What is Electrical Engineering?

Learn More About Electrical Engineering

Electrical engineering is the field of engineering concerned with the study, design, and practical application of technologies (e.g. devices and equipment) and services that use electricity. Therefore, it also includes electromagnetism. Electrical engineering was first acknowledged as a profession in the late 19th century when commercialization started to gain ground and electricity became more widely generated and distributed. (As noted by Britannica, electrical engineering may have first emerged in 1864 as a result of James Clerk Maxwell’s summary of the basic laws of electricity in mathematical form.) 

Electrical engineering has come a long way since its early days.This branch of engineering can be further divided into different fields  including telecommunications, computer engineering, electronics, photonics, and more. Even instrumentation and signal processing can be considered as subfields of electrical engineering!

Early on, electrical engineering was limited to industrial use. However, after the invention of the transistor brought about lowered manufacturing costs, electric home appliances became more common and led to the electrical revolution.

What Are Some Branches of Electrical Engineering?

• Power Engineering

Power engineering, which is also referred to as power system engineering, studies the generation, transmission, and distribution of electric power. This field revolves around transformers, motors, and generators. Power engineers work responsibly to provide seamless operating procedures ensuring safety and avoiding any power disruptions.

• Control Engineering

Also known as automation engineering in most parts of Europe, control engineering deals with control systems. This field focuses on designing equipment to fix and control the required results, control engineering encompasses all of this. The basic discipline of this form of engineering is the application of control theory to make systems behave a certain way.

• Electronic engineering 

Electronic engineering is a highly demanding field all around the globe. It is a form of engineering that deals with electronic circuits, devices, and electronic supplies. It is applicable in the systems where those circuits and devices are planted and assembled.

• Microelectronics 

Microelectronics is a sub-type of electronic engineering and is a fast-paced field. As the name implies, it deals with the manufacturing and development of miniature components for electrical designs, primarily semiconductors. In most cases, these gadgets are made on the micrometer scale and formed from semiconductor materials.

• Signal Processing

Signal processing focuses on integrating, manipulating, and generating signals that may be sound, images, or scientific measurements. Signal processing is used to enhance transmission, efficiency for storage, and the associated quality. It deals with the receiving of a signal and translating them into understandable syntax.

What Jobs Do Electrical Engineers Do?

Electrical engineers are the architects and developers of all sorts of electrical systems. Usually, their job is to develop and verify electrical systems, circuits, devices, and individual components using their knowledge and experiences. They also work with the automation of various production processes.

Simply put, an electrical engineer designs, tests, and manages the development of any form of electrical equipment. This could include anything from a mobile phone to an electric motor given that electrical engineering is a vast field that covers a multitude of areas including the development of automated electric cars and smartphones. As such, electrical engineers can provide value to many industries.

Electrical engineers typically work in indoor office settings as most of their work requires research and development. However, they may also make visits to worksites to check equipment that may require maintenance or improvement.

What Skills Does an Electrical Engineer Need?

An electrical engineer needs a certain set of skills to be successful at their job! They should have the ability to scrutinize situations from a critical point of view, have the required technological knowledge of the field, and have impeccable debugging, improvisation, and visionary thought processes. Mathematical and physical backgrounds are also vital to prove oneself a dynamic electrical engineer. For an upward career trajectory, strong organizational and managerial instincts are also helpful.

What Careers Are There in Electrical Engineering?

• Control Engineer

A control engineer designs and develops systems and equipment that help create products. Control engineers test their designs, inquire about detected errors and find suitable solutions to correct them.

• Project Engineer

Electrical engineering projects require a supervisor to oversee the project in its entirety. Project engineers are required to stick to a budget, hire a task force, and accomplish a goal within a timeline. They keep a close eye on each member’s work and ensure that everyone works as a team to make the project a success!

• Test Engineer

A test engineer performs tests on electrical systems and offers expertise in managing them. They are involved in the test planning, analysis of the results, and research for the perfect solution.

• Design Engineer

With computer-based designing software, design engineers form systems and products. They create designs according to particular specifications. Experimentation can be performed, followed by the track of their progress. Design engineers often have to make modifications to systems in order to achieve the specified requirements.

