Electrical and electronic engineering
Electrical and electronic engineering are relatively new engineering fields and are about the technology of electricity.
Electrical and electronics engineers make everyday things, such as turning on a light switch or using your smartphone, possible.
They work on a wide range of components from tiny microchips to power station generators.
What do electrical and electronic engineers do?
As an electrical engineer you will be responsible for designing, developing and maintaining electrical systems. You may well work in multidisciplinary project teams with individuals from other specialist areas.
Electronics engineers work with components or systems such as capacitors, diodes, resistors or transistors.
Prospects - electrical engineer job profile
Prospects - electronic engineer job profile
A degree in electrical or electronic engineering will allow you to apply for roles as a graduate electrical or electronic engineer. The qualification will also provide you with the education base to work towards Incorporated Engineer (BEng) or Chartered Engineer (Meng) status through the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), which can be a good way of demonstrating and accrediting your professional competence as an engineer once you start in the workplace.
TargetJobs - becoming a chartered engineer after starting a graduate job
Who employs electrical and electronic engineers?
As an electrical or electronic engineering there are a number of employment sectors which you could consider.
- Aerospace (Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems, Meggitt Plc, Airbus)
- Automotive (companies such as JLR, Ford, Renault)
- Communications (Babcock, ATOS, Imagination Technologies)
- Construction and the building industry (Babcock, Hoare Lea, Arcadis, Kier)
- Defence (Leonardo, Ultra Electronics, Babcock, MBDA)
- Electronics industry (Tioga, SMS electronics, TT Electronics)
- Engineering consultancy (Arup, Aecom, WSP)
- Power distribution and energy (Eon, SSE, Severn Trent, Western Power Distribution, Siemens)
- Rail (Network Rail, Colas Rail, Northern, Transport for London)
Find out where Nottingham graduates work
Where do I look for graduate and internship vacancies?
Spotlight On: Recruitment of Engineers
We invited four engineering recruiters to talk to you about their recruitment processes and provide tips on how to make a good impression. They also provided an insight into what life is like working in their sector.
Speakers:
- Holly Kite, Early Careers Talent Recruiter, PA Consulting
- Lauren Scott, Talent Acquisition Partner, CAT
- Aled James, Senior Mechanical Engineer, DCA Design
- Atul Ranjan, Technical Lead, Orano
Login to SharePoint to watch the webinar
- Alumni: Email us to gain access to the webinar
How do I increase my chances of success during the recruitment process?
An important part of increasing your employability for any sector of work is developing your commercial awareness. This means having a good understanding of the industry as a whole, key employers, trends and developments.
Commercial awareness is particularly important during the recruitment process as companies will expect you have knowledge and understanding in this area. Specific questions may be asked or you can impress them by weaving your understanding of the company or sector into your answers.
Find out more about commercial awareness
For the electrical or electronic engineering, good sources of commercial awareness information include the following. Use the news tab to explore developments.
Engineering UK report 2020 
The Institution of Engineering and Technology