Electrical Engineering 1

As an electrical engineer, you will have a range of specialist skills in the design, testing and maintenance of electrical and electronic
systems.
You could specialise in areas such as electrical power systems, electronic system design, electronic instrumentation, control systems and
automation, system engineering, embedded systems and communications systems and networks.
OVERVIEW
Electrical engineering oers you diverse career options in
areas including the power industry, telecommunications,
electronics, biotechnology, manufacturing, automation,
transport, defense, mining, information technology and
consulting services.
Electrical Engineering
Career Pathways
Specialisations
Employment
Sectors and Industries
Automation
Aviation
Biomedical
Broadcast/Sound Engineering
Consulting Technologies and
Management
Electrical Equipment Design,
Manufacturing and Testing
Electronics
Government Departments, Agencies
and Municipal Authorities
Industrial Instrumentation
Minerals and Energy
Pharmaceuticals
Power Generation and Transmission
Refneries
Research and Development
Scientifc
System Engineering
Technical Services
Telecommunications
Tertiary Education
Choosing an occupation, getting that frst
graduate job, and growing in your job will
require planning, self awareness, fexibility
and a forward-looking attitude to help
manage the personal transitions, as well as
the technological and economic changes of
the future. With so many factors to consider
an eective employment plan will include
strategies for enhancing career awareness
& self awareness, and can be done in a
4-Step process, starting with:
1. Doing some self-assessment to clarify
interests and strengths
2. Gathering information and exploring
careers that appeal to you and match
your interests, abilities and values using
myFuture (accessible to the public)
or Adult Directions (via Online Career
Tools for current University of Melbourne
students)
3. Learning about the job market by
investigating Work Experience
opportunities, browsing company/
industry websites and talking to lots of
people in your feld of interest using the
informational interviewing technique
4. Developing job search skills preparing
your job applications and preparing for
interviews using the Online Career Tools
or booking a Career Consultation through
Careers Online (both services available to
current University of Melbourne students).
Career Planning
For university students, career planning is about choosing a career path related to
your feld of study and preparing for employment. While engineering can lead to
specifc occupations it can also give you the foundation for a variety of career paths.
2 Electrical Engineering
Engineering Pathways (Electrical)
School leavers
Melbourne Model degrees (3 years)
Master of Engineering (2 years)
Specialisations:
Bachelor of
Biomedicine
Majors include:
Bioengineering
Systems
Biomedical
Biomolecular
Chemical
Any Bachelors
Degree
Must include
Linear Algebra
and Calculus 2
or equivalents,
along with science
relevant to intended
specialisation.
Note: Duration of
Master of Engineering
will vary from
2-3years depending
on amount of credit
obtained from prior
study
Bachelor of
Environments
Majors include:
Civil Systems
Geomatics
Physical systems
Bachelor of
Commerce
Sequences in the
following Engineering
areas:
Chemical Systems
Civil Systems
Computing and
Sofware Systems
Electrical
Systems
Mechanical Systems
Physical Systems
Bachelor of Science
Majors include:
Bioengineering
Systems
Chemical Systems
Civil Systems
Computing and
Sofware Systems
Electrical
Systems
Geomatics
Mechanical Systems
Exit to employment with professional accreditation
Exit to
employment
(without
professional
accreditation)
School leavers
Note: While the study stream highlighted above is considered the traditional pathway, alternative course plans can achieve the
same qualifcation outcome. Please speak to a University of Melbourne course advisor to discuss your options.
Civil
Electrical
Environmental
Geomatics
Mechanical
Mechatronics
Sofware
Structural
Electrical Engineering 3
Employers
A sample of employers who actively recruit
our Electrical Engineering graduates includes:
For a more extensive listing including current
employment opportunities, University of
Melbourne students can visit Careers
Online, our online jobs portal.
It is also important to attend events like
the Graduate Careers Fair in Semester 1
and student-run Industry Nights to become
familiar with who the key employers are and
the dates of their recruiting campaigns.
Resources
The Careers and Jobs Guide on the
Library website has been developed for
current University of Melbourne students in
conjunction with Careers & Employment.
