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:

• Aerospace engineer
• Broadcast engineer
• Control and instrumentation engineer
• Cyber security analyst
• Design engineer
• Electrical engineer
• Electronics engineer
• Nuclear engineer
• Production manager
• Software engineer
• Telecommunications researcher

Jobs where your degree would be useful include:

• Acoustic consultant
• CAD technician
• Clinical technologist
• Land-based engineer
• Machine learning engineer
• Management consultant
• Project manager
• Sound 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

Employers value relevant work experience as it demonstrates that you have hands-on, practical understanding of engineering systems. Some degrees offer a year out in industry, providing 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.

It's useful to stay up to date with developments in the sector and becoming a student member of a professional body, such as The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), can help with this. As well as providing industry news, it gives access to discounted events, a range of publications and networking opportunities.

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

Typical employers

Electrical and electronic engineers are highly employable and can find work in many industries including:

• electronics
• automotive
• IT
• gaming
• telecoms
• manufacturing
• power
• transport
• utilities
• construction.

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 either to go into a specialist field of work or to increase knowledge within the sector through research. Potential courses include an MSc or PhD in areas such as internet engineering, nanotechnology, wireless and optical communications and telecommunications.

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 at least half of the time is spent working in industry.

Gaining chartered status (CEng) is also a possibility once you are working and have gained experience. For more details on becoming chartered, see Engineering Council: Professional Registration.

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 electronic and electrical engineering graduates include electrical engineers (18%), electronics engineers (15%), programmers and software development professionals (13%), engineering professionals (9%), IT business analysts, architects and systems designers (4%), production and process engineers (3%), engineering project managers and project engineers (2%), information technology professionals (2%), and cyber security professionals (1%).

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

Graduate Outcomes survey data from HESA.