What is Electrical Engineering – A Complete Guide

Electrical Engineering is a branch of engineering in which learners study the concepts of electricity and appliances working on electricity, such as how to generate electricity. how to transmit and distribute electricity? how to utilize electricity? how do design and manufacture appliance that works on electricity? and much more. In this article, I will explain what is electrical engineering. What does an electrical engineer do? What are the subjects studied in electrical engineering courses? Where an electrical engineer can get a job? etc. If you want to know the answers to all these questions, then please explore this detailed article on electrical engineering.

Electrical Engineering: What it is?

Electrical Engineering is an engineering discipline that is concerned with the study of electricity and its behavior. It is a conventional branch of engineering. In electrical engineering, one obtains knowledge of the generation, transmission, distribution, and utilization, of electricity. Also, this engineering field covers the designing of electrical appliances and equipment.

Electrical engineering basically a field of engineering that greatly depends on magnetism. Hence, when someone studies electrical engineering, he has to study magnetism and its relationship with electricity. Therefore, electrical engineering also includes the study of electromagnetism i.e., how electricity and magnetism are related to each other.

Electrical engineering covers a wide range of fields of science and technology, such as electronics, telecommunication, computer engineering, power engineering, and more.

Initially, electrical engineering was limited to industrial purposes only, but over time and with technological advancements, it became an integral part of our daily life. Electrical and electronic devices like fans, fridges, washing machines, air conditioners, smartphones, computers, laptops, etc. are our basic needs today.

Before proceeding to learn other aspects of electrical engineering, let us first get a brief overview of the history of electrical engineering.

History of Electrical Engineering

For a reader, especially when you are an engineer, reading history could be monotonous. So here, we have listed only some important points related to the history of electrical engineering that every electrical engineer must know.

• The study of electricity was started in the early 17^th
• William Gilbert was the first electrical scientist known to give a clear difference between static electricity and magnetism.
• William Gilbert is known to establish the term ‘Electricity’.
• William Gilbert also designed a device named, Versorium that can detect static electric charge present on an object.
• Electrophorus, a device that can produce a static electric charge was designed by Swedish professor Johan Wilcke in 1762.
• Voltaic Pile, a predecessor to the electric battery was designed by Alessandro Volta in 1800.
• The 19^th century was known for intensified research in the field of electrical engineering.
• In 1782, early electric telegraphy was invented by Georges-Louis Le Sage.
• In 1795, the electrolyte telegraph system was designed by Francisco Salva.
• Hans Christian Ørsted discovered and documented the magnetic effect of electric current.
• In 1825, an electromagnet was invented by Willian Sturgeon.
• In 1835, the electrical relay was invented by Joseph Henry and Edward Davy.
• In 1827, the relationship between electric current and voltage was quantified by Georg Simon Ohm, known as Ohm’s law.
• In 1831, Michael Faraday discovered the phenomenon of electromagnetic induction.
• In 1873, electricity and magnetism were combined by James Clerk Maxwell.
• In 1893, electrical quantities and their units such as current (ampere), voltage (volt), and resistance (ohm) were standardized.
• In 1882, the world’s first electrical engineering department was established at Technische Universität Darmstadt.
• In 1882, the world’s first large-scale electric power network was established by Thomas Edison to distribute 110 V DC to consumers in New York City.
• In 1884, the steam turbine was invented by Sir Charles Parsons.
• In the 1880s and 1890s, AC transmission systems were developed with the invention of transformers and induction motors.
• In 1895, Guglielmo Marconi started long-distance radio transmission.
• From 1894 to 1896, Jagadish Chandra Bose investigated millimeter wave communication.
• In 1897, Karl Ferdinand Braun invented the cathode ray tube.
• In 1904, John Fleming invented the first diode or radio tube.
• In 1920, Albert Hull invented the magnetron.
• Radar development was started in the 1930s.
• In 1941, the world’s first fully functional and programmable electromechanical computer named Z3 was developed by Konrad Zuse.
• In 1943, the world’s first fully functional, electronic digital computer named Colossus was developed by Tommy Flowers.
• In 1946, the era of computing started with the development of ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer) developed by John Presper Eckert and John Mauchly.
• In 1948, a mathematical description of the passage of information theory, A Mathematical Theory of Communication, was published by Claude Shannon.
• In 1947, a transistor was invented by Shockley, Bardeen, and Brattain.
• In 1948, the bipolar junction transistor (BJT) was invented by Shockley, Bardeen, and Brattain.
• In the 1950s, the first integrated circuit (IC) was invented by Jack Kilby.
• In 1959, MOSFET (Metal-Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor) was invented by Atalla and Kahng.
• In 1968, Silicon-Gate MOS technology was developed by Faggin.
• In 1971, the Intel 4004, a single-chip microprocessor was developed.

