electrical engineering Career Pathways

Overview
Electrical engineering offers you diverse career options in areas including the power industry, telecommunications, electronics, biotechnology, manufacturing, automation, transport, defense, mining, information technology and consulting services.

Specialisations
As an electrical engineer, you will have a range of specialist skills in the design, testing and maintenance of electrical and electronic systems.
You could specialise in areas such as electrical power systems, electronic system design, electronic instrumentation, control systems and automation, system engineering, embedded systems and communications systems and networks.

Career Planning
For university students, career planning is about choosing a career path related to your field of study and preparing for employment. While engineering can lead to specific occupations it can also give you the foundation for a variety of career paths.
Choosing an occupation, getting that first graduate job, and growing in your job will require planning, self awareness, flexibility and a forward-looking attitude to help manage the personal transitions, as well as the technological and economic changes of the future. With so many factors to consider an effective employment plan will include strategies for enhancing career awareness & self awareness, and can be done in a 4-Step process, starting with: 1. Doing some self-assessment to clarify interests and strengths 2. Gathering information and exploring careers that appeal to you and match your interests, abilities and values using myFuture (accessible to the public) or Adult Directions (via Online Career Tools for current University of Melbourne students) 3. Learning about the job market by investigating Work Experience opportunities, browsing company/ industry websites and talking to lots of people in your field of interest using the informational interviewing technique 4. Developing job search skills preparing your job applications and preparing for interviews using the Online Career Tools or booking a Career Consultation through Careers Online (both services available to current University of Melbourne students).

employment
Sectors and industries
Automation Aviation Biomedical Broadcast/Sound Engineering Consulting Technologies and Management Electrical Equipment Design, Manufacturing and Testing Electronics Government Departments, Agencies and Municipal Authorities Industrial Instrumentation Minerals and Energy Pharmaceuticals Power Generation and Transmission Refineries Research and Development Scientific System Engineering Technical Services Telecommunications Tertiary Education

Electrical Engineering 1

engineering Pathways (electrical)

School leavers Melbourne Model degrees (3 years)
Bachelor of Biomedicine
Majors include:

School leavers
Any Bachelors Degree Must include Linear Algebra and Calculus 2 or equivalents, along with science relevant to intended specialisation.

Bachelor of environments
Majors include:

Bachelor of Commerce
Sequences in the following Engineering areas:

Bachelor of Science
Majors include:

Exit to employment (without professional accreditation)

Bioengineering Systems

Civil Systems Geomatics Physical systems

Chemical Systems Civil Systems Computing and Software Systems

Bioengineering Systems Chemical Systems Civil Systems Computing and Software Systems

electrical Systems
Mechanical Systems Physical Systems

electrical Systems
Geomatics Mechanical Systems

Master of engineering (2 years)

Specialisations: Biomedical Biomolecular Chemical Civil Geomatics Mechanical Mechatronics Software Structural

electrical
Environmental

Note: Duration of Master of Engineering will vary from 2-3years depending on amount of credit obtained from prior study

Exit to employment with professional accreditation

Note: While the study stream highlighted above is considered the traditional pathway, alternative course plans can achieve the same qualification outcome. Please speak to a University of Melbourne course advisor to discuss your options.

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employers
A sample of employers who actively recruit our Electrical Engineering graduates includes: ABB Australia Alcatel Lucent Alcoa Ausgrid Beca Pty Ltd BP Australia Boeing Aerostructures Australia Deloitte Energy Matters Ericsson ExxonMobil Gloucester Coal Hydro Tasmania IBM For a more extensive listing including current employment opportunities, University of Melbourne students can visit Careers Online, our online jobs portal. It is also important to attend events like the Graduate Careers Fair in Semester 1 and student-run Industry Nights to become familiar with who the key employers are and the dates of their recruiting campaigns. Jacobs Engineering Group NEC NHP Electrical Engineering Products Norman Disney & Young Orica Limited Origin Energy OzMinerals PwC Shell Telstra Uhde Shedden

This guide will help you find quality library resources to help with: Career planning Researching industries Researching employers Employability skills Job hunting Resumes and job applications Interview preparation

CO-OPerATive PrOgrAMS

Enable students to alternate study terms with paid work and offer hands-on experience contributing to a real project, skills development and a chance to network with professionals in the field. Application opening and closing dates for co-operative programs are varied.
CADeTShiPS

Types of employment
work experience
There are many forms of work experience. With the introduction of the Fair Work Act 2009, all work experience must be paid unless the placement forms part of a university course. For engineering students, work experience could take the form of an industry-based final year project or a paid placement (such as those listed below). Voluntary work for not-for profit agencies is another way of gaining valuable work experience but these placements must adhere to the Vocational Placements & Student Volunteering Policy.
vACATiOn PrOgrAMS

Employed positions offered to students or graduates, designed to provide specific training or mentoring. Cadetships can be full- or part-time and vary from formalised, structured schemes to informal arrangements between an individual and an organisation. Application opening and closing dates are varied.