This guide will help you fnd quality library
resources to help with:
Career planning
Researching industries
Researching employers
Employability skills
Job hunting
Resumes and job applications
Interview preparation
Types of employment
Work Experience
There are many forms of work experience.
With the introduction of the Fair Work
Act 2009, all work experience must be
paid unless the placement forms part of a
university course. For engineering students,
work experience could take the form of an
industry-based fnal year project or a paid
placement (such as those listed below).
Voluntary work for not-for proft agencies
is another way of gaining valuable work
experience but these placements must
adhere to the Vocational Placements
& Student Volunteering Policy.
VACATION PROGRAMS
Are degree-related, structured paid work
placements usually undertaken by students
at the end of their penultimate year of study.
These can ofen lead to a graduate position,
so competition for placements is intense.
Winter vacation programs are available
from time to time.
INTERNSHIPS
Internships are supervised, paid work
placements arranged between the employer
and student, sometimes brokered by the
university. Ranging from a few weeks
part-time to multiple semesters full-time,
internships occur in a feld relevant to the
students qualifcation. Application opening
and closing dates for internships are varied.
CO-OPERATIVE PROGRAMS
Enable students to alternate study terms
with paid work and ofer hands-on experience
contributing to a real project, skills
development and a chance to network with
professionals in the feld. Application opening
and closing dates for co-operative programs
are varied.
CADETSHIPS
Employed positions ofered to students
or graduates, designed to provide specifc
training or mentoring. Cadetships can be
full- or part-time and vary from formalised,
structured schemes to informal arrangements
between an individual and an organisation.
Application opening and closing dates are
varied.
Graduate Employment Programs
Include substantial training, development
and support. Some programs include
rotations through various departments
within the organisation. Usually oered
by large organisations and government
departments, an increasing number of smaller
organisations are now oering graduate
employment programs. Many organisations
ofer a number of programs some for
specifc or technical roles, and others which
are broader based. Graduate programs vary in
length, from 1-3 years. Competition is strong
and fnal year students must apply in March
or April for commencement in January or
February of the following year.
Opportunities to get exposure to
Industry through the Melbourne
School of Engineering:
Connect with industry through the
curriculum, via:
student projects that are partnered with
industry
guest lectures led by industry leaders
site visits hosted by key organisations
career mentoring programs
ABB Australia
Alcatel Lucent
Alcoa
Ausgrid
Beca Pty Ltd
BP Australia
Boeing
Aerostructures
Australia
Deloitte
Energy Matters
Ericsson
ExxonMobil
Gloucester Coal
Hydro Tasmania
IBM
Jacobs
Engineering Group
NEC
NHP Electrical
Engineering
Products
Norman Disney &
Young
Orica Limited
Origin Energy
OzMinerals
PwC
Shell
Telstra
Uhde Shedden
4 Electrical Engineering
AMY WHYKES
Support Engineer, NHP
Electrical Engineering
Products Pty Ltd
Study Area: Electrical
Engineering
Amy Whykes provides technical expertise
and innovative product design solutions at
NHP, a leading supplier of electrical and
automation products and systems:
I work on projects that utilise NHP products
to create integrated solutions which meet
customer requirements. One of my last
projects involved designing a touch-screen
based circuit breaker control system, in
response to customer demand.
During the course of her degree, Amy
attended a variety of careers fairs
and valued the careers support and
opportunities to network with industry
representatives through events like
the Melbourne School of Engineerings
Endeavour Exhibition:
The Endeavour Engineering Exhibition gave
me the opportunity to showcase my fnal
year project to industry representatives,
including my current employer, who are
sponsors of the exhibition.
In her current role, Amy enjoys applying
technical expertise to develop innovative
solutions and aspires to work in product
management in the near future.
