Electronic Designer - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: Overlord
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 08, 2019, 02:41:05 am
content: Hello to everyone, in this topic I want to discuss a challenge to every electronic engineer in Latin America. How to become a certified electronic designer around the world?.I'm almost an electronic engineer (I said almost because I have 3 subjects to get my degree), but I was always interested on design, so this was my first step. I'm from a country where we need to almost fight for be recognize in our discipline, without to many resources but good will to learn, that's primordial for us. In order to start my new gold I searched for information and self learning, but I think it's not enough so I require to ask on this forum, about recommendations on certified courses online, maybe to travel somewhere or how to become better.Sorry for my bad English, and thank you all for the attention

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 08, 2019, 03:06:59 am
content: There is no universal certification, nor one required in most cases. Just design stuff and you will be a designer.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 08, 2019, 03:24:38 am
content: Just so.Also, consider the scope of such a designation: Electronics designer - certified in .... what? Audio ... RF ... digital ... FPGA ... automotive ... process control ... avionics ... communications?The range is so diverse, there is no way I could ever see a standard certification ever being possible. Even within one discipline, there can be a myriad of specialities.I cannot speak from knowledge of what is available in the academic world, but it is my understanding that you build such accreditation by doing the work.Having the degree under you belt is not a bad thing - but don't expect it to carry much weight in achieving recognition ... unless your thesis project is appropriate and brilliant. And even then...

author: spec
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 08, 2019, 04:00:47 am
content: There is a lot more to being a design engineer, than just design. In fact, you spend more time on other activities than design: documenting your design, interfacing with the customer, writing specifications/reports of all types, internal meetings, design testing, interfacing with other departments, especially finance, procurement, and production...As a result the additional skills you need are:Interpersonal skillsTechnical writing skillsPresentation skillsAs the other members say, there is no universally recognized design qualification. instead you get a design job by contacts and responding to job adverts or just phoning/emailing/writing, to likely companies. Then, when you get an interview, that is where the interpersonal skills and presentation skills come in.But there is a catch 22. You won't get a design engineer job until you have had a design job, if that makes sense. But if you are a new graduate you may get a junior position in a design department. If you can achieve that, and you are keen, you are made, because working alongside old hands you will get all the inside information.Before you graduate write a curriculum vitae (CV). This is a vital document so always keep it up to date. Your CV tells your prospective employer what you are all about. But, remember that the person who will be appraising your CV may have literally hundreds of CVs to go through, so keep your CV, clear, informative, short, and to the point. Once you have a few designs under your belt, and write them up in your CV, you will then be a design engineer.As a student/ junior engineer, you can augment your formal training with home electronics study and making. You can include this in your CV and describe any designs you have done from scratch and completed, but don't overdo it.Finally, there are two questions you should always keep in mind: what use am I to a company, and what are my career objectives. The last point is most important because design engineering does not suit everyone: The old adage, 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration comes to mind.

author: rstofer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 08, 2019, 05:31:32 pm
content: You need to pay your dues by working with design teams as a junior member. That may be quite difficult if there aren't any openings because the field isn't very large in your home country. What does your university have to say about this?At our local university, there is a 2 summer internship requirement. The idea is for new engineers to actually get some time out in the field.What if you had to leave home? Is that a possibility? If so, finish grad school and try for a US H1B visa through some kind of employment firm in the US. I have no idea how this works but I do know that those with post graduate degrees are welcomed in most advanced countries. And younger is better.A different approach is to get an MBA (Master of Business Administration) and go into engineering management or project management. You may find it pays better to have an engineering degree papered over by an MBA and work the management side of the equation. Trust me, it's better to hire engineers and tell them what you want than it is to actually DO engineering. And it pays better...

author: Overlord
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 08, 2019, 05:42:39 pm
content: Thank you for your opinions. So in order it depends of what area i want to develop, and also find a job where i can enter as a junior designer. There are some courses like fedavel academy to pay a basic or advanced hardware design course.

author: Overlord
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 08, 2019, 08:47:43 pm
content: Its a good point of view rstofer. I consider to travel, maybe to Australia but its difficult to validate my degree in engineer in other countries, especially in USA.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 08, 2019, 10:00:25 pm
content: Quote from: Overlord on January 08, 2019, 08:47:43 pmThat depends on what you mean by "validate". Legally it is very easy, all you need is a notarized translation of the list of subjects you have studied and a number of hours spent. This should be either a part of your diploma, or easy enough to get from the university. After that there is a way to translate this into American equivalent. You will basically get an official paper that will says that your degree is equivalent to to BSc or MSc, depending on the number of hours. This is enough to convince the government officials.Convincing companies to actually hire you is much harder. But that is done through doing actual work. Start designing things and putting them on GitHub or something like that. This part is hard for everyone, not only foreigners.

author: Overlord
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 09, 2019, 01:36:32 am
content: Okay, nice. I will do my best. Any recommendation about designers in youtube? Or guides to keep learning?

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2019, 01:39:46 am
content: Learn by doing. Pick a project and work on it. You will quickly know what resources to look for depending on the actual questions you have in the process.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 09, 2019, 02:11:58 am
content: Quote from: ataradov on January 09, 2019, 01:39:46 amAbsolutely this ^ ^ ^Watching Youtube videos is not going to give you the actual experience of finding out the problems and resolving them yourself. Just remember the Youtuber you are watching may have some skills that they have mastered but which may be a weakness for you and they will skip over those points, leaving you frustrated and confused. For example, it could be something as simple as choosing a particular resistor and they didn't go through the process of explaining why it was important. They might have skipped that step because 75% of electronics people already know that ... but you are in the other 25%.Having a project on the bench in front of you will help provide the full experience. Practical experience.

author: spec
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2019, 07:56:59 am
content: Electronics theory, electronics practical, and electronics design are essentially separate areas.The way that you learn the theory depends very much on your own characteristics. At one extreme you get the grass roots fundamentalist person, who must understand how a particular area works, right down to the flow of electrons. This type of person tends to be practical and form images in his mind that illustrate the principle. Without this full understanding they find it difficult to understand the principle or to remember it.At the other extreme there is the theorist, who is quite happy working with formulas and concepts without needing to get to down to the fundamentals. Mathematicians tend to be in this group, but not all. This category of engineer typically does not get involved with the practical side.Which type is the best: neither. They both make a valuable contribution.On to the practical side. Some engineers are very good at making things, others not so much. That is just the way they are.Finally on to design. This requires a certain mentality and it would be difficult to put a finger on what it is, but design needs to be in your blood. Can you learn design techniques- yes of course, but I am not sure you can learn how to be a designer, if that makes sense. I say this after being involved with hundreds of engineers over the years. Some of them were natural designers and others, never mind how much they tried, just could not get on with it. Instead, they followed other avenues in engineering, and probably earned more money.