I would love to do some (UK) qualifications in Electronics and was looking at the Open University site, but they don't seem to offer any courses in Electronics.
Does any one know of any accredited distance learning courses I can do in the field of Electronics?
Before you say it - I don't just want to buy a diploma from the internet - I wan't to study and work towards some qualifiaction - but I can't afford to give up full time work to do it.
martin
sorry, I miss read your post,
martin
You know Miss Read? I met Mr Read the other day, it's a small world after all. Or maybe I misread that.
Electronics is quite a broad field, i.e. do you want to design ICs, repair toasters or something in between? Are you interested in digital RF, analogue etc?
What is your current level of education, in particular, did you study science or maths at GCSE or A level?
If you want to do electronic design professionally you will probably want an engineering or science degree.
-- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- To reply to me directly: Replace privacy.net with: totalise DOT co DOT uk and replace me with gareth.harris
Well now. If you just want to learn about electronics, best thing is to subscribe to Electronics Weekly or Elektor and try building some of the projects in there. You'll learn way more from your first few projects than in your first few weeks of study, and it will give you heaps of perspective for when you *do* study. I have met 18 year old wannabe electronic engineers who have never held a soldering iron.
Most jobs ads ask for an HNC or degree in electronic engineering, or related discipline.
If you want a design job, I guess the place to get an initial perspective is the professional organisation for several types of engineer, including electronic ones:
perhaps specifically
Most electronic engineers I know who work in design, did a degree in electronic engineering at a recognised university, some in the UK, others abroad and then migrated here for work. The UK ones are all in the IET.
Most people who did not get a university degree, but got the next step down - an HNC or other similar qualification, ended up as technicians. In my opinion, a technician is not a particularly well paid job. Most technicians are damn bright people but could make more money, and feel more valued, in an office position - although they may find it terribly dull.
The key to getting into design seems to be to be recruited directly from university into a company's development department, and after you've been there a few years you have some credibility. If you drop out of the design side to become, say, a field sales engineer or a service technician, then it is difficult to get back into design. I've been involved in interviewing many people for development departments in the UK, and if they don't have a degree in electronics (or possibly a related science), they don't even get offered an interview.
Whilst it is true that engineering is not a highly valued profession in the UK, socially, it depends on what you mean by engineering. The government, companies etc keep moaning about lack of engineers whilst paying them very little. Anyone intelligent enough to be an engineer realises that manufacturing companies (which are of necessity driven by financial pressures) will relocate low level jobs to the Far East or whereever wages are lowest. It would be the same in the USA, etc. But for top quality engineers, there are some exciting opportunities, very responsible, well paid careers. But you need to be *really* good for those and, they don't involve much design work. basically if you think you have the guts and intelligence to be a manager - 1st class degree, followed by years of hard work to become a project manager, engineering manager, consultant - you can make a lot of money.
If however you are not about to enter university, which seems likely as you are in full time work, and are unsure of whether you have the breadth of experience for top level engineering jobs, might I suggest a career in IT? I'm not being sarcastic, I see IT graduates who seem not enormously intelligent walking into jobs and their incomes overtaking mine all the time. What I find upsetting is that they often seem totally uninterested in the companies which hire them, as one put it "why should I talk to the staff who use my apps, I don't know or care what this factory makes; it's all just bytes to me".
However, it could be that the IT industry will see a contraction in the future as floods of highly qualified, English speaking Indian graduates come into the market. I'm not sure about that though - the demand for IT seems to rise all the time because companies' bureaucracies are essentially self-replicating lifeforms whose complexity rises unchecked until the company drowns in its own printouts. (From this you'll see I may be a bit biased and cynical myself, so don't take my advice as 100% true by any means! Assume it is 85% bullshit and just add it into your mind's melting pot and let it simmer with other experiences, and make up your own perspective on the state of UK business.)
Don't be too worried about the economy re: engineering. If UK engineering was really as dire as some think, why are so many Eastern European engineers migrating here? The large UK engineering companies are being sold off and asset stripped, which is why we have no apprenticeships any more, but dynamic and fun new 'uns are springing up all the time, often spinoffs from universities.
-- Nemo
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