Electrical and electronic engineering

From aerospace engineering to telecommunications, a range of career areas are open to you with a degree in electrical and electronic engineering

Job options

Jobs directly related to your degree include:

• Acoustic consultant
• Aerospace engineer
• Broadcast engineer
• CAD technician
• Control and instrumentation engineer
• Design engineer
• Electrical engineer
• Electronics engineer
• Nuclear engineer
• Sound engineer
• Special effects technician

Jobs where your degree would be useful include:

• Clinical technologist
• Land-based engineer
• Machine learning engineer
• Management consultant
• Project manager
• Software engineer
• Technical author
• Technical sales engineer

Remember that many employers accept applications from graduates with any degree subject, so don't restrict your thinking to the jobs listed here.

Work experience

You can gain a hands-on, practical understanding of engineering systems, and the specialised industries they're used in, through work experience. Some courses offer a year out in industry, providing further opportunities to broaden your skill set and establish a network of contacts. You could also arrange some work experience yourself by checking the careers sections of company websites for opportunities or looking for advertised internships.

Scholarships for electrical engineering students, which include paid summer work placements, are available through the Power Academy. You can also find out more about the types of work experience available and how to get it at IET - Work experience.

You could also consider getting student membership of professional bodies such as the IET as it provides sector updates and access to networks.

Search for placements and find out more about work experience and internships.

Typical employers

Electronic and electrical engineers are highly employable and can find work in many areas, including the electronics, automotive, IT, gaming, telecoms, manufacturing, power, transport, utilities and construction industries.

Many global electronics organisations maintain research and development facilities within the UK and Europe. Engineers based in the UK can be posted overseas to work on projects, so a willingness to travel can be important.

Find information on employers in engineering and manufacturing, energy and utilities, information technology, and other job sectors.

Skills for your CV

During your degree, you will develop subject-specific skills in areas such as designing and testing circuit building blocks, computer programming and computer-aided design. You also develop other transferable skills including:

• the ability to use specialist knowledge creatively and innovatively to solve problems
• pragmatism and practicality to turn a concept into reality
• effective communication (spoken and written)
• good teamworking
• project and time management
• a professional approach and ability to work to an ethical code of conduct.

These skills help electrical and electronic engineers to be in demand in other sectors, such as finance and management.

Further study

You may choose to pursue further study in a specialist field or in research. Potential courses include an MSc or PhD in areas such as internet engineering, nanotechnology, wireless and optical communications and telecommunications. A major source of funding for postgraduate studies in engineering is the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

It's possible to take an EngD, which is essentially an industry-based PhD, combining Doctoral-level research with training in practical skills. It's a four-year programme, in which three quarters of the time is spent working in industry.

Chartership (CEng) is also a possibility once you are working and have gained experience. For more details on becoming chartered, see the Engineering Council.

For information on further study and to find a course that interests you, see Masters degrees and search postgraduate courses in electrical and electronic engineering.

What do electrical and electronic engineering graduates do?

The top ten jobs for electrical and electronic engineering graduates include engineering professionals (40%), IT professionals (18%), electrical and electronic trades (4%), science, engineering and production technicians (4%), metal machining, fitting and instrument making trades (2%), IT technicians (2%), sales, marketing and related associate professionals (1%), business, research and administrative professionals (1%) and senior officers in protective services (1%).

Find out what other electrical and electronic engineering graduates are doing 15 months after finishing their degrees in What do graduates do?

Graduate destinations data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.