What jobs can you do with an

electrical engineering degree?

Graduates with electrical engineering degrees can choose
from careers in a wide range of engineering industries.
Here’s what you could do in each.
Electrical engineering graduates can find jobs in most engineering sectors. These include the:

 Aerospace industry
 Automotive industry
 Construction industry
 Defence industry
 Electronics industry
 Fast-moving consumer goods industry
 Marine industry
 Materials and metals industry
 Oil and gas industry
 Pharmaceuticals industry
 Power generation industry
 Rail industry
 Utilities industry
What precisely would my job as an electrical engineering graduate be?
The nature of your work will depend on the industry you work in. Most employers take on graduate
electrical engineers with a view to developing their specialist knowledge further. In these companies you
can expect to work alongside engineers from other disciplines, but your role will be to provide electrical
engineering expertise.

However, with some employers electrical engineering graduates will develop into more 'generalist'
engineers. They may need to pick up knowledge from other areas of engineering and will perform similar
jobs to graduates who studied different disciplines.

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Electrical engineering graduates in the aerospace industry
'A graduate electrical engineer in the aerospace industry at Rolls-Royce would be working on cutting-
edge technology, introducing or enhancing power dense electrical machines and controllers including
engine controllers on platforms across business. They may even have the opportunity to work on
technology for fully autonomous ships or on electric propulsion for aerospace platforms.'

Eddie Orr, chief of sector for Rolls-Royce's electrical capability group.

Electrical engineering graduates in the automotive industry
Electrical engineers in the automotive industy are required to work on a variety of components including
engine and power units, interior and exterior lighting, air conditioning, safety systems, seating controls
(movement, heating and cooling), start/stop technology, braking systems and infotainment systems. Their
skills set is also important in the development of autonomous, connected and electrified (ACE) vehicles.

Electrical engineering graduates in the built environment industry

'Electrical engineers in the built environment sector can work on projects ranging from hospitals, offices
and shopping malls to airports, universities and railway stations. They are responsible for designing
various systems including electrical power, emergency power, communications, fire alarms, security,
CCTV and lighting. As they mature professionally, they often take on responsibility for other technical
disciplines to produce coordinated designs that meet client requirements.'

David Eastland, divisional director at Mott MacDonald.

Electrical engineering graduates in the defence industry
'Electrical engineers in the defence industry are involved in electrical power and network architecture or
the optimisation of hardware and software design concepts, developing sophisticated design processes
and testing complex products to ensure the equipment is fit for the air, sea or land operating
environments. Activities could include: equipment design, assessment of equipment behaviour, fault
diagnosis, assessment of new technologies, simulation and modelling, and data analysis.'

Pamela Wilson, engineering engagement manager at BAE Systems.

Electrical engineering graduates in the electronics industry
A graduate electrical engineer in the electronics industry can work in different areas such as design,
layout, manufacturing, packaging, testing and field applications engineering (supporting a product and its
customers for its entire life). They may work with chips, integrated circuits, components such as
capacitors and resistors, and devices that use electricity as part of their source of power.

Electrical engineering graduates in the fast-moving consumer goods industry

'Most of the graduate roles in the fast-moving consumer goods industry are in one of two areas:
manufacturing/engineering or supply network operations/logistics. For both of these areas, the work is not
defined in nice separate buckets of mechanical, electrical, chemical etc but is normally a mixture of
different engineering disciplines as a general manufacturing or logistics engineer. Graduates will pick up
skills from other disciplines as they go through their training and career.'

Chris Traynor, careers adviser and former engineer and engineering recruiter.
Electrical engineering graduates in the marine industry
'Electrical engineers in the marine industry play a key role in generating and distributing energy miles
from any land power station. Huge cruise ships have power demands from the ballroom to the boiler
room, while the latest offshore vessels hold station through the harshest storms with sophisticated electric
propulsion systems.'

Blair Anderson, marine classification surveyor at Lloyd's Register.

Electrical engineering graduates in the materials and metals industry
'An electrical engineer in the materials and metals industry can expect to work alongside engineers from
other disciplines. They will be working on cutting edge technology such as electrically driven fans,
HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) and UPS (uninterruptible power supply). Activities
could include fault diagnosis, simulation and modelling and data analysis.'

Peter Toms, senior engineering manager at Tata Steel.

Electrical engineering graduates in the oil and gas industry
Electrical engineers in the oil and gas industry design, develop, test, maintain and improve electrical
systems and components, including generators, transformers and electric motors, making sure that they
meet the right standard of safety, reliablity and efficiency and can withstand extreme conditions such as
depth, temperature and pressure. This can involve making small alterations or large-scale equipment
changes.

Electical engineering graduates in the pharmaceuticals industry

'Graduate electrical engineers in the pharmaceuticals industry are expected to deliver projects of a diverse
nature, ranging from hazardous area inspections and high-voltage operations to energy monitoring and
renewable generation. They additionally provide technical electrical expertise to the site at large for
incoming equipment, ongoing maintenance and new installations.'

Aditya Srivastava, electrical engineering associate at GlaxoSmithKline.

Electrical engineering graduates in the power generation industry
'Electrical engineers can find a wind range of roles in the power generation industry. As well as
designing, building and maintaining the high voltage generators, transformers and transmission networks
that take the product to market, electrical engineers also work on low voltage electrical control circuits,
electric motors and many other complex ancillary systems that are critical to all electricity generation
processes.'

