Life as an Electrical Engineering Student - Ask an Engineer | Part 2

[@lite6384]

As an Electrical and Electronic Engineering student, this guy couldn't be more right and down to earth about the experience XD. There is a lot you won't understand even when you are studying about it and as a student, you will only have a narrow understanding of topics and everything you look at will be in the ideal world of what the lecturer wants to include in the test. It does feel a bit like magic when you design a circuit do a bit of maths to model it and you pray it works. Currently, I am looking for internships but as a UK student the Engineering sector is not as strong as USA :( the closest and most abundant engineering related internship is thus software XD where you are competing against compsci students who have a wider software knowledge than you and more skills in software. Its not looking too good XD

[@CircuitBread]

Thanks for the comment! It's tough getting an internship sometimes, and it does make such a huge difference. Good luck, I hope you come across something good!

[@mortenandersen6108]

This is absolutely amazing! So glad to have stumbled across this channel. Really helped keep the fire going for me to finish my EE study.

[@CircuitBread]

Awesome! Good luck wrapping everything up!

[@joelhall649]

Electronic Devices and Circuits (Semiconductor Class) was a challenge for me too. I loved digital electronics though, making counters and stop lights etc was fun.

[@CircuitBread]

I had one professor tell me that I'd get bored making things with digital electronics eventually (his specialty was in photonics, so he was biased) but that hasn't been true so far! Granted, I don't do it all day, every day. Maybe it would be different if that were the case. But Sergey basically does and he is just awesome at it and still loves it. I guess to each their own...

[@joelhall649]

@@CircuitBread I agree with you. It really depends on the individual. On another note, the content here is awesome. I can totally relate to Q and A. Keep up the good work!

[@RideGasGas]

Thanks for the videos! My daughter just got accepted to UCSD for electrical engineering. Super excited for her as she has worked really hard throughout high school in preparation for this. I'm really looking forward to following her journey though the coming years. I am also an EE and have been practicing for 45 years now, principally in satellite communications and radio communications link engineering. Also got my P.E. license (also in California) about 20 years ago for a few reasons. Passing the P.E. exam is kind of like passing the BAR exam for lawyers. Except that lawyers can't really practice law on their own until they've passed the BAR whereas most engineers don't really need a license to work. The other reason was to be able to do consulting and to be able to legally advertise as an Electrical Engineer or Professional Engineer. These are protected titles in the Title Act in California and many other states. As noted above and in the video, the P.E. license for the most part is not required for probably the majority of electrical engineering work in the U.S., the exceptions being anything that relates to public safety like power distribution systems and traffic control lights for example. The P.E. license is a condition of employment for some government jobs.

[@HamedAdefuwa]

glad to know im not the only one up until 1am doing circuit analysis

[@CircuitBread]

😂

[@MarkMcDaniel]

Me too, but I love it.

[@NativeBox]

Love these! Can’t wait for the future days of despair and pain that await me :v

[@7Blz]

Hey can you answer these in a future video? What is it like day to day at work as a EE?? How many hours a week do you work as a EE and how much can you expect to make mid career??

[@CircuitBread]

Sure thing! I sent these to Laren and Stephanie - they're the ones who usually put the question slides together.

[@XxDeathlyTearsxX]

Man, I wish this channel started a bit earlier, say 2017 when I decided to switch to EE. It would've been so helpful. But I still made it and now I'll be getting my degree in a few days (': Keep making great content, it's definitely helpful for those interested/currently studying electrical engineering! And you have me subscribed as I love EE and need to brush up on some topics haha

[@CircuitBread]

Congrats! That's awesome that you made it through - what are your post-graduation plans? Anything exciting?

[@XxDeathlyTearsxX]

@@CircuitBread Yep, I'll be working as an electronic engineer starting in January! With a company that specializes in making products for electrical power distribution. Power was honestly the last place I thought I'd end up in (I had zero interest in it until the past summer and was looking into medical devices), but because I can work with electronics and with great people, I'm super happy 😊

[@CircuitBread]

@@XxDeathlyTearsxX That's awesome! Working on stuff that interests you is extremely important and fulfilling but working with good people is what motivates me every morning to get up and go to work. I've been fortunate that both my last job and here at CircuitBread, I've been able to work with people that are not only hardworking but just genuinely good people.

