Careers Advice
19 September 2017 | Careers Advice | Guest Author
With national figures at an all-time high for students graduating in electrical and electronic engineering, what better time to have a brief run-through of the industry from the owner of Caztec. Maybe you're a recent graduate and are deliberating where and in what sphere you can work in the industry? The demand for electrical engineers is currently at an all time high.
Nationwide industry
Electrical engineering is a nationwide industry. No matter what part of the country you are from there will be a thriving part of the sector not too far away. This means that in those first important years in the industry, where you're making your way, it's not with the added stress of being far from home and in a strange city.
High employability
Job prospects for graduates in Electrical and Electronic engineering are fantastic. The UK doesn't currently have the rate of growth needed to meet national demand which means there is great demand for home-bred engineers. As you won't need telling, when demand outstrips supply, the price rises!
Great starting salaries
Electrical Engineering and electronics well above the national average for starting salaries. Surprisingly, starting salaries in the electrical sector are higher than those in Law, Computer Sciences and Business Management. This not only means a better standard of living in the years when you can enjoy it the most, but it also means that any money you invested in graduating will be repaid faster than in most other industries.
Global job opportunities
Electricity is just about everywhere. You'll be hard-pressed to find a country in the world where electrical engineers are not in high demand. If you'd like to spend some time abroad, doing a job you love, then Electrical Engineering is most definitely the right industry for you.
Always in demand
What with the rapid rate of growth of the technology sector, the demand for young, creative employees who understand electrical control systems has risen with it. Computer Sciences is just one cross-over sector that is ever evolving. As such, young, innovative thinkers are constantly required to conceive new ideas and be at the forefront of these sectors.
An even brighter future
The Engineering Report 2015, foresees job vacancies in Electrical & Electronic Engineering as set to rise sharply come the turn of the decade. Your degree in Electrical Engineering ensures you'll be highly sought after, year after year, in a world where industries are so often volatile and unpredictable
Be at the forefront of future technologies
Electrical engineering crossovers into multiple other industries including: transport, construction, and robotics. At the forefront of developing new technologies in any number of fresh and exciting industries, there's never been a better time to be an Electrical Engineer.
Job satisfaction
Job satisfaction in Electrical Engineering is very high. This high rate of job satisfaction is the in consequence of a many number of factors.
- Being involved in the design and manufacture of state-of-the-art technology
- Performing varied and interesting tasks
- Great salaries
- Fantastic career prospects
- Offers the perfect balance of physical and cerebral work
- Job independence
Job security
The number of industries that have any kind of long-term job security are becoming less and less. The entire electrics industry however is experiencing solid job security almost in its entirety. This can be especially important when considering raising a family or buying a house.
Drawbacks
If you're serious about dedicating your life to a career in Electrical Engineering, you also need to consider what some of the disadvantages might be.
The shelf-life of knowledge
Electrical Engineering is a fast evolving and changing industry. What may be powerful knowledge today may be a drawback tomorrow. And when your knowledge is no longer as sought after as it once was, you may find that you are no longer as valued as an employee.
Stress
Due to the evolving speed of technology there is a great push on employees to get results and think ideas at a speed that leaves little time for any time-outs. Over a prolonged period, such pressure can impact a huge amount of stress on an employee. This is especially true when the product or service has a potential lifesaving impact on human life.
Ongoing education
Due to the very nature of the industry itself, electrical engineers have to continuously update their knowledge. This can become even more evident when wanting to change employer and discovering just how much the industry has moved forward while you were concentrated on something else. Keeping a keen interest on the industry as a whole cannot be stressed enough.
Highly competitive atmosphere
Due to the major benefits of promotion there is often an elevated competition for places. In jobs where promotions only arise every now and again, there is often a permanent rivalry between colleagues, everyone hoping to have impressed enough for the day when a position becomes available.
10 fantastic sectors Electrical engineering graduates can find jobs in:
- Aerospace industry
- Automotive industry
- Chemical industry
- Defence industry
- Electronics industry
- Marine industry
- Oil and gas industry
- Power generation industry
- Rail industry
- Telecoms
The pros vs the cons
Having gone through all the major advantages and disadvantages it seems quite clear that more than anything else Electrical Engineering offers its employees a great chance to not only carry out exciting work but also work at the forefront of many ground-breaking industries. What stress or pressure workers may come under at times is offset by above average wages and projects that are helping to change the world.
Exciting times
It's an extremely exciting time for the industry as a whole. On the cusp of a medical revolution, in the midst of a digital revolution and with robotics having a very real possibility of being the next great industry to take off globally, there has never been a better time to enter the industry.