Liz Peters’ legacy of success at Yavapai College’s Electronics Technology program
By Michael Grady
Right from the start, students in Elizabeth Peters’ Electronics & Instrumentation program know they’re in for a challenge. “E&I is one of our more rigorous programs,” Liz, YC’s Electronics Technology and Pre-Engineering professor, said. “We hear students say, ‘I feel like I got a four-year degree in two years.’ They don’t always mean it as a compliment. But I think, ‘Cool! That’s what we’re going for.’”
Now in her tenth year at Yavapai College’s CTEC Campus, Liz teaches Pre-Engineering and Electronics, from the smallest sub-atomic particle to the gnarliest circuit board. “It’s in the family. My dad started the E&I program at YC.”
Her brother graduated in the program’s first cohort. Then Liz followed in 2012. She was working for an international aerospace company when her dad suggested, “Hey, I think you could be a good teacher. We need somebody.”
It didn’t come naturally. Though she had plenty of experience training co-workers, she said, “Truthfully, I was afraid of public speaking when I took the job. As soon as they stuck me in front of a class, I was like, ‘Oh wow, I’m actually terrified of this.’ So, that was a steep learning curve.”
She pushed through it. With Electrical Instrumentation Instructor Cassi Gibson, Liz has built upon her father’s program, updating the technologies and infusing a workplace sensibility. “The demand for qualified technicians is high, and we are one of the only schools left that does component-level troubleshooting.”
That expertise is fostered, she said, in an environment that puts students to work in real-world conditions. “You need years of experience to go out into the field and really excel. We start Week One with troubleshooting and problem-solving.”
Students develop critical thinking skills while working within time and safety constraints. “In industrial electronics, something literally might be on fire. So, if you can’t work under a time limit, this kind of isn’t the field for you.”
Those high standards produce thoughtful technicians who can diagnose the most minute issues and solve them under demanding conditions. “That’s our goal: we train people who can solve problems down to the component level versus ‘Hey, this entire circuit board is bad, let’s throw it out and get a new one.’”
Ten years teaching in and then leading the program have given Liz the satisfaction of seeing her graduates achieve. “One of my favorite things is when we host advisory board meetings. I see more and more of my students representing local companies.”
In a male-dominated field, the demographics are changing slowly. But Liz and Cassi Gibson are more concerned about the quality of the work than the gender of their students.
“We want to be known as the best instrumentation program in the state … that happens to be taught by two women.”