• Communications Engineer

A communications engineer builds communication systems such as satellites and fiber optics. They may also play a role in the installation of such devices to ensure quality results.

History and Evolution of Electrical Engineering

Electrical engineering has roots in the late 19th century with the advent of electricity and the subsequent innovations reliant on it. The field began to take shape with the development of telegraphy and telephony, spearheaded by pioneers such as Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell. The invention of the electric light bulb and the establishment of power grids marked significant milestones, allowing electricity to become a widespread utility. 

The introduction of radio waves and electronics in the early 20th century further expanded the scope of electrical engineering. With continuous advancements in technology, electrical engineering has evolved into a diverse discipline encompassing everything from microelectronics and telecommunications to power generation and automation. It shapes the modern world in countless ways.

How to Become an Electrical Engineer?

To become an electrical engineer, one must complete high school  followed by a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering. To attain experience in a professional environment, a year or two will preferably be spent as a junior engineer. Newly graduated engineers are strongly encouraged to enroll in a Master's program, which typically takes one to three years to complete.

Becoming an electrical engineer is no ordinary feat. The persistence, innovation, and patience required for the job are demanding but so is the reward, once you gain hands-on experience and reach the required level of expertise.

If you have a teen who is interested in engineering, make sure you check out this summer engineering camp where teens can gain hands-on experience with the industry. During the electrical engineering module, teens will learn to work on projects specific to electrical engineering and get to meet with real-life engineers working in the field.

Becoming an electrical engineer is hard work. The persistence, innovation, and patience required for the job are demanding but it can also be rewarding— particularly once you gain hands-on experience and reach the required level of expertise.

Why Choose a Career in Electrical Engineering?

A career in electrical engineering offers opportunities to innovate and make a real impact on the world. Electrical engineers are at the forefront of developing cutting-edge technologies, such as renewable energy solutions and advanced communication systems. 

This field is diverse and dynamic, providing a wide range of specializations and career paths. Whether it's designing microchips, developing sustainable power grids, or pioneering new electronic devices, electrical engineers play a crucial role in shaping our future.

The demand for skilled professionals in this field continues to grow, offering job stability and competitive salaries. Additionally, a career in electrical engineering can allow you to work on exciting projects that improve people's lives, making it a rewarding and fulfilling career choice!

Tools and Software for Electrical Engineers

Electrical engineers use a variety of tools and software to design, simulate, and analyze electrical systems. Here are some essential ones:

1. MATLAB: A high-level programming language and environment for numerical computing, widely used for data analysis, algorithm development, and modeling.
2. Simulink: A graphical programming environment integrated with MATLAB, used for simulating dynamic systems, including control systems and signal processing.
3. PSpice: A simulation program used for the design and analysis of analog and mixed-signal circuits.
4. Multisim: A circuit simulation software used for designing and analyzing electronic circuits, often used in education and research.
5. ETAP: A comprehensive software for the design, simulation, and analysis of power systems, including load flow, short circuit, and transient stability analysis.
6. PowerWorld Simulator: A visual simulation tool for power system analysis and education, used to simulate the operation of power systems.
7. PSCAD: A software tool for electromagnetic transient analysis, used for simulating and analyzing power systems and electrical networks.
8. LabVIEW: A system-design platform and development environment for a visual programming language, used for data acquisition, instrument control, and industrial automation.
9. AutoCAD Electrical: A specialized version of AutoCAD for electrical design, used for creating electrical schematics, panel layouts, and documentation.
10. Altium Designer: A PCB design software used for designing printed circuit boards, integrating schematic capture, PCB layout, and design verification.

These tools and software are crucial for the design, analysis, and troubleshooting of electrical systems, helping electrical engineers to innovate and create efficient solutions.

Electrical Engineering Links and Resources

• International Society for Optics and Photonics: an international society advancing an interdisciplinary approach to the science and application of light.
• Association for Computing Machinery: the world’s largest educational and scientific computing society focused on advancing computing as a science and a profession.
• Audio Engineering Society: the only professional society devoted exclusively to audio technology.
• Electric Power Research Institute: a nonprofit professional organization focused on addressing challenges in electricity.
• IEEE: the world’s largest professional association for the advancement of technology.