ECIA Foundation “Project Host 2018” Gets Enthusiastic Support From Student Ambassadors

Atlanta, GA – ECIA announces the 2018 participants in “Project Host,” a program that provides university students and their faculty the opportunity to attend the industry’s premier summit, EDS. Student Ambassadors are matched with volunteer ECIA member executives and shadow them as they attend meetings and negotiate business deals.

Central Washington University
Purdue University
Texas A&M
Texas Christian University

Begun in 1986 as part of the National Electronic Distributors Association (NEDA), Project Host continues to be supported by ECIA members each year. EDS is held each May in Las Vegas, NV. More than a traditional trade show, it is dominated by “business to business” meetings between manufacturers and their authorized distributors and manufacturer representatives. Student Ambassadors attend these important business meetings with their hosts and witness the theories they have learned in class come to life in the manufacturer/distributor/manufactures representative interactions. They have the chance to pick the brains of experienced industry professionals and see real-world business planning and marketing sessions.

There’s no better way to gauge the impact than by hearing the enthusiasm expressed by past Student Ambassadors:

“The ECIA offers a unique opportunity for supply chain students each spring at the Electronic Distribution Show. I was afforded the chance to sit in on supplier negotiations, shadow industry execs, and put my learning into action. The relationships I fostered with professionals in the electronic industry allowed me to ask key questions about my future career field and further my learning.”

“The insight into the electronics industry and the connections I made are unparalleled. The ability to attend an event of this magnitude at such a young age clearly shows the Industrial Distribution’s commitment to our education in, and out, of the classroom. Thank you to everyone that contributed to making this a reality for me!”

“Interacting with different distributors and manufacturers was such a learning experience.  Shadowing sales reps and manufacturers boosted my learning curve on processes of selling and getting products on the market through e-commerce or other tactics.”

“During my time I learned the value of trust in manufacturer and distributor relationships.  The electronic component industry is thriving and seeking a younger generation to take advantage of the increasing opportunities.”

“This conference gave me a very interesting perspective on the relationship between the manufacturers reps and distributors, especially within the electronic components industry. I was also given the chance to see not only what some of the major key players have been doing this year, but their plans for the future and how that will affect the rest of us.”

See how you can get involved in ECIA Foundation programs.