Richard Crowhurst, production manager at E.ON Climate & Renewables.

Electrical engineering graduates in the rail industry
'An electrical engineer in the rail industry could work in a number of areas, including signalling, power,
point heating and lighting. Their job will involve writing specifications for power distribution systems,
reviewing designs and answering technical queries. On the maintenance side, they will be going out onto
the rail network to test equipment or replace components.'

Elen Jones, programme engineering manager at Network Rail.

Electrical engineering graduates in the utilities industry
Electrical engineers in the utilities industry may be involved in electrical design or network design work.
Or they might be involved in the day-to-day running and maintenance of a site.

Alternative careers for electrical engineering graduates

If you don’t want to become an engineer, an electrical engineering degree can open plenty of other doors.
You could work in a finance, management or logistics role within the engineering sector, or move into a
closely related field such as IT.
There's no obligation to opt for a technical employer, though. You could put your background to good use
in careers such as science journalism, technical publishing or teaching. Alternatively, you could train to
become asolicitor or barrister and specialise in a tech-heavy area of law such as intellectual property,
construction or energy, transport and infrastructure. Equally, you could become a patent attorney, which
you don't need a law degree for.
Alternatively, if you want to explore something entirely different, remember that many graduate jobs are
open to graduates from any degree discipline. An engineer's skills set appeals to recruiters for finance,
management and business or management consulting graduate schemes, for example.

Electrical Degrees by Degree Program Level

Electrical engineering degrees are offered by both community colleges and universities at the
associates, bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree level.

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Essential Information
Electrical engineering degrees are available at both undergraduate and graduate levels. These
programs often feature specializations in areas like nanotechnology, microelectronics and circuit
design. Undergraduate students must have their high school diploma to pursue an associate's (2
years) or bachelor's (4 years) degree in the field, with some schools requiring SAT or ACT scores.
An undergraduate degree in electrical engineering is required for master's and Ph.D programs, as
well as GRE scores. Master's programs typically take 2 to 6 years to complete, with thesis projects
often being required.

Associate of Applied Science in Electrical Engineering Technology

An associate's degree program in electrical engineering technology prepares grads for employment
as engineering technicians. Students in associate's programs learn about electronic devices and
components. Hands-on training in assembling and dissembling electronics is often included.
After basic courses in math and physics, students receive training in electronic circuits, machines
that utilize electricity and computer applications. Some possible courses include:

 Algebra and calculus

 Logic controllers
 Analog electronics
 DC and AC circuits
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE)
A Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering provides a foundation in electrical engineering and
introduces students to the theory and design of electrical circuits, electronics and systems and
signals. Some programs include an optional fifth year in which the student completes a senior design
project. This is strongly encouraged for those students who are interested in continuing their study in
electrical engineering at the graduate level.
The first and second year of enrollment is primarily devoted to math and science courses. During the
final years, a student will complete core courses in electrical engineering and a senior project. Some
possible courses include:

 Physics and chemistry

 Calculus including differential equations
 Circuits and digital logic
 Electromagnetics
 Microcontrollers

Master of Science in Electrical Engineering

A master's degree program in electrical engineering introduces students to more advanced concepts
within the field. Students may pursue a thesis or non-thesis option; the thesis option is strongly
recommendation for students who plan to apply for research-based electrical engineering positions.
The first year is devoted to core courses in a student's area of interest. Course topics typically
include:

 Solid state instruments

 Computer engineering and architecture
 Electromagnetic theory
 Analysis of linear systems
 Complex variables

Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical Engineering

A Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical Engineering degree program includes training on the basics of
electronic systems and design. Some current electrical engineering emphasis areas include
semiconductors, solid state microelectronics, signal processing, wireless networks and
electromagnetics.
A majority of the time enrolled in a Ph.D. degree program in electrical engineering is spent on
conducting research and the writing of a dissertation. A research topic is chosen and the student
works closely with an adviser to develop a course of study that compliments the student's area of
interest.
Elective courses should support a student's area of interest within the discipline. Some courses
might include:

 Electrical power systems

 Analysis of linear systems
 Processing of digital signals
 Integrated circuits
  Electromagnetics and computational methods

Job Outlook and Salary Information

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov), the employment of electrical and
electronic technicians is expected to decline by 2% for the years 2014-2024. The BLS also reports
that the 2015 annual median salary of an electrical and electronics engineering technician was
$61,130.
The BLS reported that the employment of electrical engineers is not expected to change for the
2014-2024 period. The median annual salary of an electrical engineer in 2014 was $93,010.

Possible Career Options

Many opportunities exist for electrical engineering at all levels from associate to doctoral degrees.

 Electronics technician
 Electrical engineer or research electrical engineer
 Test engineer
 Research engineer

Continuing Education Information

State licensure is required for engineers who offer their services to the general public. Licensure
requires passing a state examination, accumulating four years of work experience as an engineer
and graduation from a program accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and
Technology (ABET). Certification is also offered by many different professional organizations.
Aspiring electrical professionals can pursue associate's, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees
that provide training in various areas of electrical engineering and technology. Those who attain
licensure after school can seek careers as engineers.