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Wireless Communications Scholarships Awarded by ETA and IWCE

In an effort to increase awareness of the growing demand for certified wireless communications professionals and to encourage students along with US Military personnel to pursue careers in the industry, ETA^® International (ETA) and the International Wireless Communications Expo (IWCE) have partnered again to offer scholarships to attend ETA‘s Education Forum, co-locating with IWCE. ETA and IWCE congratulate these winners, who will be personally introduced to respected industry leaders and recruiters from government, public safety, utility, transportation, and business enterprise during the spring conference in Las Vegas.

Greencastle, February 21, 2020: Veterans and students interested in wireless communications careers recently submitted essays to win scholarships to attend ETA International’s Education Forum 2020, co-locating with IWCE March 30 – April 3, 2020 in Las Vegas. Scholarship winners will receive one free seat to any of the 12 hands-on training courses at EF20@IWCE of the winners’ choice to prepare them for the related ETA accredited certification exam – a value of up to $2,800.

Veteran Scholarship Recipient

It is ETA’s privilege to proclaim this year’s Veteran scholarship recipient is Jonathan Castilaw, GCT1, Radio Systems Specialist for Denton County Sheriff’s Office (TX). A six-year Veteran of the United States Marine Corps, he now has over three years of experience in the wireless/telecommunications industry.

He said to learn more about cellular signals, both active and passive, along with small cell systems would help him to better understand how these signals work, and how we could improve current systems within our public safety community. He added, “Learning more about amplifiers and boosters at different site locations could help me better understand how to increase the communication ability among our end users who work out in the field.”

As part of his scholarship, Castilaw plans to attend the Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) hands-on training course, sponsored by IWA Technical Services, Inc., which will prepare him to sit for ETA’s accredited DAS certification exam.

“This training would lay the foundation for what I could introduce and build off of in developing new ways to communicate within public safety in the future,” he said, “as well as closing the gap on those areas where our public safety staff is not able to communicate and I want to learn ways to mitigate these risks.”

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Student Scholarship Recipient

ETA is proud to announce the student scholarship winner is Joseph Francis Murray, Jr., Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA. While working on his Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering, he is also working full time as a Radio Technician II for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. He said he plans to start in a career centered around infrastructure and will take part in the R56 Communications Site Installer training.

“I would greatly benefit from this scholarship opportunity to learn the proper techniques for installing wireless infrastructure, such as grounding and site design, and would carry those skills into my career in the future,” he said. “To me, the real magic of a radio system lies in the backend, made possible by a team working behind the scenes to prevent failures, and mitigate them when they do arise.”

Murray said he became interested in a career in wireless communications because of the vast opportunities it presents. He has taken full advantage of every opportunity by first earning his FCC General Class Amateur Radio Operator License then taking a seasonal radio technician position with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) park rangers during his freshman year.

These scholarships are just one way for ETA International and IWCE to help ensure a well-trained workforce for today and to prepare a strong pipeline of future electronics leaders for tomorrow. Winners will be introduced to career recruiters from many of the leading employers who are driving the communications technology industry at the Job Education and Training Center in the IWCE expo hall, featuring over 350 wireless companies. Winners will also be recognized during ETA’s annual Awards Banquet, where they will be personally introduced to respected industry leaders with insights and plenty of career connections.

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 ETA's 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 30-April 3, 2020, in Las Vegas, NV. ETA's partners, the industry’s most respected trainers, will provide in-depth hands-on training in key areas of expertise beginning on Monday, March 30th. Following each training class, ETA will provide opportunities to test for ETA certification.

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 2020 will be held March 30-April 3 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. For more information, visit www.iwceexpo.com.

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