Electrical Engineering Student

Status
Not open for further replies.

jman0933

Member
I am going to college for an electrical engineering degree. I found this website while researching for a project. I like working with my hands and making things work. I would rather not be sitting at a desk researching and designing. I was told that an electrical engineering tecnician actually "builds" things. My question is what am I in for? What do electrical engineering technicians do? Do they wire buildings or work at power plants? Thanks
 

crash

Member
Re: Electrical Engineering Student

:eek: I have never seen a tecnician " on sight" with the exception of programing and verification. Electrcians build the systems.
 

big john

Senior Member
Location
Portland, ME
Re: Electrical Engineering Student

Personally, I think an EE degree would be a pretty spectacular thing to have if you later decided to get into electrical work.

Nothing like having an absolute understanding of the systems you are working on.

...But that's just me.

-John
 

pierre

Senior Member
Re: Electrical Engineering Student

Jman

If you want the best of both worlds here is my advice.
Get your degree in electrical engineering. While you are in college, try to work for an electrical contractor during your off time :p . Then when your degree is in hand you will be able to make a better decision. The degree will be immensely harder to get if you work in the field first, and it will come in handy if you decide to work in the field upon graduating. The possibilities of the different types of work available in this industry are much greater if you have both skills.

Pierre
 
G

Guest

Guest
Re: Electrical Engineering Student

In EE school the students that make A's make good teachers.

The ones that make B's make good inspectors.

The ones that make C's make good money.

The ones that make D's make really good cheeseburgers.

The ones that make F's make nothing.
 

jrdsg

Senior Member
Re: Electrical Engineering Student

wayne, you are hysterical.

but you have a point. a lot of the ee's i know eventually ended up doing something else for a living. the better electricians all have one-ton dually trucks and all the toys.

for every guy that graduates in the top 10% of his class there are nine behind him. admiral gehmen [headed up the Columbia inquiry at nasa] jokes that he graduated in the top four-fifths of his class at penn st.
 

jman0933

Member
Re: Electrical Engineering Student

Thanks for the replies...a few more questions. I plan on getting my EE degree. What is the difference between an Electrical Engineering degree and an Electrical Engineering Technology degree? Maybe I should talk to a consoler at school? What exactly is the field of work for an EE? They design and inspect? Finally, after I did get my EE degree, how do you become an electrician? Is there a degree for that or do you learn on the job as an apprentice? What is the best way to get started? Thanks guys...big help :)
 

spsnyder

Senior Member
Re: Electrical Engineering Student

I knew someone that decided to switch from Eng. to Engineering Tech. Most of the core classes were the same. The tech had more "hands-on" and less theory, she said. I know the math and physics requirements were less than in the engineering. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Scott
 

lady sparks lover

Senior Member
Re: Electrical Engineering Student

Hey All,

I started out trying to get an EE degree, but realized, I had more of a background in building design with a degree in Architectural Engineering.

EE didn't teach me much about higher voltages as did Architectural Engineering for building design, because you'll have more a background with AE.

I found that EE now a days, are directed more towards Electronics Engineering. No disrepect to EEs, just that you'll have more a construction background with Architectural Engineering!! ;)

Lady
 

tony_psuee

Senior Member
Location
PA/MD
Re: Electrical Engineering Student

jman,

I have an EET degree and the biggest difference between it and a straight EE is as mentioned by spsnyder, more focus on applied and not just theory. Academically it was 2 credits less of differential equations and algebra based chemisty and physics rather than calculus based. What you do with your degree is up to you. I chose not pursue the eletronic end of it because I didn't want to be chained to a desk. I agree with Pierre, try and get summer work with an electrical contractor. If you get into the industrial arena you will learn a lot more about what you need in those summers than you will have in a class room.

Tony
 

charlie b

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Lockport, IL
Occupation
Retired Electrical Engineer
Re: Electrical Engineering Student

The ?field? of work (I?m sure the pun was unintended :D ) of a EE ranges from design, to testing, to field investigations, to maintenance, to inspection, to construction support, to operation, to research, to product development, to sales, to marketing. Areas of specialization include power systems (my area), communication systems, circuits, networks, electro-magnetic fields, computer hardware, computer software, electronics, semiconductors, electron devices, optics, reliability, and artificial intelligence. The company I work for performs design and construction support work for core and shell infrastructure, tenant improvements, substations, distribution networks, network vaults, switchgear, motor control centers, cable systems, ductbanks, HVAC equipment, lighting systems, and protective relaying. We design power, lighting, instrumentation, and control systems for marine terminals, boiler plants, commercial marinas, airports, universities, generating stations including diesel ?generator farms,? transmission and distribution systems, military facilities, hospitals, medical diagnostic laboratories, waste water treatment facilities, and hazardous material storage facilities.

