The electrical engineering field is projected to grow in the near future. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the industry will add 21,300 jobs from 2016 to 2026, a 7 percent increase. This rise is expected to occur mostly in work environments that focus on consumer electronics. Electrical engineer job growth will likely occur in engineering services firms. Overall technical innovation has prompted more organizations to seek out this expertise, increasing demand for these professionals and businesses that employ them.
The 2026 projection presents a notable contrast to the previous outlook. The 10-year forecast for 2014 to 2024 was 1 percent growth. Now, third-party firms and in-house electrical engineering roles call for specific skills to drive innovation. Here are a few examples:
Energy and solar power
The BLS cited energy grid updates as one area driving demand for engineers and technicians. This sector requires professionals who can design new distribution systems and oversee infrastructure modernization.
Solar power, in particular, requires innovators. According to PayScale, industrialized countries seek solar energy systems engineers who can plan and build apparatuses and plants that generate this power. These professionals need knowledge of photovoltaic and solar thermal devices, as well as the ability to optimize such technology for changing needs.
Communication technologies
The BLS also pointed to communications systems as a key area of job growth. Qualcomm’s new chipsets provide an example of the type of innovation sought in this sector. The commercialization of 5G cellular also requires a shift in test methodologies for antenna arrays. In an article for IEEE Spectrum, National Instruments noted over-the-air testing is necessary for the 5G transition, prompting telecommunications electronics engineers to refamiliarize themselves with a process that once did not hold favor.
Telecommunications engineers lead such ventures and training for their teams. Once they have installed new chips and antennas to power 5G cellular and other broadcast capabilities, they then focus on ongoing maintenance and performance monitoring.
Project management
Electrical engineer job responsibilities require more than technical knowledge to create revolutionary technology. These professionals must direct larger-scale projects to ensure the designs and implementation align with industry standards and target specifications. When new innovations like Samsung’s 7nm node come to the market, engineers must also evaluate how such devices can increase efficiency and reduce project costs.
These teams often consist of professionals who do not have a background in electrical engineering. To move device development, infrastructure modernization and other ventures from start to completion, electrical engineers must understand how each stakeholder contributes to innovation and be able to communicate details from device specifications to pictograms in a manner understood by those outside of the field.
Nuclear engineers have such responsibilities. They oversee nuclear energy project development and waste disposal. Their designs remain compliant with government and other regulations, as well as meet production goals, and they disseminate these guidelines to their subordinates and collaborators.
These skills and core competencies — critical thinking, problem-solving, antennas, electromagnets and more — can help electrical engineers gain the roles primed for innovation today. A graduate degree can provide this advanced expertise.
