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ETA Commemorates the 2018 Award Winners

The contributions of an outstanding technician and educator dedicated to the highest standards of electronics excellence will be recognized during the ETA® International annual awards banquet at Education Forum in Las Vegas on March 7, 2019. Those deserving recognition include Jason Eduardo Sandavol, PVI1, SWI, Ohio Power Solutions; and John Young, CETsr, Veterans Assembled electronics.

Greencastle, December 27, 2018: ETA International peer awards pay respect to industry professionals who promote the education and execution of the arts and sciences of electronics technology. ETA is the only professional trade association dedicated to the support of electronics technicians in the education and advancement of trained and certified electronics technicians.

Industry peers and colleagues will gather at ETA’s annual Awards Banquet during Education Forum March 7th in Las Vegas, NV to honor those individuals who are willing to volunteer at a moment’s notice to represent their trade association and demonstrate their dedication and enthusiasm for the electronics industry.

Technician of the Year – This distinguished award is given in honor of the late Norris R. Browne, president of the National Electronic Association (NEA), which was the predecessor to ETA International, and a service business owner. For outstanding service to fellow electronics technicians, the 2018 ETA Technician of the Year award is presented to Jason Eduardo Sandavol, PVI1, SWI, Ohio Power Solutions.

Nominated by ETA Renewable Energy Chairman Jay Warmke, PVI1, SWI, Blue Rock Station, Warmke said, “Eduardo is a living example of all the positive benefits the ETA technician programs hopes to achieve.”

After studying various careers, Sandavol found he was interested in solar energy. After completing the hands-on training and examination process, he interned at Blue Rock Station, a sustainable living center in Ohio, to get a more complete vision of green energy and career options in sustainable living.

During his internship, he attended a conference where he met with most of the solar installation companies operating in the state. Warmke said Sandavol impressed those company leaders with his enthusiasm, personable nature, and knowledge. The day he finished his internship, he was hired by Dovetail Solar and Wind as a Photovoltaic Installer. For the past two years, he has worked for Ohio Power Solutions, installing hundreds of systems and emerging as one of the most experienced and respected solar installers in the state. He has also obtained his Small Wind Installer certification from ETA. His next goal is to work towards getting his electricians license and hopes to open his own solar installation company.

“Eduardo believes that solar energy is a big part of cultural change that needs to happen to save the planet and he will be the first to testify that the ETA International certification process has literally changed his life,” Warmke said.

Sandavol currently serves on ETA's Renewable Energy Committee, providing valued field experience and insights into the development of current and future programs.

Educator of the Year – This prestigious award is named in honor of Wallace “Wally” Medeiros, PhD, CETma, a US Veteran, communications professional and instructor at Honolulu Community College and the U.S. military. For outstanding devotion in educating those pursuing careers in electronics and related fields, this award goes to John Young, CETsr, Veterans Assembled electronics, (Maryland).

Students nominating Young gave the following reason why he deserves this award (paraphrased): “John is one of the finest instructors in the military, private and public sectors. His ability to teach and make electronics understandable is commendable. While dealing with several students at different phases of the course, he manages to make himself available to all by sharing his experience and knowledge in a professional and courteous manner. Those Veterans who came into his program with little to no knowledge of electronics are fortunate to have had such a great instructor. John Young makes Veterans Assembled electronics a great place to learn.”

At ETA, the benefits of the professional trade association extend to all technicians, including students or simply those with an interest in the electronics field. Establishing a chapter provides the most efficient means for the association to reach new technicians and expand awareness about our industry. ETA also wishes to recognize the efforts of the chapter that aids and expands student knowledge beyond basic principles, creates opportunities for additional training and learning with specific products, encourages a sense of ‘belonging’ with industry networking opportunities, and provides opportunities for career counseling, preparation and placement.

Chapter of the Year – For active involvement in the world of electronics, this award recognizes registered student and local chapters that support a continuance of dedication to both the association and the electronics field itself. Veterans Assembled electronics (VAe) is this year’s ETA Chapter of the Year. VAe has been a great training partner with ETA and has done everything possible to ensure their Veteran students have every possible opportunity to transition into successful civilian electronics careers. Congratulations to all the VAe local chapters and their sponsors in Hartford, CT; Belleview, FL; Melbourne, FL; Orlando, FL; Concord, NC; and Providence, RI.

ETA sincerely thanks all those deserving recognition for their enthusiasm for electronics and electronics-related technologies and their willingness to share their expertise to improve their association and industry.

About the Education Forum - ETA International is proud to host hands-on training through outside vendors in popular technology areas related to ETA certification during Education Forum, co-located with the International Wireless Communications Expo, March 5-9, 2018, in Orlando, FL. ETA's partners, the industry’s most respected trainers, will provide in-depth hands-on training in 12 key areas of expertise beginning on Monday, March 5th. Following each training class, ETA will provide opportunities to test for ETA certification.

About ETA - Since 1978, ETA has delivered over 200,000 certification examinations successfully. Widely recognized and frequently used in worker job selection, hiring processes, pay increases, and advancements, ETA certifications are often required as companies bid on contracts. ETA’s certifications are personal and travel with the individual, regardless of employment or status change and measure competencies of persons, not products or vendors. All ETA certifications are accredited through the International Certification Accreditation Council (ICAC) and align with the ISO-17024 standard. www.etai.org .

About International Wireless Communications Expo (IWCE) - Since 1977, the International Wireless Communications Expo (IWCE) has been the authoritative annual event for communications technology professionals. IWCE features over 370 exhibitors showcasing the latest products and trends in the industry. Over 7,000 individuals attend from a diverse group of industry professionals including government/military, public safety, utility, transportation and business enterprise. IWCE 2018 will be held March 5-9, 2018 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando FL. For more information, visit www.iwceexpo.com.

Download this press release at – www.etai.org /pr/ETA_Commemorates_the_2018_Award_Winners.pdf