Electrical Engineer careers guide

Would you like to change the world, improve lives and save the planet? Would you also like to make your tired old phone scratch-free again?

As an electrical engineer, dreaming up and making all kinds of electrical equipment is what you do.

Is there something you’d like to know about engineering careers? Maybe we can help!

• DID YOU KNOW? You can get into these careers with T Levels!
• What types of engineering are there?
• Engineering jobs you can do without a degree
• How school STEM clubs help you build engineering skills
• See why engineering students are in demand for construction careers!

See more

Useful skills to put in your CV:

• Good problem solving skills and an enquiring mind – every time you face a new challenge or project you will think about how to break it down and turn “no I can’t” into “yes we can”.
• Good organisation skills – this will help you with your education and training, and also with helping you to make sure projects are done on time.
• Teamworking skills – you could work as part of an engineering team led by a senior engineer. As you progress in your career, you’ll also build leadership and project management skills.
• Good communication skills – you will be able to work with clients and help them understand your work even if they are not technical themselves

Top Skills-boosting Tip

The digital world is here to stay, so polish up your digital skills wherever you can. Yes, downloading the latest app on your phone counts. It’s all digital.

How Do You Get These Skills?

Vocational qualifications and work experience will help you build these skills over time.

Build Your Skills With the FREE Young Professional Programme

School, college and training

In your GCSEs or the equivalent, aim to get passing grades of 9-4 (A*-C) in maths and at least one science. This is because it will give you more options with your engineering career later down the line.

You can then go on to take at least one A-level or equivalent qualification in a topic related to science, engineering or maths. This will be useful if you plan to complete a college course in electrical or electronic engineering before finding a trainee position in a company.

The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), the Science Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies Alliance (SEMTA), and Tomorrow’s Engineers have more information about careers in engineering.

Vocational Qualifications

You can explore doing an electrical engineering HND/HNC.

T-Levels

T-Levels are a choice for learners after GCSEs alongside apprenticeships and A-levels. You can do an electrotechnical engineering T-Level that could lead to employment or progression onto additional programmes like the BTEC Level 4 HNC in Building Services Engineering or a Level 3 Installation/Maintenance Electrician apprenticeship.

BTECs

You can do BTECs in Electrical/Electronic Engineering that will earn you a Level 3 or Level 4 qualification while giving you hands-on experience. You can do these alongside A-Levels or as an alternative to them.

Apprenticeships

An apprenticeship is a scheme where you train while earning a starting salary.

You can seek out electrical engineering apprenticeships with organisations like Find an Apprenticeship.

Advanced level electrotechnical apprenticeship

You can apply a three-year advanced level electrotechnical apprenticeship, for which you won’t need A-levels but you will usually need four GCSEs at grades 9-4 (A* – C) including English, maths and a science. You’ll also need some IT skills.

Higher level electrical/electronic technical support engineer apprenticeship

You can also apply for a four-year higher level electrical/electronic technical support engineer apprenticeship. For this, you will usually need one of the following:

• A-levels at grades A* to C in science, technology or maths
• A diploma in engineering
• Equivalent UCAS points

University degrees and graduates

You can do a foundation degree or degree in electrical engineering, such as:

• Mechanical engineering
• Electromechanical engineering
• Building services engineering
• Applied physics
• Aeronautical engineering
• Mechatronics

These typically involve time to secure work placements so that you can build your experience as well as your knowledge. There are lots of electrical engineering graduate schemes available once you finish your degree.

UCAS has more information on degree courses and entry requirements.

Electrical engineering gives you the chance to move into different industries like power, renewable energy, transport, construction and manufacturing.

If you become a Chartered Engineer you will find it easier to get project management roles or specialise in your chosen field. It can also help you strike out on your own and do consultancy work.

Work Experience Tips

Any work experience where you have demonstrated your engineering and/or electrical and mechanical skills can help your application. Sometimes it helps just to walk in through the door of your local electrical contractors in the morning and say you are looking to get work experience to see if they can help.

Examples of relevant work experience include:

• Work shadowing (even if it’s just for a day)
• Work placements in a company
• Work experience placements on a college or university course

Work experience tips

Volunteering Tips

Volunteering is an excellent way to build up your skills and CV while making connections with people and organisations who could help you in the future.

If you’re still at school, you can work on your engineering skills outside of lessons to build your first CV. One way is to join a school STEM club.

Search online for “school electrical project” and you’ll see some great inspirational videos and tutorials for ways to get stuck into electrical projects while still at school.

Volunteering tips

Knowing a little more about electrical engineering will help you show employers that you understand what this job is about. It can also help you decide if it’s right for you.

Where could you work?

• Office
• Factory
• Production Plant
• Workshop
• Power station
• Research facility

You will often work on projects with other professionals like civil engineers, architects and engineering technicians. You all have unique skills to help make a project take shape.

Example daily job responsibilities

• Carrying out studies to see if new technical developments are worth doing – these are known as feasibility studies
• Using design software and computer-aided design (CAD) to draw up circuit diagrams and project plans
• Estimating how long and expensive a project might be
• Making sure projects meet safety regulations
• Testing systems and installations, and analysing the results
• Co-ordinating the work of technicians and craftspeople
• Overseeing inspection and maintenance work
• Going to meetings, writing reports and sometimes giving presentations.

To find jobs for young people in this role, search on jobs boards for early career roles and opportunities with these words in the title:

• Electrotechnical apprenticeship
• Electrical technical support engineer apprenticeship
• Graduate electrical engineer
• Trainee electrical engineer

You can also take a look at our database of local opportunities to see if there are any relevant jobs, work placements, or careers events and workshops to help you get started.

These websites might be able to help you find electrical engineering experience or a role that’s a good fit for you:

• Find an Apprenticeship
• EngineeringUK
• Tomorrow’s Engineers
• Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET)
• Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies Alliance (SEMTA)
• Engineering Council (ECUK)
• Women into Science, Engineering and Construction (WISE)

These employers all carry our Youth Friendly Employer Mark. We work with them to make sure that they are providing great support and opportunities to young people.

Click on an employer to find out more about them and the youth-friendly opportunities they offer, from work experience and apprenticeships through to graduate schemes.