Graduate 3-5 years experience 10 years
Career Progression (trajectories) Electrical
Graduate Electrical
Engineer
Graduate Electronic
Engineer
Graduate Electrical
Services Engineer
Graduate Electrical
Systems Engineer
Graduate Electrical
Design Engineer
Graduate Engineer
Electrical/Mechatronics
Junior Electrical
Engineer
Lead Electrical
Engineer
Principal Electrical
Engineer
Senior Electrical
Engineer
Electrical and Instrument Engineer
Electrical Asset Engineer
Electrical Design Engineer
Electrical Engineer
Electronic Engineer
Electrical and Controls Engineer
Electrical Engineer Building
Services
Electrical Engineer Energy
Electrical Engineer Mining
Services
Electrical Engineer
Electrometallurgy
Electrical Engineer Oil and Gas
Electrical Engineer High Voltage
Power Supply
Electrical Engineer Power
Generation
Electrical Engineer Power
Systems/Control Systems
Electrical Engineer Secondary
Substation Design
Electrical Engineer Water/Waste
Water
Electrical Engineer/Control
Systems
Electrical Field Engineer
Electrical/Instrumentation
Engineer
Electrical Engineer Hazardous
Area
Electrical Maintenance Engineer
Electrical Project Engineer
Electrical Reliability Engineer
Electrical Risk Engineer
Electrical Site Engineer
Electrical Telco Engineer
Electrical and Instrumentation
Engineer
Field Electrical Engineer
Oubbye Electrical Engineer
Traction Electrical Systems Design
Engineer
Electrical Engineering 5
Careers in Research
If you are passionate about a certain eld
and would like to advance your research
skills, enrolling in a research higher degree
(RHD) may be a great option for you. RHDs
enhance your ability to problem solve, think
autonomously and creatively, and analyse.
Careers in research are diverse and may
include: academic positions at universities;
policy-making or research positions at public
sector organisations; private sector research
and development projects; and self-employed
consulting positions on technical or policy
issues in your area of expertise.
Alternative Careers
An engineering degree oers you excellent
technical and design expertise, but also
equips you with the foundations for a
diverse range of positions. Over a third of
our graduates choose to move into non-
traditional engineering roles, including:
Management consulting
Finance, economics and banking
Marketing and communications
Business analysis
Project management
Technical writing
Government, policy and intellectual
property management.
For current University of Melbourne students,
Careers Online advertises numerous
generalist graduate jobs during the peak
recruitment season (March-April of your fnal
year). You will ofen nd that many state and
federal government departments and defence
agencies will actively recruit for engineers
as they value their high-end problem-solving
and analytical abilities.
Salary Information
According to a survey conducted in 2011 by
Engineers Australia, gross mean base salary
gures for electrical engineers across the
private and public sectors are as follows:
New graduate: $66,677
2-3 years: $78,557
4-10 years: $101,264
10-15 years: $126,117
Over 15 years: $169,077
Job Outlook
According to the Australian Governments
Job Outlook website*:
Job Prospects for Electrical Engineering
Professionals are good.
Employment for Electrical Engineering
Professionals to 2015-2016 is expected
to grow very strongly. Employment rose
strongly in the last ve years, and in the
long-term (ten years).
The internet vacancy level for Electrical
Engineering Professionals is very high.
The mix of industries employing
Electrical Engineering Professionals is
very favourable for employment growth
prospects.
* The Data on Job Outlook is updated on a yearly
basis and is compiled from national statistics which
may not reect either regional variations or more
recent changes in employment conditions.
Graduate Attributes
for Employment
As a graduate electrical engineer you will
have:
Opportunities to interact with industry
professionals through guest lectures, eld
and project work
A sound fundamental understanding of the
technical skills and principles of electrical
engineering and their application to
complex, open-ended engineering tasks
and problems
Generic skills, including management,
communication, problem-solving and
design and innovation in electrical
engineering
The educational and professional standards
of Engineers Australia and EUR-ACE with
which the course is accredited
Understanding of professional and ethical
responsibilities and commitment to them
General knowledge
Understanding of the business environment
Ability to communicate efectively, with the
engineering team and the community at
large
Ability to function efectively as an
individual and in multidisciplinary and
multicultural teams, as a team leader
or manager as well as an eective team
member
Ability to manage information and
documentation
Capacity for lifelong learning and
professional development.
Eric Chang is a Senior Consultant in the
Technology and Projects Advisory of global
professional services rm, PwC.
