Pictured: James Molnar

James Molnar is an Electrical Engineering Technology major from East Palestine, Ohio. Starting off at YSU, James was unsure of his major. He was interested in electrical engineering in high school but was not so interested in the theoretical side of engineering, he enjoyed more hands-on experiences. In his second year of college, he was introduced to the engineering technology program, which exactly matched his desire to learn more about the application of electrical engineering and concentrate less on the theoretical side.

Since finding his home in electrical engineering technology, James has been hard at work. He started off working part-time at Butech Bliss as an electrical assembler, putting together electrical systems, interpreting schematics and learning about the production process. He then obtained an internship at Altronic where he served as a repair technician. In those role, he was responsible for diagnosing and repairing circuit boards and small electronic devices. He also learned about tracing circuits and the function of electronic components at the circuit board level (read more about Altronic HERE). Through these opportunities, James gained a wide range of experience that he uses to apply in class and also for any future employment.

When asked what advice he has for other students, James had this to say:

“Pay attention and try to understand the theoretical information of different electronic components. Really understanding the basic components makes diagnosing and interpreting more complicated circuits much easier.”

He also recommends, if you can, to take classes you’re interested in even if they are outside your major- college is an opportunity to learn more about the things that interest you as well as a place to prepare for your future career.

James is currently working on finding a full-time job, probably in systems control or automation, as he’ll be graduating in May- good luck, James!