The broad field of Electrical Engineering involves working with all kinds of electrical, electronic and electromagnetic devices, from light bulbs and pocket calculators to super-computers. The study of Electrical Engineering also covers communication, computer science and instrumentation. Through complete understanding of the ways electricity is generated and controlled, this engineering stream trains the student in design, development, and testing of electrical equipment. A successful electrical engineer possesses not only an understanding of his or her area of specialisation, but also a broad grasp of engineering in general. This is why most degree programmes offering electrical engineering begin with the fundamentals of engineering itself. Since electrical engineering relies so heavily upon the use of computers, many colleges abroad now offer electrical engineering degree programmes online.
The discipline of electrical engineering comprises of various groups of study and specialisations, some of which are categorised below:
- Integrated circuits and solid state devices: Largely the domain of the entertainment and consumer appliance industries, focusing on new products like electronic controls for electronic games, home appliances and navigation systems.
- Robotics: From artificial intelligence, to designing robotic arms and manipulating dangerous substances.
- Power systems: Electrical circuits, transformers, measuring instruments, automatic control systems, power systems and development of energy-efficient power devices.
- Communications systems: Basic television, radio and telephone technology, as well as more complex forms of wireless and laser transmission, this sub-discipline is an amalgamation of electrical and electronics engineering.
Though electrical engineering is one of the oldest streams of engineering, the study programme has adapted over the years to accommodate changing demands and new innovations. At the post graduate level, one can specialise in fields like power system engineering, power electronics, computer technology, and emerging fields like medical imaging and image analysis, and industrial power. The latter, especially is very relevant in the industrial space which has moved into computerisation and automation and involves power distribution and control.
Some institutes like the IITs offer five-year dual degree programmes in electrical engineering, where a student can qualify for a basic degree as well as a post graduate degree in a single programme, saving a whole year of study. Some of the students choose to go for doctoral studies in niche areas of specialisation, with research and development activities for practical applications.
Placement in industry
There are many industrial sectors which employ electrical engineers. Common are core fields like power generation plants, power grid stations and transmission and distribution. Communication and mobile communication systems, robotics and artificial intelligence, optical communication, and allied industries like automobiles and aerospace are a few sectors that are finding space for electrical engineers. Electrical engineers are also in demand in the medical diagnostics field.
Some of the roles in industry are detailed below:
Telecommunication
Telecommunication is a high-growth area where electrical engineers are employed in large numbers. Telecommunication engineering involves transmission of information over cables, optical fiber or space. Employability is expanding in services such as local area networks, wire links and satellite communication.
Power Sector
This is a core field for electrical engineers where they are involved in power generation from several sources like turbine, hydro, fuel cell, solar, nuclear, geothermal and wind among others. They are also responsible for electrical power transmission and distribution from domestic and industrial consumers to public lighting. They are also involved in the design and maintenance of power grids and power systems.
Semiconductor devices
Manufacturers of integrated circuits continue to improve on the design of their chips, and they need electrical engineers who can innovate and use new materials and create faster and more powerful products in the face of hard competition and harder development time constraints.
Defence Industry
Electrical and electronics engineering is a key component in the design and development of electronic and power equipment in the aerospace industry, especially in the manufacture of aircraft, helicopters, and spacecraft. Controls, communications, navigation equipment and flight simulators are the important areas where an electrical engineer can apply his knowledge and skills.
Manufacturing
Electrical engineers are very relevant to the manufacturing industry in the context of a competitive market where manufacturing processes and costs need to be optimised to gain advantage in product pricing. Traditional manufacturing rules have given way to innovation where quality systems are in place everywhere from automated production lines to overall management.
Salary
Electrical engineers form a niche society of engineers who command good respect and pay. Electrical engineering has so much to offer that even an electrical service engineer can earn about Rs 8,000 per month. Average remuneration for an electrical engineer is about Rs 15,000 – Rs 25,000 depending upon the role assumed, the industry and public/ private sector. Jobs in government sectors offer additional benefits, but the private sector offers more scope in emerging specialisations.
Eligibility
At the undergraduate level, a candidate requires a background in Physics and Mathematics. A coursework-based study in electrical engineering or a doctoral programme in electrical engineering demands a basic bachelor’s degree in the same discipline or a related one. Foreign universities determine admissions based on several criteria, including the industry standing of the institute where the bachelor’s degree was completed.
Career Prospects
Right from simple electrical gadgets to complex GPS systems, electrical and electronics engineers have contributed in a big way to the development of several industries. Electrical and electronics engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacture of electrical and electronic equipment. Some of this equipment includes broadcast and communications systems, electric motors, machinery controls, lighting, and wiring in buildings, automobiles, aircraft, and radar and navigation systems, and power generating, controlling, and transmission devices used by electric utilities. Many engineers also work in areas closely related to computers, and specialise in industrial robot control systems or aviation electronics. The increasing demand for electrical and electronic goods, advanced communications equipment, defence-related electronic equipment, and consumer electronics has had a corresponding influence on the growth of employment opportunities for electrical engineers. Job growth is expected to be fastest in the services industries, especially consulting firms that provide electronic engineering expertise.
Top Study Destinations – Colleges & Universities
- Purdue University: http://www.purdue.edu/
- Princeton University: http://www.princeton.edu/
- University of Newcastle: http://www.ncl.ac.uk/
- University of Ontario: http://www.uoit.ca/
- Jacobs University: http://www.jacobs-university.de/
- IIT, Delhi:http://www.iitd.ac.in
- BITS, Pilani: http://discovery.bits-pilani.ac.in
- National Institute of Technology: http://www.nitt.ac.in
- Institute of Technology, Benaras Hindu University: http://www.itbhu.ac.in
- Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology, Allahabad: http://wwwmnnit.ac.in