He works with organisations to deliver
strategic IT solutions that meet business
needs. This may involve developing short
and long-term IT strategies and roll-out
plans, project managing specic initiatives,
or setting up best practice project
management methodologies for Program
Management Ofces:
The diversities and challenges I experience
are always unique, so the ability to adapt
and deliver a solution t for purpose is
always exciting.
Eric values the lateral thinking that his
electrical engineering studies developed,
which has been integral to his current role:
Graduating from Melbourne gave me a solid
foundation and the skills within engineering
to analyse and think outside the box, and to
challenge and problem solve. I also enjoyed
the project management experience through
my nal year project.
During the course of his degree, Eric
undertook vacation work as a Junior Analyst
for the ANZ in their IT program:
My internship enabled me to obtain
exposure to corporate life, expectations,
work ethic and culture, as well as an insight
into industry and future career paths.
Eric enjoys working in IT management
consulting and aspires to lead large IT
transformation projects in the nancial
services sector.
ERIC CHANG
Senior Consultant, PwC
Study Area: Electrical
Engineering
Job Search Sites
Careers Online
Engineer Jobs
Engineering Career
Engineering Jobs Australia
Grad Connection
Just Engineers
Job Search Australia/Engineers
Mining Careers
MyCareer Electrical Engineering
Oil Careers
Seek Electrical Engineering
Recruiters
Recruitment and Consulting Services
Associations Member Index
Seek recruiter search
Professional Associations
Engineers Australia
APESMA
Electrical Energy Society of Australia
(EESA)
Institute for Electrical and Electronics
Engineers (IEEE)
Consult Australia
Licensing and registration
There is no formal system of regulation for
engineers throughout Australia. Engineering
services are regulated under a variety of
Acts in ad hoc areas, many of which relate
to engineers in the building and construction
industry.
Engineers in Queensland are required by
legislation to be registered through the
Board of Professional Engineers in
Queensland (BPEQ).
In other states and territories engineers
operate under the self-regulatory system
operated by the National Engineering
Registration Board (NERB).
International Students/Graduates
Working in Victoria: An Engineers Guide
Overseas Qualications
Assessment Team (OSQA)
Engineers Australia
Useful Links
NICK EDNEY
Lead Electrical Engineer,
Jacobs
Study Area: Electrical
Engineering
As a Lead Electrical Engineer for global
technical services provider, Jacobs
Engineering Group Inc., Nick Edney works
in both a technical and coordinating role.
His responsibilities include creating and
editing drawings and documents, managing
sta within his team, providing technical
advice and documentation to the electrical
and project management teams, and liaising
with other teams across the project. Nick
is currently working on a haul truck diesel
refuelling facility and saline water pumping
station for a major resources project in
Australia:
The best part of my job is the
opportunity to learn and understand the
interconnections between my discipline and
other disciplines, including civil/structural,
mechanical, process, instrumentation and
piping. I have built great friendships and get
to work with fun and interesting people.
Prior to joining Jacobs, Nick spent 18
months with AECOM, global provider of
professional technical and management
support services. He worked in the
companys minerals & industry group,
undertaking diverse projects that equipped
him well for his current role:
I spent two months working on the
Wellington Tunnels Alliance, a project
to upgrade two major road tunnels in
Wellington to modern safety standards.
It was great to meet new people and
experience a new (and very cool) city.
Nick enjoyed his electrical engineering
study and continues to draw upon the skills
learned in his degree:
I learned from some excellent lecturers in
a high calibre environment. My Melbourne
education gave me analytical and practical
skills, which I am using to build my career.

Electrical Engineering Pathways.
Authorised by the Industry Relations
Manager, Melbourne School of
Engineering. Published by The
Melbourne School of Engineering,
July 2012.
Copyright: Copyright University of
Melbourne 2012. Copyright in this
publication is owned by the University
and no part of it may be reproduced
without the permission of the
University.
CRICOS provider code 00116K.
Disclaimer: The University has used its
best endeavours to ensure that material
contained in this publication was correct
at the time of printing. The University
gives no warranty and accepts no
responsibility for the accuracy or
completeness of information and the
University reserves the right to make
changes without notice at any time at
its absolute discretion.