[@littzylopez3831]

Congrats!!! I’m just now starting on this path in the fall #femaleengineer WOO!!

[@BEE-qk6ld]

My experience has been the same. Electromagnetic analysis has been the very worst for me. I did pass it but my grade was not awesome. I excelled at analogue and digital analysis, signal and circuit analysis, and engineering workshop. I did well with Sustainable energy systems too.

[@maryidamha5235]

Wow, the first answer about the life of a EE student is so accurate hahah

[@reasonablecomments2538]

About to transfer from a community college to a University for electrical engineering. I finished calc 1 -4, and physics. Will the engineering core classes be relatively easier or harder compared to the calculus classes?

[@CircuitBread]

Hi Khalil! As always, that depends, but most of us found the engineering classes to be generally easier, in large part because they were more interesting to us. But, like Garrett Scott mentioned in his comment, it's like drinking from a fire hose, even if it's "easier". Personally, my hardest semester was only 12 credits with three labs. I think the important thing is that, no matter what, you're going to be working hard and that you're not going to get a break until you graduate. And even then...

[@Roosyer]

8:30 you're a humble man, that's refreshing to see. God bless you man (btw of course you're not an idiot lol).

[@CircuitBread]

We may have to agree to disagree 😂 I've learned a lot, but more than anything, I think I've learned that I have so much more to learn!

[@abrarshaikh2254]

1:40 EMT was the reason why I chose EE. A fun fact : people who are not so good in maths or average, tends to have greater interest towards embedded.

[@CircuitBread]

Hey Abrar - I have explicitly told people that I like digital logic because it's just ones, zeroes, and boolean algebra. So, while I have no data to back it up, my experience would lead me to agree with you! I'm just glad that there are different people with different interests so that we can have a more well-rounded community of EE's.

[@mad230]

I have a question! Do you have to go for a higher education after getting your bachelors degree for EE ?

[@CircuitBread]

You definitely do not need to, though it does depend on your goals. By specializing more getting a graduate degree, you make yourself more of a target for certain companies, though hands-on experience in that area can be just as, if not more, effective in that way. But sometimes it's hard to get hands-on experience without school, as many employers don't want to invest the time and money into training you and letting you learn on their dime.

[@garrettscott9427]

"What does a day in the life of an engineering student look like?" It's like standing in front of a fire hose at full bore. Something you would like to spend a week learning is taught in a 10 minute period.

[@CircuitBread]

Haha! Yeah, there's a lot of truth in that!

[@tmann986]

Lol when you explained “confusion, homework, whiteboard…” 🤣😂 my life rn as an engineering major. On a serious note. What’s a good minor to complement an EE major? I was thinking computer science and math/physics or something different like business or philosophy.

[@CircuitBread]

That kinda depends on what you're hoping to do for your career. If you want to work more on embedded systems where you'll need to do a little or a lot of firmware development, I'd recommend a CompSci minor. If you are planning on going into semiconductors where you're helping make the next best transistor or battery material, chemistry or physics would be the right area. For not a great reason, I got an MBA which has been somewhat helpful as we've been making CircuitBread and running our own business. But frankly, I still feel like a terrible businessperson/entrepreneur as it doesn't really interest me, we just do what we need in order for us to survive financially. However, if you like the idea of entrepreneurship, a business minor may be the way to go!

[@tmann986]

@@CircuitBread Thank you for the clarity! That makes a lot of sense. I love the paths that an electrical engineer can go. I’m currently taking my first calculus and physics class here at my college. Love every minute of it. I bet that MBA is great to have though! You’re really humble I can tell. Thank you for you service! I like my Seabees! I’ve been to Gulfport CB battalion 😄

[@vecoinc9439]

Yes my favoritee degree

[@enami_0136]

I’m not very good at circuits ( my teacher really wasn’t a teacher) but I liked electromagnetism and not bad in math but not so great I still kinda of curious to learn more.should I apply for EE ?