Let us now explore thoughts about the future of electrical engineering.

Future of Electrical Engineering

Electrical engineering is one of the most demanding and growing fields of engineering. Electricity is the elementary factor behind every development and technological advancement.

Therefore, electrical engineering has extensive growth potential. There are limitless opportunities for electrical engineers. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates that employment in the field of electrical engineering will grow by 2% from 2021 to 2031. It is also estimated that the average professional growth will be 5%.

As per US BLS, the jobs in the field of electrical and electronics engineering are estimated to grow by 6% from 2021 to 2031. This growth will be due to increasing demand for smartphones, computers, laptops, electric vehicles, and other electrical and electronic appliances.

As per a survey in 2022 by Electronic Design Magazine, it was found that around 76% of employers had faced problems in finding electrical and electronics engineers due to decreasing numbers of electrical and electronics students.

Overall, we can say that the future of electrical engineering is completely dependent on the future of innovation which is continuously increasing. Therefore, electrical engineering is being considering one of the strongest career options as it is an innovation-driven field of engineering.

For sure, electrical engineers will always work to develop new advanced technologies that can significantly improve the quality of life, efficiency, success, and environmental sustainability.

All the cutting-edge industries such as electric vehicles, smart grids, telecommunication, semiconductor industries, and more that depend on electrical engineering innovations will create a large number of jobs for electrical engineers.

How To Become an Electrical Engineer?

Now, we will tell you how can you become an electrical engineer, and what courses you have to take to become an electrical engineer. Let me explain the step-by-step process of becoming an electrical engineer.

Step (1) – Study basic science (Physics and Chemistry) and mathematics. For example, in India, you must complete 10^th or 12^th with physics, chemistry, and math with a minimum of 50%. Although, the passing marks can vary from college to college.

Step (2) – You can get admitted into a diploma or degree course in electrical engineering. For example, in India, you can do a 3-year diploma in electrical engineering after the 10^th or a 4-year degree course (B. Tech) in electrical engineering after the 12^th.

Note – To get admission in some colleges in India like IITs (Indian Institute of Technology), BITS Pilani, VIT Vellore, etc. you must have a valid score in the engineering entrance exams like JEE Mains, JEE Advanced, BITSAT, VITEEE, etc.

Step (3) – Study the electrical engineering syllabus and pass the university exam to get a diploma or degree in electrical engineering.

Step (4) – After completing, graduation, you may also go for higher studies in electrical engineering, like M. Tech, MS, etc.

Along with a diploma or degree in electrical engineering, you can also do specialized certificate courses in different electrical technologies, such as Electrical Designing, SCADA and Automation, PLC Programming, MATLAB, etc.

Electrical Engineering Subjects

Now, let us know what subjects you have to study in electrical engineering courses. Here is a list of a few electrical engineering subjects that must study in your electrical engineering course. However, there could be additional subjects as well depending on your college’s curriculum.

The list of core subjects of electrical engineering:

• Electric Circuit Theory – In this subject, you study different types of electrical circuits like DC circuits, and AC circuits, and circuit components like resistors, inductors, capacitors, etc. You also learn to analyze and synthesize electrical circuits using circuit laws and theorems.
• Electrical Machines – In this subject, you learn about the design, working, and applications of different types of electrical machines like motors, generators, transformers, etc.
• Electronics – In this subject of electrical engineering, you learn about the design, working, and applications of different electronic devices like diodes, transistors, ICs, etc., and also about how these devices are used to build electronic circuits.
• Power Electronics – This subject deals with the study of electronic devices used in high-power applications like motor control circuits, power circuit breakers, and more.
• Power System Engineering – In this subject, students learn about the generation, transmission, distribution, and utilization of electric power. Its subject also covers other concepts like power system protection, smart grid, etc.

Apart from these core subjects, there are several other elective subjects such as communication systems, mathematics, microprocessors, etc. studied in electrical engineering courses.

