What is Electronic & Electrical Engineering?
Electronic and Electrical Engineering is the branch of engineering that is concerned with the study and practical applications of electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism.
Typically Electrical Engineers deal with large-scale production and distribution of electrical power while Electronic Engineers focus on smaller electronic circuits but more often than not Electrical Engineers will also work in electronics and vice versa.
What courses are available?
Universities and colleges in Ireland are offering courses in the following subject areas:
- Electrical & Electronic Systems – A study of electrical principles, electrical and electronic systems, and design.
- Digital Electronics – A study of digital electronics, integrated circuits, and electronic circuitry used in computer-controlled equipment and appliances.
- Electrical Principles – A study of the fundamentals of direct current and alternating current as applied in domestic, commercial, and industrial installations.
- Electrical Services & Energy Management – A study of the process of monitoring, controlling, and conserving energy.
- Electronics – A practical course to prepare students for the practice of building, testing, and fault finding in analog electronic circuits.
- Avionics – A study of aircraft electronic equipment and understanding of avionics systems.
Studying Electronic & Electrical Engineering in college
The study of Electronic and Electrical engineering is a very practical hands-on field with a lot of practice and projects but there is also a lot of theory work to be covered.
Courses will be delivered through lectures, assignments, tutorials, and taught modules. Assessments will take place continuously with written examinations and practical assignments combined to achieve a qualification.
There are full-time courses that run anywhere from 1 year to 5 years depending on the course and modules selected. There are also part-time courses and night courses available so you can be sure to fit in your studies no matter what your schedule is like. Through work experience and volunteering or part-time work as an apprentice, you will be able to practice your practical understanding of engineering systems and electricity. This will help to broaden your skillset and establish professional contacts.
Career options
After completing a course in Electronic & Electrical Engineering you should be able to start your career fairly easily as most employers are searching for fresh minds with good training and are glad to have students who have recently completed their qualifications to mold and help grow to their specific needs and to suit their business.
Electronic and electrical engineers have very transferrable skills for any industry that uses electricity or electronics which makes them highly employable. Work is available in many areas, including the electronics, automotive, IT, gaming, telecoms, manufacturing, power, transport, utilities, and construction industries.
There are also many opportunities in research and development all over Europe so travel could be a part of your career.
Related jobs include:
- Electrical engineer
- Electronics engineer
- Electronic equipment Tester
- Project engineering
- Test engineering
- Design jobs
- Research and development engineers
- Quality assurance
- Field engineering
- Acoustic consultant
- Aerospace engineer
- Broadcast engineer
- CAD technician
- Control and instrumentation engineer
- Design engineer
- Nuclear engineer
- Sound engineer
- Special effects technician
Further study
After completing a course in Electronic & Electrical Engineering you may choose to pursue further study in a specialist field or research. Fields such as nanotechnology, wireless, and optical communications, and telecommunications may all be of interest.
FAQ
Are there any particular qualities you need to study Electronic & Electrical Engineering?
Electronic & Electrical engineering fields have some specific skills such as the ability to use specialist knowledge creatively and innovatively to solve problems, there may be occasions where you need to design a fix to a problem from scratch without any previous projects or practices to draw inspiration from.
Logic, practicality, and a passion for learning and updating your skills will be important.
You may also work as a part of a team so effective communication, both written and spoken, and good teamwork are qualities that you will need.
You should also have a professional approach to your work with good time management.
Is Electronic & Electrical Engineering in demand?
As the world becomes more global and connected, Electronic & Electrical Engineers are in great demand in the market which has created a lot of opportunities for graduates of Electronic & Electrical Engineering courses.
Do Electronic Engineers earn well?
Studies show that salaries for the engineering field have been increasing steadily as the demand for qualified engineers continues to grow. Engineers today are earning approximately 11% more than engineers at the same level were earning four years ago.
Where can I study Electronic & Electrical Engineering?
Explore your options here
Did You Know?
· The basic principles of electricity generation were discovered during the 1820s and early 1830s by the British scientist Michael Faraday.
· The first street in the world to be lit by electric light bulbs was Mosley Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, in 1879.
· A bolt of lightning can measure up to three million volts and lasts less than one second.
· The first four common domestic items to be powered by electricity were the sewing machine, fan, kettle, and toaster.
- The word “electrocute” is a combination of the words electro and execute, meaning you were killed by electricity. So if you don’t die, you were not electrocuted, only shocked.
Comments