants Ltd. will be the featured presenter at the EMC & Compliance International 2021 program in Newbury, Berkshire (United Kingdom) on May 19‑20, 2021. Over two days, Keith will present the following sessions:
- The Physics of SI, PI, and EMC Without Maths
- Circuit Design for Cost‑Effective SI, PI, and EMC
- Shielding for Cost‑Effective SI, PI, and EMC
- Filtering for Cost‑Effective SI, PI, and EMC
- Essential PCB Design and Layout for Cost‑Effective SI, PI, and EMC
- Advanced PCB Design and Layout for Cost‑Effective SI, PI, and EMC
For more information, or to register, go to https://www.emcuk.co.uk/workshops‑information. (Also see listings under “In‑House/Customer Seminars and Workshops” and “Recorded Webinars and On‑Demand Training)
This year, Dangelmayer Associates will virtually host and present its annual ESD workshop, “ESD Best Practices for Technology Change.” The workshop will be held the week of July 19, 2021. Additional details and registration information is available at http://www.dangelmayer.com/training‑workshops.php. Dangelmayer Associates will also present its multi‑day ESD Auditor Certification Training in a virtual format. Go to https://dangelmayer.com/auditor‑certification‑course.php for more information.
Doug Smith of D.C. Smith Consultants will host virtual presentations of workshop “Lab Techniques, Robust Design, and Troubleshooting” in several four half‑day sessions throughout 2021. Visit his website at https://emcesd.com/bcsem_hfmeasv.htm for the most up‑to‑date information and the 2021 schedule. Doug also continues to co‑host the EMC Week in Boulder City, Nevada (U.S.), dedicated to helping participants to learn everything they need to know about EMC design and testing. This year’s virtual event is scheduled for April 5‑9. Find additional details for EMC Week at http://emcesd.com/bcsem_emcweek.htm.
Equipment Reliability Institute offers several live, in‑person public classes throughout the year, including courses on “Military Standard 810 Testing” and “Fundamentals of Random Vibration and Shock Testing.” For complete information and 2021 training dates, go to https://equipment‑reliability.com/open‑courses. (Also see listing under “In‑House/Custom Seminars and Workshops”)
The ESD Association offers access to a wide variety of live virtual and in‑person educational opportunities throughout the year to provide engineers with the knowledge and tools needed to meet the challenges of ESD in their companies. The Association co‑sponsors regional tutorials with local chapters, conducts a national tutorial and education seminar in conjunction with the annual EOS/ESD Symposium, and publishes and distributes numerous educational materials on ESD. For full details and their current schedule, visit the ESD Association’s website at http://www.esda.org/training‑and‑education. (Also see listing under “Recorded Webinars and On‑Demand Training”)
ETS‑Lindgren offers virtual training courses throughout the year. Courses planned for 2021 include:
- EMC Design and Antenna Test Implications for Today’s Modern Vehicles – An Intensive 2.5 Day Workshop
- TILE!™ – Speed Trainings on Automated EMC Test Software for Novice to Advanced Users
- EMQuest™ – Antenna Pattern Measurement Software Tools and Tips to Make Your Testing Faster and More Efficient
For information about specific course dates and other course details, go to http://www.ets‑lindgren.com/services/education‑training. (Also see listings under “In‑House/Custom Seminars and Workshops” and “Recorded Webinars and On‑Demand Training”)
Eurofins York offers classroom compliance training throughout the year at various locations in the United Kingdom. Find out more at https://www.yorkemc.com/services/training. (Also see listings under “In‑House/Custom Seminars and Workshops”)
Dr. Bogdan Adamczyk of Grand Valley State University will offer his live in‑person, two‑day certificate course for the industry on “Principles of Electromagnetic Compatibility” on April 22‑23, 2021, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Course participants will perform numerous hands‑on measurements in small groups to reinforce the course topics. The course is intended for both the practicing professionals and the new engineers entering the field. For additional details, go to http://www.gvsu.edu/emccenter.
Intertek offers live virtual and in‑person public seminars and workshops throughout the year at various locations in the U.S. and around the world. Additional information is available at the company’s “Knowledge and Education” portal at https://www.intertek.com/knowledge‑education. (Also see listing under “Recorded Webinars and On‑Demand Training”)
Dr. Todd Hubing of LearnEMC will present two live virtual courses in the spring of 2021 (“Electronic System Design for EMC Compliance” and “Computer Modeling Tools for Electromagnetic Compatibility”) and two in the fall (“Fundamentals of Electromagnetic Compatibility” and “Advanced Design for EMC Compliance”). These courses focus on fundamental concepts and tools that EMC engineers can utilize to avoid electromagnetic compatibility and signal integrity problems. For dates and additional details,
go to https://learnemc.com.
