# Advice needed! Electrician and EE degree



## Dale333 (Nov 29, 2017)

Hi everyone, im looking for some advice as to what some possible career options could be for me. I am 19 and have currently been working as an electrician at a small local electrical company for just over a year now and i am loving it so far. Most of my experience has been in multi family settings ( mainly apartment buildings ). I am also going to college to be an engineer. I have been thinking that with my growing knowledge of the field side of electrical work, that becoming an electrical engineer would be a great option and would give me a leg up. However I do not want to be behind the computer for the majority of the day, as i have heard much of todays Electrical Engineering is. I would like a field job but i feel as though i have the ability to be more than just an electrician. If anyone has an knowledge or advice about this please help me out! 
Thanks for reading!


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## Majewski (Jan 8, 2016)

Do it all as fast as you can while you're young!!!


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Welcome aboard @Dale333!

Get as much education as you can and work in the position that suits you best.

There are engineers that go out in the field and do troubleshooting in many aspects of electrical and equipment install, operation, and maintenance.


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## MikeFL (Apr 16, 2016)

Get the EE degree and be a design/ build EC. You'll find your niche and it may evolve over time.


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## matt1124 (Aug 23, 2011)

I'm just about finished with my bachelors in EE. You'll find they aren't related very much, haha!

Have you considered specializing in power transmission? Apparently that's all the demand for engineers from the power company. I know a guy that makes big bucks just telling them how tall the pole needs to be, hahaha.

I wish I had my PE stamp, it's too late now, I can't remember enough the stuff to pass any exam, and I think I'm probably unemployable to an engineering firm at this point...

Keep at that degree, and work towards your contractors license. With your stamp and your card, you'd have so many options when it comes to a career!


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## Dale333 (Nov 29, 2017)

Is what you’re saying Matt, is that i should stick to the EE degree or rather work more at getting an apprenticeship as an electrician and then work for further certifications after that?


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## MikeFL (Apr 16, 2016)

When you're an engineering major, school needs to be priority #1. Always. There will always be jobs. There will only be 1 school and you get 1 shot. I've seen many guys not follow through. Make sure you get that PE stamp.


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## Zog (Apr 15, 2009)

Power system test engineer might be a good field for you. Find a local NETA company and try to get in the door. I would refer you but "Mid West" is a pretty vague location. 

http://www.netaworld.org/


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## matt1124 (Aug 23, 2011)

Pursue the degree but if you can continue as an apprentice while in school, when you graduate you’ll have the degree and enough hours in the trade to decide which way you want to go.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

I would do some soul searching right now.

I really hate the idea of "finish school and decide then", too many people have done that over the last few decades and wasted huge amounts of money and time. There's been many discussions about it here and elsewhere, Mike Rowe goes into detail of how it's been detrimental, you can find his videos on YouTube.

If I had to hire an electrician and my choice was between one who did a real electrical apprenticeship and another who got an engineering degree, I would take the one who did the apprenticeship every time.

An engineering degree is not easy to get, if you are going to work fulltime while going to school it will be very hard and require a huge amount of commitment and dedication.

But don't get me wrong, if you want to do a job that requires the EE degree, I say GO FOR IT. I'm just saying not to do it if you may just becomes a typical electrician.

Just my opinion.


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## MikeFL (Apr 16, 2016)

Dale333 said:


> Hi everyone, im looking for some advice as to what some possible career options could be for me. I am 19 and have currently been working as an electrician at a small local electrical company for just over a year now and i am loving it so far. Most of my experience has been in multi family settings ( mainly apartment buildings ). I am also going to college to be an engineer. I have been thinking that with my growing knowledge of the field side of electrical work, that becoming an electrical engineer would be a great option and would give me a leg up. However I do not want to be behind the computer for the majority of the day, as i have heard much of todays Electrical Engineering is. *I would like a field job but i feel as though i have the ability to be more than just an electrician.* If anyone has an knowledge or advice about this please help me out!
> Thanks for reading!


Hack he doesn't want to pull wires 2080 hrs/ year. He's doing right as long as he stays in school. He's going to have a great career.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

MikeFL said:


> Hack he doesn't want to pull wires 2080 hrs/ year. He's doing right as long as he stays in school. He's going to have a great career.


Hi.

I was just giving my opinion on the general subject.

