Electric or Computer engineering

[Hellotalkie]

Hey guys, college next year and stuff, and just wondering what would go best
I'm into computers, pretty much all the IT stuff, but I've been told...well already know that a lot of jobs are being out sourced, it'll be harder to find a job. So with that being said, I want a secure job, with electric engineering...it sounds very possible. Yet I know nothing of electrical, whats its based on and stuff...I've researched a little but I still don't have a clear view of what I'm going at. College will most likely be OSU
thanks

 

[JohnCU]

umm IT, liking computers != computer engineering

EE probably has more opportunities, go look up electrical engineering on wikipedia

 

[Hellotalkie]

Yes...but the fact I might not have job security?
Thats what i've heard, but don't hold it against me

 

[JohnCU]

Originally posted by: cr2250
Yes...but the fact I might not have job security?
Thats what i've heard, but don't hold it against me

i really don't see all this job security stuff being a problem, we can't find engineers to hire, much less to fire or outsource.

 

[Hellotalkie]

lol this is the kind of motivation/opinion i need
thanks

 

[frostedflakes]

Originally posted by: JohnCU

Originally posted by: cr2250
Yes...but the fact I might not have job security?
Thats what i've heard, but don't hold it against me

i really don't see all this job security stuff being a problem, we can't find engineers to hire, much less to fire or outsource.

Where do you work? Just curious, being an EE undergrad that's going to have to start looking for work here in the next few years. I'm paranoid about not being able to find a job, but I'm sure that won't be an issue, I've always read that engineers are in pretty high demand.

 

[JohnCU]

Originally posted by: frostedflakes

Originally posted by: JohnCU

Originally posted by: cr2250
Yes...but the fact I might not have job security?
Thats what i've heard, but don't hold it against me

i really don't see all this job security stuff being a problem, we can't find engineers to hire, much less to fire or outsource.

Where do you work? Just curious, being an EE undergrad that's going to have to start looking for work here in the next few years. I'm paranoid about not being able to find a job, but I'm sure that won't be an issue, I've always read that engineers are in pretty high demand.

i work in the power industry/nuclear side. the power side of EE isn't pushed as much as all the other stuff now so not many people focus on it. but even talking with some of the other people at different companies that we work with (like siemens, AREVA, GE), the demand for engineers (especially electrical) is huge and there just aren't enough to around right now.

 

[theeedude]

Find what you will like doing more for a good chunk of your life. If you enjoy something, you will get good at it, and job security will come from being good, not some artificial barriers that may or may not be real. Companies will hire good engineers anywhere they can find them, it's that important. Outsourcing is a threat to mediocre engineers who are a dime a dozen in India and China.

 

[Gibson486]

neither is outsource proof. The biggets advantage to being an EE is that you could move in to the power industry. Other than that, there is alot of overlap.

 

[CraKaJaX]

Being an EE undergrad right now, I can tell you that if you want more of the IT side, go with CE or SE. EE is more of the "meaty" stuff. It's how everything works. I know there are plenty more EE students/past students here too that.. may chime in? If not, feel free to PM me anytime.

 

[BrownTown]

Here is what I would do:

Major in EE, but take all the CompE type classes. Usually the CompE classes count as EE electives, so your degree would say EE, but really you would know both (for example I could have graduated with either an EE or CompE degree since I had classes for both). I really think that having the more broad EE degree is a good thing, its easy to convince a computer company that an EE dgree makes you qualified to work there, less easy to convince an electric power company that a CompE degree makes you qualified (though considering how desperate some are they might hire you anyways ).

 

[irishScott]

CE is EE with a focus on computers. Where I'm at (University of Delaware), the first 2 years of EE and CE are identical. Almost any Engineering major will be able to get a job straight out of undergrad. Go to Grad School, and you're all but guaranteed a nice job. If you can get an internship or something and make a few contacts, that'll definitely help.

<----------CE Major

Like others have said, do something that you enjoy even if it's the most useless major in the book. That said, if you go for some liberal arts degree, just don't make the mistake my sister's making and think about your future career/source of income. My sister's in her final year at UVA and while her major would certainly allow her to start a job in politics, she's said repeatably that she doesn't want to go into it. I don't know what else she'll do.

She's a French, Political Science and English triple major. Technically it's a niche major called Political and Social Thought, but credit-wise and class-wise it's effectively said triple major.

 

[TecHNooB]

EE with CE classes.

 

[Hellotalkie]

So go for EE but with computer engineering electives, didn't know that was possible.

 

[Ctrackstar126]

F em both and become an electrician. Take the 1 year cert course at a college the job listings around here have them making some ridiculous money and theres a high demand.

 

[Hellotalkie]

ahh but I rather get my MS or BA in engineering...once again, it could get competitive

 

[soccerballtux]

I like EE a lot. I started as CmpE and switched, didn't want to take ANOTHER semester of math (past DiffEq, which was after Calc3). They're really similar, so similar I can't double major in them at my school. CmpE is a specialization of EE, basically you can take all the CmpE courses but graduate with a EE still.

If you dig computers and love following new hardwares, upgrading, etc... I'd def. recommend it. I do and am loving it.

 

[CraKaJaX]

Originally posted by: soccerballtux
I like EE a lot. I started as CmpE and switched, didn't want to take ANOTHER semester of math (past DiffEq, which was after Calc3). They're really similar, so similar I can't double major in them at my school. CmpE is a specialization of EE, basically you can take all the CmpE courses but graduate with a EE still.

If you dig computers and love following new hardwares, upgrading, etc... I'd def. recommend it. I do and am loving it.

In my curriculum (EE), we take DiffEq before Calc3. After that I think it pretty much goes downhill as far as math courses go.

I'd much rather be doing math when it's applied to something (circuits, systems, etc.) then straight up math that has no meaning whatsoever.