What a newcomer needs to pursuue a carrer in Electronic Engineering - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: Matster Chief
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2013, 10:35:54 pm
content: Hey all, this is my first post and i had a very simple (i hope anyway) question.I'm looking into a career of electronic engineering and wanted know what kind of equipment is needed, and also where to learn how to do this!Cuz All this info is a little bit overload and i don't want to end up like this guyThanks!

author: Dave
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2013, 11:05:37 pm
content: To start experimenting, you will need a multimeter and perhaps a power supply. You can use batteries from the beginning, but you will probably get tired of replacing them constantly.Then buy a book like The art of electronics, you will find a lot of useful knowledge in there.As for the components, you will find out what you need, as you go along with the beginner projects.I suggest getting a breadboard for experimenting.

author: Matster Chief
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2013, 11:13:37 pm
content: Thanks! I'll check that book out! Thanks again!

author: Rerouter
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2013, 11:17:18 pm
content: i concur with a multimeter and a power source, even old dc plugpacks can be used in some cases, or terminating an atx power supply to banana plugs for a quick and easy source of voltages,equally this site was my biggest aid when i was learning over the basics, there is a ton of well laid out info in there,http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_1/index.htmlbut if you want to recall and know how to apply all this info, start designing projects, find something interesting, even if you could buy it for less, have a shot, if something is broken and doesn't involve mains wiring or high voltages, see if you can diagnose it, etc, its all about making sure you find out all the little quirks the books and sites may skip over,for a really basic example of this, all batteries have an equivalent series resistance (or esr) so if you try and pull a much larger current from that battery the output voltage will droop,good luck

author: Matster Chief
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2013, 11:30:27 pm
content: Thanks again!

author: TimNJ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2013, 11:51:08 pm
content: "Practical Electronics for Inventors" is also a very good book worth having.I think one of the most important things is just to DO something. Don't futz around too much thinking about how you're going to do it, but just rather dive into it. I dove into a few projects that were way past my level of expertise, but because of that I learned a whole lot.As far as equipment, don't let what everyone else has get in the way. Sure, you'll see people around with thousands, or tens of thousands of dollars worth of equipment, but in reality you really don't need it!

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2013, 12:01:45 am
content: Quote from: Matster Chief on May 25, 2013, 10:35:54 pmAre you looking for a career or a hobby?For a hobby the answers above are good, but for a career (a paid job) you need more. You need formal training. Depending on what kind of job you are aiming for the training could be slanted towards the practical or the theoretical. At the upper end, something like an EE degree at MIT, you would need to have excellent math abilities and very strong deductive reasoning and analysis skills. You may be looking at something more accessible like community college, but there will still a large math and theory component.

author: Matster Chief
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2013, 02:23:56 am
content: Thanks all of you for your very informative responses!Quote from: IanB on May 26, 2013, 12:01:45 amTo answer your question, i was thinking going for a career. i was thinking designing PCB boards and the like for companies while designing and building my own stuff once i could set up a lab. i enjoy working with my hands, and also quite enjoy tech. Im not through high school yet but this area is definitely of interest to me, hence my question. Math is one of my strong points so no worries there. if you could give me more info on this i would really appreciate it. I figure that if i can get some experience now, it most certainly wont hurt later down the road. again thank you all for your responses!

author: Dave
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2013, 03:36:11 am
content: From my personal experience, I can tell you it's a great thing to start off electronics as a hobby, if you plan on studying electrical engineering in college. It will be so much easier to grasp theoretical knowledge, if you already know some background from practice.It's great that you are good with maths, as it is the engineer's greatest friend. Don't be afraid to study math ahead of your high-school education program, engineering subjects will be so much easier at university, if you will know your calculus well.

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2013, 05:20:13 am
content: Quote from: Matster Chief on May 26, 2013, 02:23:56 amOK, as you are still in high school it's certainly a good time to be thinking about this. It will always be my advice to aim for a career doing something you enjoy. You are going to invest your life and energy into it, so make it something that pays back more than just a wage. Engineering as a career has a lot going for it if you are inclined towards math and the sciences.The usual way into an engineering career is a degree program at a university. With the current high price of college fees you should aim for a respected and accredited institution, but avoid running up huge debts at some fancy school with the expectation of a payoff later. It isn't worth it (unless you can get a scholarship or something to reduce the cost).It's hard to say in one sentence what studying engineering at university is like, but the simplest way to put it is that it is like studying really advanced practical physics and applied mathematics. It is understanding the theory that allows you to succeed at the fun practical stuff.Getting practical experience now will never hurt, and it will put you ahead of many of your classmates later on. Go for it!

author: Matster Chief
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2013, 06:37:38 pm
content: Quote from: IanB on May 26, 2013, 05:20:13 amThanks! I really appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions in such detail! Thanks again!

author: lemmegraphdat
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2013, 11:53:35 pm
content: Quote from: Matster Chief on May 25, 2013, 10:35:54 pmMake a lot of circuits and break a lot of stuff. Post some pics of the things you create. These folks will be brutally honest. Very instructive and a bit nerve wracking for you. Great fun for us.