Job Descriptions - Definitions - Career Fields: Electrical engineer
 

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Electrical engineer

WHAT IS ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING?
Electrical Engineering comprises careers in:
* research
* design
* production
* installation
* maintenance

In the fields of:
* electronics
* communication
* computer engineering
* process control
* power engineering

Because of Electrical Engineering we have:
* satellites
* microwave ovens
* medical equipment
* television
* electricity
* hot water
* trains
* traffic lights
* computers
* fibre optic cables, etc.

Electrical Engineers don’t only contribute to meeting the basic needs of South Africa but are turning the country into a globally competitive nation.

Electrical Engineering is for you if you:
* are interested in Physical Science, Mathematics, and Technology
* have the ability to work with people
* have and enquiring mind
* enjoy solving problems
* are creative

Employment Opportunities:
Large and small organisations depend on engineers to meet their continuous demands. Employment opportunities exist at many well-known organisations, municipalities, mines, manufacturing and processing industries, consulting firms, or even self-employment.

THE ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING TEAM
The Electrical Engineering team is a dynamic group of people with different skills and expertise who all play an important role in developing and maintaining the electrical equipment that we take for granted every day.

The team:
* Professional Engineer
* Professional Engineering Technologist
* Registered Engineering Technician
* Artisan

These 4 vocational categories act complimentary to each other and each has its own and important role to play in the engineering team. These vocations differ entirely from each other, with completely different career opportunities and possibilities.

Most Electrical Engineers are in the profession - not for the financial reward alone - but for the love of the profession. This is the reason why so many folk in the Electrical Engineering field voluntarily devote their free time as a service to the profession. It’s a career you too will be proud of.

They become involved with career guidance at schools, write articles for magazines and newspapers on relevant subjects, act as editors for technical publications, participate in meetings discussing the future of electrical engineering, ensuring that Universities and Technikons offer a high standard of education to students, advice government on policy matters, give talks to interested parties on new inventions and developments, act as mentors to young engineers, etc.

For every Engineer, South Africa needs:
* 1 technologist
* 4 technicians, and
* 16 artisans.

THE WORK OF AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER
The work of an Electrical Engineer is mainly intellectual by nature and is not routine. Engineers busy themselves with innovation and problem solving and their education is so directed that they must be able to resolve new problems which they might encounter in future. Engineers are generally the leaders of the manpower team in engineering.

The tasks of the Electrical Engineer in the workplace could entail:
* Design

* Development

* Research for new and innovative technology to better the life of all. For example improved communication systems, more efficient electricity supply, user-friendly computer hardware and software, new consumer products, etc.
* Conceptual planning of projects: For example the planning of a town’s electricity supply, controlling a hydro-electric dam, etc.

* High-level management: Electrical Engineers are excellent candidates for high-level management positions in large organisations.

* Education: Universities require lecturers to train prospective engineers All Electrical Engineers could also act as mentors to students and young engineers so that expertise and experience is passed on.

THE ELECTRICAL ENGINEER AS AN ENTREPRENEUR
In the modern world Electrical Engineers are increasingly often becoming entrepreneurs - rather than obtaining permanent employment at an organisation. They act as CONSULTANTS to large corporations, municipalities, etc. The are so many avenues in which your OWN BUSINESS can succeed using Electrical Engineering as the basis.

With the many avenues of employment available to choose from Electrical Engineers have the opportunity of earning extremely good salaries. In big organisations very good packages are offered to Electrical Engineers which include excellent salaries, company cars, housing benefits, etc.

When owning your own business, or consulting, or combining various types of jobs, you could make enough money to afford all these luxuries yourself.

A career in Electrical Engineering not only provides great financial benefits, but immense job satisfaction is derived as well as recognition within society.

Many extremely successful business men and women in South Africa, and in the world, are Electrical Engineers.

EDUCATION FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS
In order to become an Electrical Engineer you need to follow a Bachelor of Science degree course in Engineering (BSc(Eng)) at a university for four years.

You don’t have to go to university immediately to become an Electrical Engineer. Some of today’s most prominent figures in the Electrical Engineering society commenced their studies at technical college, then moved on to technikon and ultimately qualified as Electrical Engineers at university.

After obtaining your Bsc (Eng) degree at university you need to have three years practical experience whilst registered as an engineer-in-training to be able to register as a Professional Engineer. You can then write the letters PrEng behind your name.

University degree courses are design for advanced learning and the studies are mainly of an academic and theoretical nature. The emphasis is on the application of science and maths in problem identification and solving.

MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS
The minimum entrance requirement for university to study the Bsc Engineering degree for Electrical Engineering is usually a Senior Certificate with matric exemption and 4 subjects passed on Higher Grade (HG). Two of the subjects have to be Mathematics and Physical Science and one, Language.

Not all applicants wishing to enter university get accepted because space is limited. To give you a better chance to be successful at obtaining University entry is to ensure that your marks are at least a C symbol. This will also make it easier for you to obtain financial assistance for your studies.

All universities have a "points system" and the system is different at each university. There may also be other entry requirements by the university at which you want to study.

ENSURE THAT YOU FIND OUT WHAT THESE ARE BEFORE YOU APPLY.

Contact the university, at which you wish to study, directly.


Career Fields


Engineering


 

Courtesy: CareerExpo

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