Electrical Engineering Jobs

After completing an electrical engineering course, you can go for a job in a variety of industries. Some common electrical engineering roles are mentioned here:

• Power Engineer – As a power engineer, you have to design, operate, and troubleshoot electrical systems that are used to generate, transmit, and distribute electrical power. Also, you will be responsible for ensuring the safety of both the system and humans.
• Electrical Design Engineer – As a design engineer, you will be responsible for designing electrical circuits, machines, etc.
• Instrumentation Engineer – Being an instrumentation engineer, you have to use measuring devices to measure and test electrical systems and machines.
• Telecommunication Engineer – In this job role, you have to deal with communication and transmission of information through different types of communication channels.
• Control Engineer – In this role, you have to design and implement systems to regulate the working of electrical circuits and machines to obtain maximum efficiency.
• Electrical Project Manager – In this job role, you have to monitor the development, installation, safety, etc. of electrical systems. As an electrical project manager, you need to combine your electrical engineering knowledge with managerial skills to manage working staff, schedules, budgets, etc.

Apart from these common roles, there are several other job roles such as maintenance engineer, substation technician, electrical scientist, etc. that an electrical engineer can have.

Electrical Engineer Skills

These skills are the chief factor to ensure your success as a professional electrical engineer. Here is a list of the most important skills that an electrical engineer must have to succeed in his professional career.

• Extensive electrical technological and computer knowledge
• Critical thinking and complex problem-solving skills
• Active learning and innovative thinking skills
• Mathematical and logical reasoning skills
• Communication skills
• Organizational skills

If you want to become a successful electrical engineer, then must have at least the skills listed above. You can improve these skills by following these practices:

• By attending various electrical training programming
• By asking for feedback from your managers, colleagues, and seniors
• By pursuing specialized certifications in electrical technologies
• By pursuing master’s degree courses in electrical engineering
• By getting experience through internships, entry-level jobs, freelance projects, etc.
• By using online resources, books, journals, etc.

Best Electrical Engineering Colleges

It completely depends on the country in which you want to study. But here I am giving you a list of some renowned colleges in the world where you can study electrical engineering.

• California Institute of Technology
• University of California, Berkeley
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
• Cornell University
• University of California, Los Angeles
• Duke University
• University of Cambridge
• Harvard University
• IIT Kharagpur

Now, after getting enough knowledge of electrical engineering. Let me give you an idea of how can you design a professional resume for yourself to get an electrical engineer job.

Electrical Engineer Resume

A resume is basically a document that contains summarized information about your work experience, technical skills, education, and achievements.

A professional result must be properly organized, and contain only the necessary details required for the job role. It must appear visually appealing.

Conclusion

In conclusion, electrical engineering is a growing and innovation-driven field of engineering. It is growing year on year with the increasing demand for electricity and technological advancement. Therefore, if someone gets into the field of electrical engineering and wants to become an electrical engineer, will get enormous career opportunities.

FAQs

Here are some related questions that people also ask.

Q. 1 – Which is better EEE or ECE?

Ans – EEE stands for Electrical and Electronics Engineering, it is a field of engineering that deals with the study of a combination of electrical engineering and electronics engineering. If you want to work in a core field of electrical and electronics such as designing circuits, generating power, and designing power electronic devices, then you must go for EEE.

On the other hand, if you want to work in the electronics and communication engineering field where you apply your engineering knowledge to design and implement systems for telecommunication using sensors, processors, controllers, etc. then you should pursue ECE.

Q. 2 – Is electrical engineering a good scope?

Ans – Yes, as electrical engineering is an innovation-driven field of engineering. Therefore, there are a lot of career opportunities in this field. As we know, today electricity has become an integral part of our daily life.

Q. 3 – Is electrical engineering a good salary?

Ans – Yes, in the age of innovation and advancement, electrical engineers are one of the most demanding professionals. However, the salary of an electrical engineer depends on various factors such as skills, experience, company’s budget. But, as on average, the salary of an electrical engineer may vary from $73,839 to $86,176 per year (World Wide). In India, the average salary of an electrical engineer per year is around 347,610 INR.

Q. 4 – Is electrical engineering very hard?

Ans – The answer to this question completely depends on the student. If you are excellent at solving complex math and physics problems, then electrical engineering will be easier for you. The study of electrical engineering requires an analytical and problem-solving brain. If you have such a personality, then you can go for electrical engineering.

Q. 5 – Is electrical engineering good for females?

Ans – Yes, electrical engineering is a diverse field that provides different kinds of opportunities that the female candidate can pick for herself.

In this article, I have answered all the major questions related to electrical engineering. If you have any other questions, please let me know in the comment section. I will definitely answer soon.