[@CircuitBread]

Yeah, I think so. As an undergrad, you take classes over every subject, whether you like it or not, so you will probably have to take some more circuits related classes. But the farther along you get in the process, the more specialized you can become, focusing on electromagnetism. And, who knows? Maybe you'll get a better teacher and end up falling in love with circuits. That's what happened with me and math in high school (though, perhaps "falling in love" is a bit too strong of language).

[@enami_0136]

@@CircuitBread thank you so much I think I’m gonna go for it

[@Jule-mm4dr]

Can you tell us more about your first steps as an engineer, like first job, how you felt about it, first job anxiety etc?

[@CircuitBread]

Hey Jule! If we get enough questions, we'll have Josh do a third part and he can go more in depth with his experiences. In short, though, we know very few people who felt like they knew what they were doing in their first job. There should be a touch of anxiety, but you just need to remember that nobody expects you to know everything, even everything you learned in school (as you've probably forgotten a decent percentage of it) - but there are certain minimums that will be expected. There will be some foundational knowledge they expect you to have. But if you've been applying yourself and making sure you understand one topic before going onto the next (don't try to solve AC circuits if you don't understand how to solve DC circuits, for example), you shouldn't have any problem.

[@Jule-mm4dr]

@@CircuitBread Thank you. I really like your channel. 💪👍👍

[@garrettscott9427]

While interviewing for an internship for Boeing I was told that they treat their interns just as they do actual engineers, which is to assign them real projects and have actual expectations for results. To confess I found this a wee bit intimidating. I ended up accepting an internship with a power company where they actually do the same thing, which is to give real projects to the interns. The awesome thing about this is that I get real work assigned to me, however, I am always assigned 1-2 electrical engineer mentors to guide me along as I work on each project. Wherever you end up landing a job/internship I believe it will be a similar format. Real expectations, but great mentors to guide you along.

[@Jule-mm4dr]

@@garrettscott9427 Thank you. Well, it's good you have experienced colleagues to guide you.

[@minervaduldulao2129]

I have heart disease and marfan syndrome. Can I survive EE without being extremely physically exhausted?

[@minervaduldulao2129]

It is because I easilt get exhausted

[@CircuitBread]

I'm not sure how much the mental exhaustion is related to physical exhaustion. Physically, it's very easy. Mentally, it makes me want to lay down and close my eyes a lot while I struggle with concepts. I'm just not sure how these things would affect you.

[@erickmanangan1248]

I have done electrical analysis and end up not using them in my job as EE. lols

[@dcqwer1957]

Hello im 3rd year EE here, can i ask some questions?

[@erickmanangan1248]

@@dcqwer1957 sure.

[@dcqwer1957]

@@erickmanangan1248 hello po, im just curious what is your job look like? Can you state your a day in the life as an EE?

[@dcqwer1957]

@@erickmanangan1248 i really dont know about technical work? Is it okay?

[@josh4mack]

How vital is an ABET accreditation in comparison to a regional accreditation?

[@CircuitBread]

It depends on what you're doing with it. The lack of ABET accreditation could affect your chances of getting into a graduate program, though how much it would affect it varies. Some states in the US have different requirements for people without an ABET accredited degree to apply to be a professional engineer, requiring more time or special tests or something. And, frankly, they just have a stigma. Like the now-defunct ITT, non-accredited schools are looked down upon. Specific to ITT, I had a professor once state that he wouldn't accept anything from ITT - having a degree there didn't hold any weight and he wouldn't accept any of their credits (he was the chair at that moment). My brother graduated from ITT and, shortly afterward, said it was basically worthless. But, take that with a grain of salt because I have an ABET accredited Bachelors and a Master's degree and he makes a ton more money than I do, so there's a lot to be said about what you do with it.