Silent Solutions offers live in‑person public workshops for design engineers interested in a practical, hands‑on approach to EMC design, troubleshooting, and the special field concerned with circuit‑to‑circuit interference. Engineers working for manufacturers whose products target commercial and industrial environments will find this training extraordinarily useful. Visit http://www.silent‑solutions.com/education/courses‑and‑events to learn more. (Also see listing under “In‑House/Custom Seminars and Workshops”)
TÜV SÜD America offers live virtual public training courses that are enhanced by the real‑life experiences of its auditing and testing teams, offering years of experience in the worldwide international standards arena. These courses can help prepare you for the most challenging compliance issues. Visit their website at https://www.tuvsud.com/en‑us/services/training/e‑learning‑courses to see the current offerings. (Also see listing under “Recorded Webinars and On‑Demand Training”)
UL is currently offering live digital events, webinars, and other forms of virtual training in the U.S. and locations around the world. The world’s most progressive and safety‑conscious companies rely on UL’s educational programs for the expertise and tools required to design and install safer products, increase efficiency, realize improved speed to market, and ultimately advance their approach to prevention and compliance. A current listing of 2021 programs and dates is available at https://www.ul.com/events. (Also see listing under “Recorded Webinars and On‑Demand Training”)
Wyatt Technical Services, LLC is an independent consulting firm specializing in EMC design, troubleshooting, and training services to commercial and industrial manufacturers with global distribution in the consumer, computer, network and telecommunications, industrial, and scientific industries. Ken Wyatt will also be participating in the 2021 EMC Week in Boulder City, NV (U.S.). For further information, visit http://www.emc‑seminars.com/page6/Schedule.html.
In‑House/Custom Seminars and Workshops
Many experts and training organizations offer standard and/or customized workshops and seminars and workshops on an in‑house basis. These training programs offer companies an opportunity to train multiple compliance personnel with a specialized approach designed for their needs. Following is a list of organizations and trainers that offer both virtual and in‑person seminars and workshops for in‑house presentation.
The American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) also offers customized laboratory staff training on a number of topics. Go to https://www.a2lawpt.org/contract for more information. (Also see listings under “Live Virtual and In‑Person Public Seminars and Workshops” and “Recorded Webinars and On‑Demand Training”)
Vladimir Kraz of Best ESD Technical Services offers in‑house classes on all aspects of managing and mitigating ESD, EOS, and EMI issues in today’s manufacturing environment. Classes include electrical overstress in electronic manufacturing and the application of SEMI E176 and E33 in semiconductor manufacturing. Classes are focused on specific processes and technologies employed by the participants. For additional information, go to http://www.bestesd.com.
Keith Armstrong of Cherry Clough Consultants Ltd. also offers an array of live, in‑house seminars on a virtual basis, covering a wide range of topics from his extensive training portfolio. Customized or more specialized virtual training for up to 1000 attendees is also available on request. For more information, go to https://www.cherryclough.com/Custom‑Training‑Courses. (Also see listings under “Live Virtual and In‑Person Public Seminars and Workshops” and “Recorded Webinars and On‑Demand Training”)
ETS‑Lindgren offers customized trainings on various test and measurement topics for your engineers and test technicians. From standards updates to how to perform an Acoustic, 5G, or EMC test and more, ask how we can increase the productivity of your team. Go to http://www.ets‑lindgren.com/services/education‑training for more information. (Also see listings under “Live Virtual and In‑Person Public Seminars and Workshops” and “Recorded Webinars and On‑Demand Training”)
Equipment Reliability Institute also provides on‑site training on a broad range of testing and design topics. For more information, go to
http://www.equipment‑reliability.com/onsite‑courses. (Also see listing under “Live Virtual and In‑Person Public Seminars and Workshops”)
Eurofins York also offers customized, in‑house training offerings in addition to their comprehensive schedule of public training programs. For additional details on their “bespoke” training options, go to https://www.yorkemc.com/services/training/on‑site‑training. (Also see listing under “Live Virtual and In‑Person Public Seminars and Workshops”)
Ikonix USA offers customized 1‑ or 2‑day compliance training options at your site. For more information, go to https://www.ikonixusa.com/on‑site‑training‑package.