I?ll confirm that a EE program does involve a higher level of math than does a EET program. I happened to enjoy that; others who enjoyed it less made it through the program anyway. The laboratory courses tend to focus on the how and why of nature?s behavior, and less on the tools and techniques of measuring that behavior.

But to answer your observation: Yes, you should discuss it with a counselor. May fortune smile on your choices.

Charles E. Beck, P.E.
BS-EE, MS-EE
 

pwhite

Senior Member
Re: Electrical Engineering Student

jman,
as already pointed out, the ee degree is more math intensive and less hands on.

the electrical technology degree is more hands on and application intensive, still math intensive, but not as much as the ee degree.

the real trick is to find a good school that not only has what you want, but the faculity & staff that will take time for you as a student, & not treating you like you like cattle.

you might also want to try the co-op plan. 1 semester in school, the next is on the job training.

a piece of advice for you, you cannot take a class this month and forget it the next. the classes taken in 2003 will be part of the 2004,,,,life's requirements. you just cannot forget it.
 

jman0933

Member
Re: Electrical Engineering Student

I am already in the EET program and that is the one that suits me better. Last question...can you become an electrician with an EET degree or is there a whole different major for that? Are there any requirements on the licensing as to which degrees you have to have? Thanks for the help :)
 
G

Guest

Guest
Re: Electrical Engineering Student

In California you need 2000 hours in the trade to get an electricians license. You have to be licensed to be an electrician. You get a waiver while you are in a qualified apprenticeship program. Your mileage may vary.

Here is a link to the CA program:
http://www.dir.ca.gov/DAS/AB2481.htm

Less than 10% of the electricians tested so far have failed to pass the test. There is a final deadline for being certified coming up in 2005.

There is an annual requirement of 32-hours of continuing education to keep up on the craft & codes.

../Wayne C.

[ October 20, 2003, 05:40 PM: Message edited by: awwt ]
 

jman0933

Member
Re: Electrical Engineering Student

What do you mean final deadline? After that, no more electrican's licenses given out? Is this nationwide or CA? I live in NY...
 
G

Guest

Guest
Re: Electrical Engineering Student

This is just the CA program. Each state has its own (or not).

If you're not certified legally you'll have to stop working in CA unless you are in an apprenticeship program.

5. What is the deadline to be certified?

All employees of C-10 contractors (with the exception of apprentices enrolled in registered apprenticeship programs) must be certified by January 1, 2005.
 

hbiss

EC, Westchester, New York NEC: 2014
Location
Hawthorne, New York NEC: 2014
Occupation
EC
Re: Electrical Engineering Student

...can you become an electrician with an EET degree or is there a whole different major for that? Are there any requirements on the licensing as to which degrees you have to have?

I think we are getting way off track here. Yeah, it is a whole different major. Becoming an electrician has nothing to do with any EE college courses you take or any degrees you have or may not have. To become an electrician you put a certain number of years working for someone to learn the trade. If you belong to a union it will probably be supplemented with classroom training. Then, depending on where you are, you then take a licensing exam if you are required to be licensed. Actually, some locations will accept a degree as a small part of the process.

This is not to say that an EE or an EET degree isn't a good thing and won't be of any use to you if you do decide to pursue an electrical career.
 

racraft

Senior Member
Re: Electrical Engineering Student

Electrical Engineering and engineering technology have little to do with being an electrician.

Electrical Engineers usually specialize in one are of engineering. Some specialize in software, some special in microwaves, some specialize in radar, some specialize in power systems, and on and on.

Those who earn their EET degrees may work on printed circuit boards, they may work on radar units, they may work on computers, and on and on.

I will allow one (or more) of the electricians to say what it is that electricians do, as I will oversimplify it by leaving out many things, and probably offend some of them.
 

rickcham

Member
Re: Electrical Engineering Student

jman
if you want ot have more fun look into the electro-mechanical engineers. We know enough in both fields to be flexible and if you are interested in the power generation field(ie: gas and steam turbines)When working in the power generation field, most of the times I run across ME's doing the electrical design and testing.
Stick with the EE school, find a contracotr to work on the weekends and summer. Both will give you a good knowledge of the field and can be a start to a good career.
Good Luck
 

dholbrook

Member
Re: Electrical Engineering Student

jman,

I have an AAS in EET and am almost finished with the BSAS requirements. I to wanted the hands-on and as others suggested to you, worked for an electrical contractor for almost 5 years. I learned all the field stuff about material, tools, etc. I now work for an Mechanical, Electrical, Civil, Plumbing, and Telecomm Engineering firm and found design to be the most rewarding for me. EET students are in high demand in the electronics and PLC fields of work, but you can also pursue the building engineering aspect. If you plan on taking the FE and PE, you can really make your own decision on what suits you best. Good luck!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top