graduate employment Programs

Include substantial training, development and support. Some programs include rotations through various departments within the organisation. Usually offered by large organisations and government departments, an increasing number of smaller organisations are now offering graduate employment programs. Many organisations offer a number of programs some for specific or technical roles, and others which are broader based. Graduate programs vary in length, from 1-3 years. Competition is strong and final year students must apply in March or April for commencement in January or February of the following year. Opportunities to get exposure to industry through the Melbourne School of engineering: Connect with industry through the curriculum, via: student projects that are partnered with industry guest lectures led by industry leaders site visits hosted by key organisations career mentoring programs

resources
The Careers and Jobs Guide on the Library website has been developed for current University of Melbourne students in conjunction with Careers & Employment.

Are degree-related, structured paid work placements usually undertaken by students at the end of their penultimate year of study. These can often lead to a graduate position, so competition for placements is intense. Winter vacation programs are available from time to time.
inTernShiPS

Internships are supervised, paid work placements arranged between the employer and student, sometimes brokered by the university. Ranging from a few weeks part-time to multiple semesters full-time, internships occur in a field relevant to the students qualification. Application opening and closing dates for internships are varied.

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Career Progression (trajectories) electrical

graduate Graduate Electrical Engineer Graduate Electronic Engineer Graduate Electrical Services Engineer Graduate Electrical Systems Engineer Graduate Electrical Design Engineer Graduate Engineer Electrical/Mechatronics Junior Electrical Engineer 3-5 years experience Electrical and Instrument Engineer Electrical Asset Engineer Electrical Design Engineer Electrical Engineer Electronic Engineer Electrical and Controls Engineer Electrical Engineer Building Services Electrical Engineer Energy Electrical Engineer Mining Services Electrical Engineer Electrometallurgy Electrical Engineer Oil and Gas Electrical Engineer High Voltage Power Supply Electrical Engineer Power Generation Electrical Engineer Power Systems/Control Systems Electrical Engineer Secondary Substation Design Electrical Engineer Water/Waste Water Electrical Engineer/Control Systems Electrical Field Engineer Electrical/Instrumentation Engineer Electrical Engineer Hazardous Area Electrical Maintenance Engineer Electrical Project Engineer Electrical Reliability Engineer Electrical Risk Engineer Electrical Site Engineer Electrical Telco Engineer Electrical and Instrumentation Engineer Field Electrical Engineer Oubbye Electrical Engineer Traction Electrical Systems Design Engineer 10 years Lead Electrical Engineer Principal Electrical Engineer Senior Electrical Engineer

Amy Whykes provides technical expertise and innovative product design solutions at NHP, a leading supplier of electrical and automation products and systems: I work on projects that utilise NHP products to create integrated solutions which meet customer requirements. One of my last projects involved designing a touch-screen based circuit breaker control system, in response to customer demand. During the course of her degree, Amy attended a variety of careers fairs and valued the careers support and

opportunities to network with industry representatives through events like the Melbourne School of Engineerings Endeavour Exhibition: The Endeavour Engineering Exhibition gave me the opportunity to showcase my final year project to industry representatives, including my current employer, who are sponsors of the exhibition. In her current role, Amy enjoys applying technical expertise to develop innovative solutions and aspires to work in product management in the near future.

AMY whYKeS Support engineer, nhP electrical engineering Products Pty Ltd Study Area: electrical engineering

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Careers in Research
If you are passionate about a certain field and would like to advance your research skills, enrolling in a research higher degree (RHD) may be a great option for you. RHDs enhance your ability to problem solve, think autonomously and creatively, and analyse. Careers in research are diverse and may include: academic positions at universities; policy-making or research positions at public sector organisations; private sector research and development projects; and self-employed consulting positions on technical or policy issues in your area of expertise.

Salary Information
According to a survey conducted in 2011 by Engineers Australia, gross mean base salary figures for electrical engineers across the private and public sectors are as follows: New graduate: $66,677 2-3 years: $78,557 4-10 years: $101,264 10-15 years: $126,117 Over 15 years: $169,077

Graduate Attributes for Employment

As a graduate electrical engineer you will have: Opportunities to interact with industry professionals through guest lectures, field and project work A sound fundamental understanding of the technical skills and principles of electrical engineering and their application to complex, open-ended engineering tasks and problems Generic skills, including management, communication, problem-solving and design and innovation in electrical engineering The educational and professional standards of Engineers Australia and EUR-ACE with which the course is accredited Understanding of professional and ethical responsibilities and commitment to them General knowledge Understanding of the business environment Ability to communicate effectively, with the engineering team and the community at large Ability to function effectively as an individual and in multidisciplinary and multicultural teams, as a team leader or manager as well as an effective team member Ability to manage information and documentation Capacity for lifelong learning and professional development.