Daryl Gerke of Kimmel Gerke Associates, Ltd. continues to offer in‑house training on a virtual basis. His two‑day course on “Design for EMC” focuses on EMC problems and how to identify, prevent, and fix more than 40 common EMI/EMC problems at the equipment level. His other virtual in‑house course, “EMC in Military Systems,” addresses issues stemming from four key EMC interfaces, grounding, shielding, power, and cables. For further details, visit http://www.emiguru.com/seminars.
Mark Montrose of Montrose Compliance Services offers customized, in‑house training programs and workshops on achieving EMC compliance and EMC design fundamentals and techniques. For more information, go to https://montrosecompliance.com/emc‑training‑seminars/seminars_courses.
Silent Solutions (http://www.silent‑solutions.com) offers many of its live public seminars and workshops for private, in‑house delivery, and can also customize its offerings to address specific organizational needs and requirements. (Also see listing under “Live Virtual and In‑Person Public Seminars and Workshops”)
Recorded Webinars and On‑Demand Training
Your time is valuable and your schedule doesn’t always allow you to participate in live virtual and in‑person presentations. But there are plenty of training options that you can take advantage of, right from the comfort of your daily workspace. Many organizations and training experts provide on‑demand webinars, as well as books, podcasts, and e‑learning programs. Here are a few options to get you started:
The American Council of Independent Laboratories (ACIL) also hosts an archive of previously recorded webinars that are available on‑demand, covering EMC standards, key EMC committee meetings, and other EMC activity. Go to https://www.acil.org/page/ACIL_Webinars for more information. (Also see listings under “Live Virtual and In‑Person Public Seminars and Workshops”)
The American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) offers a comprehensive suite of self‑paced e‑learning options through its WorkPlace Training portal. More than 30 different courses providing the equivalent of hundreds of hours of training are currently available, including online training on ISO/IEC 17025 compliance. For more information, visit http://www.a2lawpt.org/e‑learning. (Also see listings under “Live Virtual and In‑Person Public Seminars and Workshops” and “In‑House/Custom Seminars and Workshops”)
Keith Armstrong of Cherry Clough Consultants Ltd. provides a wide range of training course modules for assembling customized in‑house webinars for individual organizations, single‑site or multi‑site, worldwide. These are confidential, enabling detailed design discussions. PDF‑formatted color course notes for these modules may be downloaded at
https://www.emcstandards.co.uk/online‑training. (Also see listing under “Live Virtual and In‑Person Public Seminars and Workshops” and “In‑House/Custom Seminars and Workshops”)
EMC Fast Pass provides comprehensive online training courses and short courses to assist electronic engineers, compliance specialists, and hardware manufacturers design and test products that pass EMC and RF certifications the first time. Course offerings include:
- EMC Design for Compliance (Immunity)
- EMC Design for Compliance (Emissions)
- Intrinsically Safe Hardware Design
- EMC Troubleshooting and Pre‑Compliance Testing
- EMC Testing Foundations
- FCC Wireless (RF) Pre‑Compliance
Additional information is available at https://emcfastpass.com/training/index.php/course‑listings.
The ESD Association, in addition to its live virtual and in‑person public seminars and workshops, also hosts online classes and training videos through the ESDA Online Academy at https://www.esda.org/store/training‑and‑education. (Also see listing under “Live Virtual and In‑Person Public Seminars and Workshops”)
ETS‑Lindgren also offers a number of previously recorded webinars that are available on‑demand. Details are available at http://www.ets‑lindgren.com/services/education‑training. (Also see listings under “Live Virtual and In‑Person Public Seminars and Workshops” and “In‑House/Custom Seminars and Workshops”)
Intertek’s extensive catalog of live and on‑demand webinars complements the company’s live virtual and in‑person training options. Additional information is available at https://www.intertek.com/knowledge‑education/webinars. (Also see listing under “Live Virtual and In‑Person Public Seminars and Workshops”)
NTS has launched its TESTalks series of free, on‑demand webinars on MIL‑STD 461G. This five‑part series covers key aspects of this important standard, including conducted and radiated emissions and susceptibility considerations. For more information, go to https://www.nts.com/nts‑testalk.
Rohde & Schwarz offers a complimentary, five‑track, on‑demand webinar series, covering EMC essentials, testing essentials, RF fundamentals, RF testing, and digital testing. To access the complete webinar series, go to https://www.rohde-schwarz.com/us/campaigns/rsa/icr/everything-test-webinar-series_254047.html.
