“Electricity is really just organized lighting” - George Carlin
Electrical Engineering is a field that studies the different ways of using electricity. It includes the study of the equipment that can be used to generate and distribute electricity. Electrical Engineering is a discipline that deals with many other subjects such as Biology, Chemistry, Medicine, Physics etc. It mostly involves large – scale work that deals with high voltage electricity. Engineers who are professionals in this field are called Electrical Engineers.
Electrical Engineers are hired to work on micro – level projects like designing circuits as well as large scale projects such as designing the electronic grid of a town. They get jobs in a variety of industries, such as power plants, Computers, Telecommunications, and Medicine etc.
What do Electrical Engineers do?
Electrical Engineering is concerned with electricity and ways to transmit electrical power. Electrical Engineers usually work with all forms of energy, including Electro Magnetic fields, Electricity and Sound. Their basic job is to understand and utilize electricity in way that it can be used to provide useful products and services to the public.
The primary job of an Electrical Engineer is to design products that are powered by electricity. Electrical Engineers are also supposed to maintain these products and improve on their defects. They come up with ideas of new products, design them and work on the logistics. They have to understand the intended purpose of the product and then move towards achieving it.
Many times, an Electrical Engineer works specifically on a single type of product, like a motor. Electrical Engineers design and alter the manufacturing techniques of the product so as to minimize defects and maximize the product’s performance. They work on the design in detail and figure out a way to make the product perform better without increasing its manufacturing costs.
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Electrical Engineers often design and work on new devices that have never been created before. This requires imagination and application of engineering knowledge. It is their job to make new and useful devices and test them. They have to rectify defects and come up with a properly functioning product that uses electricity.
One of the most important jobs that an Electrical Engineer has to perform is to design circuits and wiring of products and structures. This is an extremely important job as the basis of the functioning of any electrical product is in its circuit. Electrical Engineers usually make a prototype to test the wiring and circuits.
Electrical Engineers are also required to test and correct flawed products that may or may not be created by them. They have to study the product carefully, and figure out ways through which it can meet its purpose successfully without limitations.
It becomes important as an Electrical Engineer to come up with technical drawings that specify the right way to use the product. It is important to specify instructions and specifications to ensure that the product functions smoothly.
Some Electrical Engineers perform research on the various ways through which electricity can be used to benefit humanity. They conduct experiments and come up with theories. Their study is focused on the nature of electricity and its various applications.
Another vital task that Electrical Engineers perform is to design and create equipment that can be used to measure, sense, convert, transmit and receive energy.
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How to become an Electrical Engineer?
Electrical Engineers develop, design and supervise the manufacture of electrical equipment. It is a job that requires an immense amount of skill. Professionals in this field are respected and well – paid, but reaching that stage is not easy.
To become an Electrical Engineer, you will study subjects like Math, Chemistry and Physics at school. Choose the Science stream after your Class 10th.
Once you complete your schooling, you would pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering. To pursue the degree, you would have to excel in engineering entrance exams such as the JEE (Main) and JEE (Advanced) for the IITs and NITs and state entrance exams for other institutes in your state.
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After your graduation, you can choose to pursue a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering. Though this is not necessary, it can be of great help if you’re sure about working in a very specific field within Electrical Engineering. You can also choose to pursue a PhD after your Master’s if your interest lies in detailed research.
Internships can be of great help if you want to get into Electrical Engineering. You should take up internships whenever possible. They not only give you the opportunity to gain vital industry experience, but will also help you in making contacts and building reputation.
Networking is a vital part of every profession, including Electrical Engineering. You should not miss any chance to create contacts and build relationships. Attending seminars, joining associations and subscribing to journals are great ways to build contacts.
Institutions:
Almost all engineering colleges in India provide specialization in the field of Electrical Engineering. The IITs are one of the best institutions in the world for Electrical Engineering. They provide you with a B.Tech in Electrical Engineering upon graduation. They also have a very reputed Master’s course. Amongst the IITs, IIT Bombay and IIT Delhi are considered to be the best for Electrical Engineering. Apart from the IITs, Institute of Technology, Benaras Hindu University in Varanasi and Indian School of Mines (ISM), Dhanbad are great institutions for a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering. Both will provide you with a B.Tech in Electrical Engineering upon graduation.
What are the skills required to become an Electrical Engineer?
Electrical Engineers design useful products that use electricity. Therefore, they need to have a very strong knowledge base in the field of Physics and Math. They need to have analytical brains and the ability to reason logically. Electrical Engineers are often required to make important decisions that can change the nature of the product they’re working on. Therefore, decision making skills are a necessity. They need to be dedicated and patient. It is also important for Electrical Engineers to have the ability to work on a micro level where they have to design circuits as well as be able to work on a large scale where they have to manage electric grids. They need to have the ability to come up with quick and effective solutions to problems. They should have a basic knowledge about computers as well. It is also important for Electrical Engineers to have the ability to work in teams. Most of all, Electrical Engineers need to have the genuine desire to use electricity to come up with useful products that can benefit humanity.
Is this the right career for me?
The life of an Electrical Engineer is full of field work. Electrical Engineers need to work on large scale projects which require a lot of hard work and stamina. They have to constantly find solutions to problems. They also face situations which are dangerous as their work involves the use of high voltage electricity. It is a well paying career that allows one to work in a wide variety of industries.
So if you’re interested in the ways electricity can be used to benefit mankind, and if you’d like the prospect of learning new methods and concepts throughout your career, then this might just be the perfect job for you.
Fields Related to Electrical Engineering:
Electronic Engineering is often falsely considered to be the same as Electric Engineering. Even though both are related fields, the scale and nature of work is very different. Electronic Engineering deals with designing and testing circuits that use electro – magnetism. It involves designing components like resistors, inductors etc.
Telecommunications is a field that comprises of the process of communicating at a distance through electric signal and/or electromagnetic waves. It is a field that brings together Computer Science with Electrical Engineering. Telecommunications Engineers are required to design and implement components like copper wire telephone facilities, fiber optics etc.
Optical Engineering involves the study of light, its behavior and properties. Optical Engineers study how light interacts with other matter. They create instruments that use or detect light, such as microscopes, lenses, telescopes etc. Optical Engineers are also closely involved with laser beams, manufacturing of CDs, DVDs etc.
