There are numerous types and fields within the engineering industry, from chemical and nuclear to agricultural and aerospace. One of the most popular and varied types of engineering is electrical. It involves the study, design, build, and maintenance of devices, systems, and equipment that use electricity. This can be anything from computer chips to motors. If you are considering becoming an engineer but are unsure which area you would like to work in, or you want more information about electrical engineers and what they do, here are just a couple of the basics.
What does the job involve?
Electrical engineers work with electrical equipment, from the designing of it to the building and testing and the maintenance. It is a very varied job, with many subcategories branching off from it, such as telecommunications, audio or visual. As technology develops, the roles and jobs that an electrical engineer perform also change to accommodate this. Electrical engineering is one of the newer forms of engineering, dating back to the early 19th century. There are always training opportunities available to keep you up-to-date with the latest technology and advances, such as an EV charging course at Skills Training Group to help you learn how to install chargers in electric vehicles, which definitely was not on the electric engineer’s to-do list in the 1900s!
What qualifications do you need?
In order to become an electrical engineer, you will need many different industry-specific skills, qualifications, and experience, as well as certain personal skills. The common path to becoming an electrical engineer is through higher education, whether this is through a university, apprenticeship, or conversion course. Different universities will have different entry requirements, so it is important to check these when you make your A-Level decisions.
Subjects such as maths, physics, and further maths are recommended to help you progress onto these university courses and give you an understanding of some of the basic principles you may learn more about in your degree. You can study a specific degree in the area of engineering you want to work in and even pursue a Master’s or PhD afterwards. Work experience and internships are also looked upon highly by employers, and there are professional bodies you can join that have a range of benefits too.
What other skills are involved?
As well as the technical and industry-specific skills and knowledge you will need to work as an electrical engineer, there are other personal skills that can help you succeed and stand out. These include communication, teamwork, motivation, and creativity. You will be working as part of a team, with many other different people, some engineers and some not. It is important to be able to collaborate, communicate and creatively solve problems in order to get the job done. It is also useful to have some project management skills, such as strategic planning, quality control, and scheduling. Working as an electrical engineer is a demanding mix of technical and personal skills and knowledge and can be a very varied and rewarding job to work in.
Be First to Comment