Job Outlook
According to the Australian Governments Job Outlook website*: Job Prospects for Electrical Engineering Professionals are good. Employment for Electrical Engineering Professionals to 2015-2016 is expected to grow very strongly. Employment rose strongly in the last five years, and in the long-term (ten years). The internet vacancy level for Electrical Engineering Professionals is very high. The mix of industries employing Electrical Engineering Professionals is very favourable for employment growth prospects.
* The Data on Job Outlook is updated on a yearly basis and is compiled from national statistics which may not reflect either regional variations or more recent changes in employment conditions.

Alternative Careers
An engineering degree offers you excellent technical and design expertise, but also equips you with the foundations for a diverse range of positions. Over a third of our graduates choose to move into nontraditional engineering roles, including: Management consulting Finance, economics and banking Marketing and communications Business analysis Project management Technical writing Government, policy and intellectual property management. For current University of Melbourne students, Careers Online advertises numerous generalist graduate jobs during the peak recruitment season (March-April of your final year). You will often find that many state and federal government departments and defence agencies will actively recruit for engineers as they value their high-end problem-solving and analytical abilities.

Eric Chang is a Senior Consultant in the Technology and Projects Advisory of global professional services firm, PwC. He works with organisations to deliver strategic IT solutions that meet business needs. This may involve developing short and long-term IT strategies and roll-out plans, project managing specific initiatives, or setting up best practice project management methodologies for Program Management Offices:

Graduating from Melbourne gave me a solid foundation and the skills within engineering to analyse and think outside the box, and to challenge and problem solve. I also enjoyed the project management experience through my final year project. During the course of his degree, Eric undertook vacation work as a Junior Analyst for the ANZ in their IT program: My internship enabled me to obtain exposure to corporate life, expectations, work ethic and culture, as well as an insight into industry and future career paths. Eric enjoys working in IT management consulting and aspires to lead large IT transformation projects in the financial services sector.

ERIC CHANG Senior Consultant, PwC Study Area: Electrical Engineering

The diversities and challenges I experience are always unique, so the ability to adapt and deliver a solution fit for purpose is always exciting. Eric values the lateral thinking that his electrical engineering studies developed, which has been integral to his current role:

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As a Lead Electrical Engineer for global technical services provider, Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., Nick Edney works in both a technical and coordinating role. His responsibilities include creating and editing drawings and documents, managing staff within his team, providing technical advice and documentation to the electrical and project management teams, and liaising with other teams across the project. Nick is currently working on a haul truck diesel refuelling facility and saline water pumping station for a major resources project in Australia: The best part of my job is the opportunity to learn and understand the interconnections between my discipline and other disciplines, including civil/structural, mechanical, process, instrumentation and piping. I have built great friendships and get to work with fun and interesting people.

Prior to joining Jacobs, Nick spent 18 months with AECOM, global provider of professional technical and management support services. He worked in the companys minerals & industry group, undertaking diverse projects that equipped him well for his current role: I spent two months working on the Wellington Tunnels Alliance, a project to upgrade two major road tunnels in Wellington to modern safety standards. It was great to meet new people and experience a new (and very cool) city. Nick enjoyed his electrical engineering study and continues to draw upon the skills learned in his degree: I learned from some excellent lecturers in a high calibre environment. My Melbourne education gave me analytical and practical skills, which I am using to build my career.

niCK eDneY Lead electrical engineer, Jacobs Study Area: electrical engineering

Useful Links
Job Search Sites
Careers Online Engineer Jobs Engineering Career Engineering Jobs Australia Grad Connection Just Engineers Job Search Australia/Engineers Mining Careers MyCareer Electrical Engineering Oil Careers Seek Electrical Engineering

Licensing and registration

There is no formal system of regulation for engineers throughout Australia. Engineering services are regulated under a variety of Acts in ad hoc areas, many of which relate to engineers in the building and construction industry. Engineers in Queensland are required by legislation to be registered through the Board of Professional Engineers in Queensland (BPEQ).

In other states and territories engineers operate under the self-regulatory system operated by the National Engineering Registration Board (NERB).

international Students/graduates
Working in Victoria: An Engineers Guide

Overseas Qualifications Assessment Team (OSQA)

Engineers Australia

recruiters
Recruitment and Consulting Services Associations Member Index Seek recruiter search

Professional Associations
Engineers Australia APESMA Electrical Energy Society of Australia (EESA) Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Consult Australia

Electrical Engineering Pathways. Authorised by the Industry Relations Manager, Melbourne School of Engineering. Published by The Melbourne School of Engineering, July 2012.

Copyright: Copyright University of Melbourne 2012. Copyright in this publication is owned by the University and no part of it may be reproduced without the permission of the University.

CRICOS provider code 00116K. Disclaimer: The University has used its best endeavours to ensure that material contained in this publication was correct at the time of printing. The University gives no warranty and accepts no

responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of information and the University reserves the right to make changes without notice at any time at its absolute discretion.