The moment you decide to pursue a career in electronics engineering, you consciously agree to face any challenges that will come with it. You are aware that the road to success is not a walk in the park and that the ultimate payoff, which is landing your dream job, will be well worth all the efforts.
Electronics Engineering is one of the fastest-growing fields of engineering these days, and thus, choosing this engineering specialization will open you up to many opportunities.
Here are some tips for starting a career in electronics.
1. Get a Good Training
To become an electronics engineer, you must take an Electronic Engineering course at a university. However, before you can get into these courses, you first need to have a Secondary Certificate of Education. Also, you are required to have pre-requisite subjects or assumed knowledge in English, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics. But it’s worth noting that universities have different prerequisites for Electronics Engineering, and others offer flexible entry requirements, while some give the option for external study.
To become a successful electronics engineer, you must have a passion for technology and an aptitude for Mathematics. Some of the most successful electronics engineers have excellent problem-solving skills. They know how to prioritise tasks and deliver work within strict deadlines. During your electronics engineering degree, you will acquire subject-specific skills like designing and testing circuits, computer-aided design (CAD), and computer programming.
It’s possible to acquire an electronics engineering job without a degree. However, the candidate must demonstrate that he has a high level of competence in the field and has relevant work experience.
2. Learn the Values of an Engineer
Just like with any profession, engineers have values to uphold. These values define how they make decisions and respond to situations. In addition, these values are the guiding beliefs and principles that influence an engineer’s behaviour at work.
Maintaining a self-driven and learning mindset is crucial to becoming a good electronics engineer, whether you are new to the profession or have several years of experience. When you begin working for a new company, you’ll deal with an unfamiliar codebase. But once you’ve settled in, you’ll be tasked to solve complex problems.
Engineering has a direct and important impact on people’s overall quality of life. They must perform their duties under a high level of professional behaviour while adhering to the highest principles of ethical conduct. While fulfilling their respective responsibilities, they must uphold the public’s health, safety, and welfare. They should also conduct themselves responsibly, honourably, ethically, and lawfully to enhance the reputation and honour of the engineering profession.
3.Be Innovative
The electronics engineering sector is going through a major transformation. All over the world, research and development teams have been working hard enough to find better ways of producing, storing, and using electrical resources. If you want to succeed in your engineering career, you must be updated with the latest trend in electronics engineering and be as innovative as possible.
One of the biggest challenges to innovation is time. If you are so busy with your daily responsibilities, it can be hard to find time to innovate. So, try to earn a level of autonomy at work to allow more time for innovation. Also, a good innovator carefully observes and absorbs the things around them. They will then take the extra mile to connect things, and that’s when innovation happens the most.
Brainstorming is usually the first step to innovation, which often leads to endless “what ifs”. The best innovators can quickly sort through these what-ifs and say no to most of them. Innovators are also aware that they can only go so far when doing things independently. At some point, they will realize that they need resources and help from others. Yet, they are good at selling their vision and rallying support for their big dreams and ideas.
4.Work on Your Core Skills
Aside from having an interest in problem-solving and an affinity for circuits, there are other essential skills you need to possess to achieve success in your electronics engineering career. As you sort through these skills, identify those areas that you need to work hard on to enhance the skills required for a successful career in electronics engineering.
An aspiring electronics engineer must have expertise in software and be efficient at computer programming. You should be knowledgeable about the commands of several computer languages, such as computer-aided drafting tools, C++, etc. Recruiters will sometimes choose to post electronic engineer job specs asking for experience in design mobile apps and web software. Nowadays, the electronics sector is becoming even more competitive, as they become responsible for major and minor electrical systems and troubleshooting electrical devices.
Anyone looking for a career in electronics engineering should also have practical experience in electrical embedding and different electric circuits. They should apply technical thinking to identify common issues and develop working solutions. Also, they should be aware of the proper procedure for installing different electrical devices, including switches, cables, and tubing.
5.Do Personal Projects and Gain Experience
There are many opportunities for electrical and electronics engineering out there. Even though both disciplines belong to the same sector in the engineering industry, each has different specialisations, which means you can take up roles in a wide range of areas, such as medical engineering, aerospace, and defence.
Consider taking personal projects to gain relevant experience and widen your opportunities. Aside from earning extra money on the side, this is also a great way to use your technical skills and knowledge gained from a different industry. This will open you to opportunities that you will not normally get in your day job. If you are planning to switch jobs at some point, the experience you gained from taking personal projects can help you land that dream job.
You can also consider freelance consulting and work on a project-by-project arrangement, which is a good side hustle. Aside from supplementing your mainstream income, you’ll enjoy added perks like widening your professional network and leading you to more opportunities.
