[KoolKapasi]

Which one out of the two will be higher in demand for the future?
I know a bit of info regarding power systems and the challenge to make it sustainable but I'm not too sure about communic ations? I know that pheniox254 did a EE degree and posts some great answers, make he could help.

Thanks

[mikeyd85]

Ummm.... I'd say it's fairly equal tbh. People need power, the world needs comms, neither are likely to wane in demand any time soon!

[Smack]

Massive demand for power systems at the moment, and likely in the future too since so few take it.

[Foghorn Leghorn]

Power Systems with all the renewables atm the job market is in need of power systems specialists.

[pheonix254]

(Original post by KoolKapasi)
Which one out of the two will be higher in demand for the future?
I know a bit of info regarding power systems and the challenge to make it sustainable but I'm not too sure about communic ations? I know that pheniox254 did a EE degree and posts some great answers, make he could help.

Thanks

I'm going to have to start charging for my advice, aren't I.

I did electronics WITH power systems. I chose the power systems bit due to a sponsorship scheme known as the IET Power Academy, but my esteemed friend Foghorn Leghorn (above, and actually I don't know him, I don't think - I might do) got banned for being in an argument about that so I don't tend to mention it much. Free money at university though - look into it.

ANYWAY, What do you want to do? If you want to do power systems, I advise you to do electronic/electrical engineering, otherwise known as EEE. If you want to do communications, for which the vast majority of the employment is the mobile phone/ semiconductor industry, then I'd suggest you do electronic or electronic/electrical engineering, otherwise known as EE or EEE.

a theme is developing here, yes? my advice, don't bother specialising. study both at university, like I did, you can pick one based on which type of maths you prefer - frequency analysis, or erm... frequency analysis (it's a different frequency for communciations)

Power systems is in demand, as too many people are opting for "cool" electronics, mobiles, computers rather than boring, old fashioned electric motors, power grids and power stations. A UK energy crisis is coming, and it'll be the EEE grads sorting it out first, with the help of converted EE grads once the money is right. That said, communications is the absolute cornerstone of the current digital revolution, so that's in demand too, and not going away. And on yet another flip-side, once the power infrastructure goes down, the communications infrastructure that relies on the former will go down also

In summary. Change your "OR" gate to and "AND" gate, study EEE/EE and you've solved your problem. Unless you're trying to choose modules. The MIET in me says Power Systems, the MIEEE in me says Communications. They're both different, both useful and both in demand.

Stu Haynes MEng MIET MIEEE.

[bestofyou]

(Original post by pheonix254)
I'm going to have to start charging for my advice, aren't I.

I did electronics WITH power systems. I chose the power systems bit due to a sponsorship scheme known as the IET Power Academy, but my esteemed friend Foghorn Leghorn (above, and actually I don't know him, I don't think - I might do) got banned for being in an argument about that so I don't tend to mention it much. Free money at university though - look into it.

ANYWAY, What do you want to do? If you want to do power systems, I advise you to do electronic/electrical engineering, otherwise known as EEE. If you want to do communications, for which the vast majority of the employment is the mobile phone/ semiconductor industry, then I'd suggest you do electronic or electronic/electrical engineering, otherwise known as EE or EEE.

a theme is developing here, yes? my advice, don't bother specialising. study both at university, like I did, you can pick one based on which type of maths you prefer - frequency analysis, or erm... frequency analysis (it's a different frequency for communciations)

Power systems is in demand, as too many people are opting for "cool" electronics, mobiles, computers rather than boring, old fashioned electric motors, power grids and power stations. A UK energy crisis is coming, and it'll be the EEE grads sorting it out first, with the help of converted EE grads once the money is right. That said, communications is the absolute cornerstone of the current digital revolution, so that's in demand too, and not going away. And on yet another flip-side, once the power infrastructure goes down, the communications infrastructure that relies on the former will go down also

In summary. Change your "OR" gate to and "AND" gate, study EEE/EE and you've solved your problem. Unless you're trying to choose modules. The MIET in me says Power Systems, the MIEEE in me says Communications. They're both different, both useful and both in demand.

Stu Haynes MEng MIET MIEEE.

How easy is it to convert? And how an this be done?

[pheonix254]

By "convert" I meant those graduates who work in electronics, but gain more and more experience in electrical systems throughout their career. As the two are similar (electronics is just low voltage electrical systems, let's be honest) Then it wouldn't be hard, if you're in the right industry, to gain enough experience to be qualified and competent in the power systems field.

If you have prior, relevant experience, then no employer worth their salt is going to turn you down because you have an EE degree rather than an EEE degree. You might have to persuade them that you have developed the necessary skills, but again - if you have experience, this is not at all hard.

The same goes for any engineering in any discipline - you can focus however you like - the engineering degree gives you the toolkit (like mathematical knowledge and ability to apply it correctly) to do any engineering based job, even if it isn't in your degree specialisation. This is obvious if you think about it - I mean, who were the first electronic engineers? who were the first nuclear engineers? did they study the specialisation at university? of course not - it wouldn't have existed at the time. The beauty of engineering is that you're qualified to work in a vast field, in virtually any sector you want.

it's down to you, what projects you get involve in, and what jobs you apply for that will mould you throughout your career. The vast majority of people I know didn't have a plan prior to university which they have religiously stuck to - you go where your interest lies, where there is money, or where there is work, depending on your choices and circumstances when opportunities arise.

Case in point - I'm an EE grad, I've worked in electrical systems, marine, and aerospace for my employer, and I've been working for less than a year. I'm no specialist in any one of them, but if I focus, I could be, and I could easily apply for jobs in any of those sectors.

Stu Haynes MEng MIET MIEEE