I've decided to become an electronic designer as a career choice: any advice?

"Since knowledge is but sorrow's spy, it is not safe to know." - d'Avenant.

Paul Burridge wrote

I live in the UK too, Paul.

Originally, I started playing with ECC83s, EF80s, EL84s, OC72s, OC35s etc behind what was called the Iron Curtain, 1960s, then came to the UK and moved on to BC109s, 709s and 741s. Also 807s and pirate radio transmitters :) Much later, moved on to programming micros; in the mid-1980s so a little too late to get in on the big wave when everybody was modernising their products. But I started my own business so was able to do what I wanted.

I think someone really good in electronics, especially understanding analog stuff, is going to be very busy. Very very few people here, under about 50, understand electronics, and most of those are either retired, or want to be, or have moved to "management" so long ago they have forgotten it.

It's a great career, and - provided you stick to niche markets - every year that goes by it's easier to outperform the competition, which just seems to get dumber and dumber. Especially if you start your own business and design your own products. I've made loads of money because I can design something that draws 3mA, while my competitors (mostly in the USA) have never managed better than 20mA. I don't understand why they can't but I suppose they just buy off the shelf chips, with no imagination. I employ someone who grinds off the key component markings with an engraving tool :)

In the UK, it's harder to get a well paid full time job in electronics, because engineers are not valued much. So, it's back to running your own business.

And it's never been easier to do! I don't actually do this (have a slightly bigger business now) but you can make a super living just selling clever products off your website, with no salesmen, no distributors.

Today, I spend too much time running around, and would like to retire so I can get back to hardware and firmware development full-time.

Peter.

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