TÜV SÜD America offers on‑demand webinars covering various topics in the areas of product safety, EMC, management systems, and competency assessments. Go to the TÜV SÜD Resource Center at https://www.tuvsud.com/en-us/resource-centre to learn more. (Also see listing under “Live Virtual and In‑Person Public Seminars and Workshops”)
UL also provides safety‑ and compliance‑related training delivered via its extensive library of on‑demand webinars. Topic areas include hazard‑based safety engineering, global market access, and global directives, code compliance, conformity assessment, sustainability, responsible sourcing and social auditing, and many more. For additional details, visit https://www.ul.com/events/on‑demand‑webinars. (Also see listing under “Live Virtual and In‑Person Public Seminars and Workshops”)
Industry Symposia, Conferences and Exhibits
Annual symposia are an excellent resource for extensive technical training, as well as the exchange of new ideas and technical concepts. The benefit of attending these events is that attendees can sample a vast array of workshops quickly and efficiently while connecting with colleagues and professionals with the same interests. (The symposia listed below are currently planned as live in‑person events unless otherwise noted. Please check the listed website for up‑to‑date information on dates and locations.)
European Microwave Week 2020
January 10‑15, 2021 – Jaarbeurs Utrecht, the Netherlands
https://www.eumweek.com
EuCAP 2021 – The 15th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation
March 22‑26, 2021 – Dusseldorf, Germany
http://www.eucap2021.org
EMV 2021
March 23‑25, 2021 – Stuttgart, Germany
https://emv.mesago.com/koeln/en.html
RF & Microwave 2021
March 31‑April 1, 2021 – Paris, France
http://www.microwave‑rf.com
2021 International Applied Computational Electromagnetics Society Symposium
Not yet scheduled. Check their website for current information at https://aces-society.org/conference/Monterey_2020.
DesignCon 2021
April 13‑15, 2021 – San Jose, California (U.S.)
https://designcon.com
2021 IEEE International Symposium on Product Compliance Engineering (ISPCE)
Not yet scheduled. Check their website at http://2020.psessymposium.org for current information.
2021 IEEE International Instrumentation and Measurement Technology Conference (I2MTC)
May 17‑20, 2021 – Virtual
http://i2mtc2021.ieee‑ims.org
EMC & Compliance International Exhibition & Workshops
May 19‑20, 2021 – Newbury, Berkshire, United Kingdom
https://www.emcuk.co.uk
2021 Asia‑Pacific International Symposium on Electromagnetic Compatibility
May 25‑28, 2021 – Bali, Indonesia
https://apemc2021.org
IMS 2021 – 2021 International Microwave Symposium
June 6‑11, 2021 – Atlanta, Georgia (U.S.)
https://ims‑ieee.org/ims2021
Sensors Expo & Conference
June 28‑30, 2021 – San Jose, California (U.S.)
https://www.sensorsexpo.com/cancellation‑update
2021 Joint IEEE International Symposium on Electromagnetic Compatibility, Signal and Power Integrity, EMC Europe
July 30‑August 6, 2021 – Virtual
https://www.emc2021.emcss.org
The Battery Show 2021, North America
Not yet scheduled. Check their website at https://thebatteryshow.com for current information.
43rd Annual Electrical Overstress/Electrostatic Discharge Symposium
September 20–October 1, 2021 – Tucson, Arizona (U.S.)
https://www.esda.org/events/43rd‑annual‑eosesd‑symposium‑and‑exhibits
43rd Annual Symposium of the Antenna Measurement Techniques Association (AMTA)
October 24‑29, 2021 – Daytona Beach, Florida (U.S.)
https://www.amta2021.org
IEEE EMC Society 2021 Regional Events
2021 Chicago IEEE EMC Mini Symposium
Not yet scheduled, Check their website at http://www.emcchicago.org for current information.
EMC Fest 2021
May 13, 2021 – Livonia, Michigan (U.S.)
https://www.emcsociety.org/wp/?page_id=35
2021 Minnesota EMC Event
September 23, 2021 – Bloomington, Minnesota (U.S.)
https://www.mnemcevent.com
We hope this list will help you meet your professional development goals in 2021. Many additional trainings and events will be planned throughout the year, so be sure to check our events calendar at https://incompliancemag.com/event‑directory to find the most up‑to‑date information. Another way to brush up on the basics and delve deep into advanced topics is by visiting our online resource center, the In Compliance Electrical Engineering Resource Center (EERC) at https://incompliancemag.com/eerc.