I will reiterate something:



> But don't get me wrong, if you want to do a job that requires the EE degree, I say GO FOR IT.


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## kg7879 (Feb 3, 2014)

Stay in school and get the degree and then you if you want to get back into the field that is always an option.


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## Dale333 (Nov 29, 2017)

I dont want to be a typical electrician and thats why ive been going to college. However while going to college i have developed a liking for electrical work because i have been doing it just to get my way through college. I see myself working in the electrical field as a career but i want to challenge myself more and be more than just a typical electrician. But i do not know if continuing to go to college for EE will help me in my road to working in the field side of electrical work. I feel as though it seems EE is more computerized these days where maybe a civil engineering degree may be better for what i am looking for. Again i do not know all the details so im just looking for anyone to help 
Thanks again everyone


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## kg7879 (Feb 3, 2014)

Dale333 said:


> I dont want to be a typical electrician and thats why ive been going to college. However while going to college i have developed a liking for electrical work because i have been doing it just to get my way through college. I see myself working in the electrical field as a career but i want to challenge myself more and be more than just a typical electrician. But i do not know if continuing to go to college for EE will help me in my road to working in the field side of electrical work. I feel as though it seems EE is more computerized these days where maybe a civil engineering degree may be better for what i am looking for. Again i do not know all the details so im just looking for anyone to help
> Thanks again everyone


You have to clarify what you mean by typical electrician. As you do not want to work with your hands, work in the cold, work in the heat, and so on. That is typical electrician stuff. 

If typical means you want to be the boss but not a foreman go get a business or construction management degree.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

Dale333 said:


> I dont want to be a typical electrician and thats why ive been going to college.


Stay in school & good luck then

~CS~


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## PokeySmokey (Nov 14, 2017)

If you can keep up the pace of working as an Electrical Apprentice including all the courses required, as well as doing your Electrical Engineering Degree go for both.

Once you have all the required hour and courses to complete your apprenticeship, write the Exam and get your Journeyman Electrician License.

Finish you Electrical Engineering Degree while working as a fully licensed Electrician.

This will give you experience as a Journeyman Electrician. Once you have enough years in you can then write your Master Electrician's License.

Matt1124 suggested you specialize in Power Transmission. Include Power Generation.

That is the whole electrical Power System including Generation, Transmission Grid, to End user.

Protection and Control is also a good option in connection with Power Electrical Engineering.

There can be a lot of field work in Transmission Grid and Protection and Control.

If you think you would like to goo the route of Power Electrical Engineering then try to get into Industrial work to finish your Electrical Apprenticeship. This way when you attain your Profession Engineer's Ring in Power Engineering: Electrical and Computers; you will also have knowledge of what it takes to install the equipment. and the problems often encountered doing so.

Here is a copy from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada:

*Power engineering*

*High power electronics*

High Power Electronic Converters, their control and protection, in Flexible AC (FACTS) and High Voltage DC (HVDC) Transmission Systems. Applications to distribution systems.

*Distributed and low-carbon generation*

Problems and their solutions in large-scale integration of wind, photovoltaic, gas-turbine power in electric utility-grid. Impact of distributed generation on power system security, stability and operation of deregulated systems. Microgrid control and design.

*Power system operation and planning*

Optimal dispatch and scheduling power systems. Power system economics. Centralized and decentralized operation and planning. Emerging power system technologies for operation and control. Power system dynamics and stability.

Good Luck and finish your Electrician Apprenticeship if you can mange both. It can give you an edge over an Electrical Engineer who only studied Engineering.

Make sure you complete you Electrical Engineering!


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## WannabeTesla (Feb 24, 2020)

I seem to notice more and more positions labeled "field engineer"... i think that due to computers dominating technology, the need for computer literacy is more commonly recognized. If nothing else, the theory and math learning is going to help immensely if you decide to become an electrician. I can't really think of anyone i know who would not want an experienced electrician with a EE degree. I wouldn't expect EE pay while working as a spark but it should help somehow in that regard I'd think. Being 19, you still have a way to go before you create who you're going to be but i think you're off to a good start in that you're airway working in a field that you enjoy and you're refining your knowledge of that field. Whether you end up becoming a EE with solid, practical Electrician experience or vise versa... time will tell. But i think you're setting yourself up to go either way once the right scenario presents itself to you. 

Now get back to work!


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