ELECTRICIAN v. ENGINEER

[Jyonk]

Hi there i am currently twenty years young and working with a construction maintenance company out of Bellevue WA, currently just a crew member/ handyman. They have shown great interest in the idea of myself going to school in the field of electricity (that being they have to sub-contract for projects). I started doing research and found that there is a long living debate between these two careers and would like to hear first hand what people in the field have to say. which is the solid route to excelling in this career field?

 

[djohns6]

I can't wait for this ...

 

[Sierrasparky]

I guess it depends if you want to get dirty or not.
If you have the math skills to be a engineer. Not saying you don't need to know any math to be a sparky.

 

[Besoeker]

Hi there i am currently twenty years young and working with a construction maintenance company out of Bellevue WA, currently just a crew member/ handyman. They have shown great interest in the idea of myself going to school in the field of electricity (that being they have to sub-contract for projects). I started doing research and found that there is a long living debate between these two careers and would like to hear first hand what people in the field have to say. which is the solid route to excelling in this career field?

Do both.

 

[iceworm]

... They have shown great interest in the idea of myself going to school in the field of electricity (that being they have to sub-contract for projects). I started doing research and found that there is a long living debate between these two careers ...

So what are you asking exactly - Is it "electrician or engineer"?

Who is the "they" that are showing the interest? And are "they" paying the bill?

What would be their expectations of what you would be able to do after you get this schooling?

As for either "engineer/electrician": If you are any good, either is good work and good money. If you are mediocre, either is okay and pays a living wage.

As for the engineering, well, I spent 5 years pulling wire, generator mechanic/operator, humping parts/material, electrical/instrumentation maintnenance. Then four years in college, then 10 years getting experience - and a PE ticket.

The electrician side is not much different. Typical might be: 8000hrs apprentice, two to four years in school - some concurrent, 2 more years and another exam to get an Administrators License (maybe called a Masters)

My choice:
I'm a field dog - I get dirty. 40hrs/week in an office would drive me even further over the edge I don't dislike design engineers. If not for them - I'd have made a lot less money. Owners are plenty willing to pay to have that design paper turned into a working asset that meets their expectations. I've been at it 40 years since school - and I like it.

The other side of the coin is I have to work with excellent, capable, electricians or I can't do my job. And they are not any easier to find than good engineers.

Punchline:
Either way, you aren't going to be much use to them for several years And, you can't get your COF or PE working for them. This is where I would ask, "What are your expectations?"

You are 20 years old - Pick one and get at it. Which would I suggest? Well, as mentioned, if you can handle the math ....

ice

 

[Iron_Ben]

Like iceworm directly above I've done and enjoyed both. Roughly five years as an apprentice and electrician and 30 years as an engineer with a PE license. The combination of the practical (hands on work) and theoretical (principles learned at the university level) is a real asset.

There is not one thing "wrong" with being an electrician and I don't consider electrical engineers superior in *any* way. I think anyone I've ever worked with would tell you I am not blowing smoke when I say that.

You can support a family with the wages from either career, although in general an engineer will make more. How much, beats me. Maybe 25% on average? Although we can all come up with cases of electricians making $120k+ and engineers only $60k or $70k.

Both careers offer a chance to do interesting, important and fulfilling work. Pretty much can't go wrong. As ice alluded to a couple of times, mathematical skills are critical and probably the single biggest predictor of success or failure in engineering school. If you enjoy math you might do well as an electrical engineer. If your math skills are below average and you struggle with numbers in general it will be very hard to get through electrical engineering school.

Stay with the hands on side of things for at least a little while. Keep your eyes open, and ask questions. Lots of them. To old hand electricians and engineers alike. You'll figure it out in due time. Good luck!

Ben

 

[charlie b]

So if you are twenty years young now, and if you go to school full time, then you will be twenty four years young when you finish. How old will you be in four years if you don't go to school?

The biggest thing that you don't get in a BSEE degree program is a practical, hands-on understanding of the nature of electrical installation, construction, and maintenance work. You also don't learn anything about the NEC. Having already had a start in doing electrical work will give you a great advantage, when it comes to performing design work as an EE.

My recommendation is that you look carefully at your options for becoming an engineer. Check into the local schools. Look into Internet classes and night classes. Apply for scholarship money. What I am trying to say is that you should not turn down the engineering alternative, without first knowing what it would take to travel down that path.

 

[BlaineXD]

This is coming from a young guy still in school. I spent 4 in the Air Force playing elec technician, and decided to get a BSEET when I got out. It is great! You get a lot of hands-on experience, but have the benefit of getting all the theory and math you can handle. And its pretty versatile; I'm in an EE internship with a infrastructure consulting firm in Baltimore this summer, but I have also had offers for next summer from Pepco/ BGE and Dominion Power. I'm not an overly exceptional student, so I think the degree and background experience is what is getting me the internships over the other EEs that apply. Just wanted to throw out another inbetween option. With that said, alot of my professors have said that EETs get paid less even if they are doing the same job as EEs. In the end the question I would ask is what do you want to be doing 10 years from now? And what would be the best to facilitate getting there?

