What are good professions for an EE?

That's a good way to get out, see what's going on, and maybe later do something else.

I don't think so. If you're *good* at it, you'll be valued and have a lot of fun anywhere. But very few EEs are really good designers.

Aerospace engineering is interesting. Big fun gadgets, generally good management, low tolerance for doofusses, lots of funding, and a lot of old-timers retiring.

John

--
Why should physical bounds matter when it\'s your boundless soaring
mind that\'s doing the work?

Talk to your professors. I found each one of mine had a favorite specialty in EE and was always glad to talk about the pros and cons within.

I actually enjoy documenting things. I enjoy technical writing. Ever buy a brand-new DVD player and found the manual written in the most incomprehensible Japlish? Ever try to troubleshoot a circuit without schematics or documentation? Writing things down clearly for future users really helps.

Look around you and you'll find just about anything within arm's reach could benefit from a EE's talents. Appliances, toys, entertainment electronics, automotive, etc. Subscribe to trade journals. Most of them are available for free. Check your campus library, too.

Heck, you might find a job you like with the school you just graduated from. It happens! :)

Find a need, and fill it.

Myself, I don't really enjoy designing circuits. I like repairing them.

I remember a visiting professor once told my class, "There's never a recession in the electric power industry."

Surely that should be Chinglish by now ?

Graham

Probably not the best field to avoid that! Most likely the majority of us either cubicle or lab dwellers of some form. Best way to avoid that is to get involved in an industry that has products or projects used out in the field. e.g. I used to work in the marine industry, hence you had the option to travel the world and go out to sea if you wanted. Another guy I know worked at a company that did airborne radar mapping stuff, so he spent half his time in a helicopter.

Then definitely avoid companies that do military or medical stuff.

You will rarely be appreciated or recognised for extra hours you put in, avoid extra hours at all costs unless you are paid by the hour. Get a life outside of work and learn to enjoy it.

Yep, an applications engineer is generally an engineer who doesn't have any useful skills (probably the majority of grads). At least you won't be stuck in a cubicle all the time, and there is generally a fair bit of travel.

Systems engineering is mostly paperwork. generally not very exciting stuff, but generally not a bad option if you want to climb the ladder into management one day.

You get your hands dirty having to fix or build big stuff yourself, and the pressure can be very high to get something either introduced or fixed. e.g. I used to work in the production engineering field and if something broke or something was a day late the company would lose $100,000 a day. People get a bit up-tight about that.

If you enjoy desinging stuff then this is the place to be. Generally a cubicle or lab dwelling job, but you get out an about occasionally. Generally not very high paying.

Some others: "Field Engineer" - Sometimes you are no more than a glorified technician, but you get to travel the world a lot. Well worth considering when you are young and single.

"Software Engineer" - usually involves embedded firmware or some such. Your EE skills will make you more suited than a regular computer science geek. Cubicle city.

And of course there a ton of specially fields within all the above areas. e.g. you could be a PCB designer or VHDL specialist.

All of these "fields" vary greatly between industries and companies, it's hard to define them.

Dave.

Since when does a professor know anything about the real world? :->

Dave.

If you are not too concerned about income, consider a job in engineering support for a university research lab or some small-to-middle-sized company. You may have to do a certain amount of equipment repairs, especially if you are the only EE-type around, but that can be quite educational if the equipment is exotic stuff.

But the best part is the stuff you will get to design and build. It will usually be custom stuff that can't be bought off-the-shelf, so the design work will be interesting. You will have *much* more control over the project than you would in any of those "conventional" EE positions. You'll have to keep up to date on new technologies that you can apply. You'll have to spec out and order parts. (Yeah, there will be *some* paperwork... but it won't dominate you.)

Basically, you will almost be your own boss, but with benefits, a pension, and a regular (if modest) salary.

Best regards,

Bob Masta D A Q A R T A Data AcQuisition And Real-Time Analysis

Scope, Spectrum, Spectrogram, Signal Generator Science with your sound card!

Even burger flippers have to do paperwork.

--
Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I\'ve got my DD214 to
prove it.
Member of DAV #85.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

One lives in hope !

Graham