[@fergi4358]

can I wait until the undergrad tenure when I'm learning the broad electrical engineering to decide where I want to specialize and do the masters and so on? or do you recommend that I do that before?

[@CircuitBread]

I'd wait until you've done some undergrad work before focusing on a specialty. At this point you may already know exactly what you want but I found that certain topics were more interesting than I anticipated and other topics were less interesting than I anticipated. It's good to have some real experience dealing with it before committing longterm.

[@mouten1889]

i'm already an EE student and i'm watching this instead of doing my homeworks

[@CircuitBread]

Already gaining valuable experience as an engineer... my last boss gave me a mug that said, "Being Good Engineer is 3% Talent and 97% Not Being Distracted by The Internet" Funny yet sadly accurate.

[@Rudenbehr]

will I be able to buy a corvette after I graduate

[@CircuitBread]

If you want to, sure. You should make enough that, even if you're at the bottom rung, if you sleep on a couch at your friend's house, you'd be able to afford a Corvette. That's less of an engineer specific question and more of a Dave Ramsey question.

[@Patience_Mystery]

I'm about to go to an institute, should I be scared that I might forget what i learn at the institute

[@CircuitBread]

You will forget things, don't worry about it. You won't forget everything and I've found that the things you don't forget are the things most important to you and your career. Put that effort in worrying toward studying 👍

[@dawood8240]

Do you really need a good gpa as an engineer studen. What is the average engineering gpa to your knowledge?

[@CircuitBread]

Kinda, but not really. I feel like the average was in the upper 2's to low 3's. 2.8-3.2, would be my guess based off of people I've talked to. Two things, though, is that a guy I knew had a 3.2, which was quite a bit lower than mine, but if I were to put my money on who was a better engineer after graduation, I would've put it on him. GPA isn't everything. Second, despite that, GPA is something and it can be an issue depending on what you're doing. When I joined the Navy as a CEC officer, they required a certain GPA. I don't remember what it was. And if you're trying to get into grad school, they're going to look at that GPA. So, it's something to think about and to worry about but it's not the end-all be-all of scholastic performance.

[@electronicsdiypcbdesignpro6881]

very informative video about life of an engineering students

[@CircuitBread]

Thanks!

[@Kooler_1]

What degree do u have right now? A Bachelor's or a Master's?

[@CircuitBread]

Bachelors in electrical engineering. I did quite a few graduate courses toward an MSEE (well, 6 classes, maybe that's quite a few, I don't know) but my job at the time didn't allow me to finish it as all the classes were during the day and they got tired of me ducking out for two hours 2-3 times a week during the workday even if the hours were made up in the mornings and evenings. 🤷‍♂️ Due to the flexibility and since we ended up starting a company, I did a one year online MBA but, other than the full-time commitment while trying to start a business at the same time, the MBA was pretty easy.

[@Kooler_1]

@@CircuitBread so bro I'm wonder does your work pay good?? Please tell me the amount if, but if u want u can keep it personal np

[@CircuitBread]

Well, the challenge is that CircuitBread and SwellFox (the company behind CircuitBread) were started by a friend and me. And we've been putting a lot of time and resources into CircuitBread so I actually don't make that much money for an Electrical Engineer. It's been over four years and I still make $10K/year less than I did at my last job. But being able to work on a really cool project like CircuitBread 1) is very satisfying and 2) investing in something that has the potential of actually making more money some day, has made it worth it. And frankly, since I have several friends who are teachers, I can't complain as it's still much more than they make.

[@Kooler_1]

@@CircuitBread ohhh ok, can u tell me the best way to get a job as I graduation with this degree? Like stuff I need to do while studying and things that give me close to 90% secured jobs

[@CircuitBread]

I think the best thing that will help you get a job is to get practical experience. Whether that's via internships, personal projects, EE based clubs (micromouse or something), or anything - showing potential employers that you can translate what you're learning in school into something real is absolutely crucial. Plus it shows that you're motivated. And, they like it because it legitimately helps you as well - it will make things you learn in class stick with you better.