Best of luck with your decision,
--Nate

 

[DarylH]

I've been working in electronics for almost 40 years now and it continues to be both challenging and rewarding.

Started out as a technician and soon worked my way into engineering and eventually added my PE.

While I've done electrical work, most of my experience has been with electronics and communications systems, so I can't directly comment on work as an electrician.

My initial thought is that working up the electrican path you would start earning income apprenticing as an electrician and start making a living wage sooner because you'll complete your training earlier than in the engineer path.

Working up the engineer path, you spend a minimum of four years getting a BSEE, and spend a fair bit paying for the education as well. As pointed out above, you may be able to get into a an internship program paying a small salary, but also and possibly more importantly, earning experience and connections toward employment following your graduation.

The career choices as a EE are going to be broader than those available in the electrician path because there is simply more variety in all the kinds of things and ways that electricity is used.

Also as pointed out above, the earning potential as an engineer is generally higher, though there certainly electricians making more than some engineers.

Math is a key skill, certainly through the schooling process when learning the fundamentals. But if you can get through that, as a practicing engineer there are a lot of tools and computer aids out there that make life easier and day to day math use isn't that big of a deal.

One of the things you'll study in the engineer path is engineering economics, it's also part of the EIT and PE exam. It is useful in comparing investments and you look at the time value of money and how to bring everything back to the cost or value at day 1 for comparison purposes.

I would recommend that you spend a bit of time web searching both "engineering economics" and "time value of money". You'll find a plethora of youtube videos that help you walk through an analysis. The Khan Academy is likely going to have some good stuff too.

The point is to sit down and make a comparative cash flow diagram for the cost of training/education for both the electrical and engineering paths, and then to make some reasonable assumptions for income for each path for the first ten to twenty years.

The math is pretty straightforward and well explained in the few videos I just took a quick look at and should be well within your grasp if considering an engineering degree EE, civil, or whathave you.

Armed with the results of your analysis, you can do a cost/benefit comparison. Beyond the base financial comparison, both paths have the potential to be rewarding, particularly if you continue to seek growth in your understanding and capabilities in the art. a

In the end it is up to you to decide if either path has a more appealing outcome for you given your personality, background, and situation.

 

[petersonra]

This is coming from a young guy still in school. I spent 4 in the Air Force playing elec technician, and decided to get a BSEET when I got out. It is great! You get a lot of hands-on experience, but have the benefit of getting all the theory and math you can handle. And its pretty versatile; I'm in an EE internship with a infrastructure consulting firm in Baltimore this summer, but I have also had offers for next summer from Pepco/ BGE and Dominion Power. I'm not an overly exceptional student, so I think the degree and background experience is what is getting me the internships over the other EEs that apply. Just wanted to throw out another inbetween option. With that said, alot of my professors have said that EETs get paid less even if they are doing the same job as EEs. In the end the question I would ask is what do you want to be doing 10 years from now? And what would be the best to facilitate getting there?

Best of luck with your decision,
--Nate

I went the BSEET route. These days I cannot recommend it. It is not all that much harder (if at all) to get a BSEE and then you can go get a PE. More and more places want some kind of credentials, even though for the most part it is meaningless for most jobs.

 

[fmtjfw]

I spent 1969--2002 as a programmer, software engineer and software architect, mostly doing very complex software -- writing operating system software. I left it for several reasons, one being that they kept shipping my work overseas. Had that happen basically 4 times in a row over about 10 years. I then went to trade school and became a licensed electrician. I enjoy[ed] the work both physical and mental. I'm now 67 and mostly retired but still looking for interesting electrical work.

Unfortunately engineering, especially the branches of software/electrical/electronic engineering, are all possible to do at a distance.

Until someone invents a cheap "daVinci" machine (human-controlled surgery) electricians need to be where the work is.

I think engineering is a fine career. I would just worry about the jobs staying here. [Once burnt, twice shy.]

 

[ASG]

I think engineering is a fine career. I would just worry about the jobs staying here. [Once burnt, twice shy.]

How is somebody going to survey economically if the jobs aren't here?

 

[DarylH]

How is somebody going to survey economically if the jobs aren't here?

I don't have the exact figure, but my company has hired at least a hundred engineers in the last year.

Not everyone is exporting tech jobs overseas.

 

[kingpb]

Electrician 11 yrs, then got BSEE degree (Power Engineering), and have been PE for 20yrs. I miss the field everyday, until it gets cold outside :jawdrop:. Also, probably looking for work more often as electrician. But with formal training it can be very rewarding and good living.

Many different areas of being EE; work is steady and relatively easy to find. World wide opportunities exist. I have traveled to Japan, South Africa, Mexico, places in Europe, and just about every state in the USA. You will not get rich doing EE work, but it can be a good career and pay is certainly above average. Just don't be afraid to relocate.