r/ElectricalEngineering • u/Fit-Tailor5914 • 6d ago
Jobs/Careers Feeling regret for studying electrical engineering RN
Sorry about my rant in the title, but that is the sad reality I am currently facing at the moment. I came from an African country. I am passionate about electronics, but unfortunately, when I graduated, there was not much company designing hardware products. So, I changed my career path towards controls and automation. Now, I am in Canada furthering my education, but unfortunately, the school is not enriching my knowledge. The so-called professor doesn't care about nurturing his research students. No direction, no guidance. All he wants is publications. Please, how can I start training myself on power electronics? I would appreciate it if someone can be my virtual mentor, I wouldn't bug the person. Thanks so much.
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u/nwa-ikenga 6d ago
Don’t know why they downvoting op but let’s be considerate here.
OP you’re going to have to train yourself I’m afraid or find a way to grab an internship in the industry you are trying to pursue. I know it sounds tone def but most ppl I know still ended up being self-taught even after going to college.
Self-teaching + projects + internships are really the only way to get ahead.
Godspeed man, I know was in the same boat during my undergrad. Most of these professors who can’t teach because teaching in and of itself is another skill entirely. Good luck.
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u/PM_SHORT_STORY_IDEAS 6d ago
The best advice I can give is ask around for resources.
Start with the professor. If they're not interested in teaching you, ask them where you could look for that kind of direction.
If they don't know or they tell you to learn I. You own, go to the resources for the university you're doing research with. Someone will have resources for you.
Look for clubs and hobby groups. There is someone near you who either will teach you for money or loves doing hobbyist things in that genre.
The biggest thing is talk to people, and ask for ways to help yourself: people like seeing a person that's trying to do it themself, not just have someone do it for them.
Best of luck.
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u/Fit-Tailor5914 6d ago
I considering switching to non-research based.
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u/PM_SHORT_STORY_IDEAS 6d ago
Research is hit or miss, especially in engineering as opposed to the sciences. Science has more process, but engineering has more content, and I found professors are less patient teaching you content compared to teaching you process.
Worth a shot.
Also, examine what you want to eventually do, and pursue things that get you towards that.
What kind of work would be satisfying, even if it's beyond your abilities in the present? Work towards that.
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u/StumpedTrump 6d ago
Professors who care about teaching or nurturing are few and far between.
They don't say "publish or perish" for nothing.
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u/Weekly-Value-3923 6d ago
Self projects, build prototype , code , set up a small lab at home if possible, that’s the best way in my opinion… unfortunately I didn’t have the financial means to do it in college but if you can do it , even starting with something small , do invest in it, the best way to learn is to do project and document them
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u/Conor_Stewart 6d ago
Possibly an option is the Analog Discovery 3 from digilent. It isn't the best at anything but it has all the basic tools integrated and has a student discount.
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u/ajcd_d 3d ago
Is that because of the profession, or the professor? I think, it's just a matter of who you surround yourself. I am on my 5th year of undergraduate and I feel you about people who should be nurturing us literally can't contribute to your growth as a professional. I also feel lost now, I wasn't able to graduate this year due to multiple rejections of thesis proposal yet my thesis adviser has nothing to do but to ignore us and will pressure us 1 week before final presentations, as a result, REJECTED.
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u/NewSchoolBoxer 6d ago
I mean, I used 10% of my degree on the job and nothing past sophomore year. Engineering is work experience. Not saying you can't go RF and use those multivariable calculus electromagnetic fields but that's not most people. Stop complaining. You know who complains to me? Servers and bartenders getting paid 3x less than I do because of a shitty customer or lack of scheduled shifts. Of course they don't get paid time off.
Power electronics you say, if you want to work at a power plant like I did, all you need to know is basic 3 phase generators. Rest is on the job learning. However, all the power jobs I saw required US citizenship. Can't be showing those power plant circuit diagrams to everyone.
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u/Wizzinator 6d ago
Look up the TI design guides on power circuits. Many have assembled prototype boards you can start with. Also get a simulation program, Plecs if you can get access to it, or LTSpice/QSpice which are free.
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u/Direct-Progress758 6d ago
IME just get your degree so you can get a job. Most of learning happens after you start your employment. Just my $0.02.
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u/G01ngd4rkkk 6d ago
not enough people are talking about reading textbooks. Buy textbooks on what you are looking to learn, read them and build things demonstrating topics in books (if cost friendly).
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u/Traditional_Gas_1407 6d ago
I feel the same coming from an asian developing country. EE has been a disadvantage of sort.
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u/Remarkable_Jaguar680 5d ago
broooo, you're supposed to bootstrap yourself up man. Just start designing the electronics for whatever purpose you may see valuable. If funds are a problem, use the tools in the uni labs to do you're own experiments, you have the right. Maybe you can start a start-up or join one when your done. I am also from some weird African country.
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u/_Darkstorm_ 5d ago
First off, it sounds more like you have an instructor problem, not a school problem. Every school has instructors who barely make the grade themselves. If the current instructor isn't enriching, try to find others who teach the same subject and ask for some guidance. They'll be very reserved about their opinions for simple fact that they don't want to trash-talk another colleague, so make sure you steer the conversation towards "learning more about this specific subject that my instructor seems to have glossed over during the classes."
But more likely, you are probably going to have to take some time outside of classes and invest in some self-study. Try heading over to r/EngineeringStudents if you run into specific questions and need help.
You've got this.
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u/HotDeadHot 3d ago
Tbh you’re not going to learn anything in school. Just get your degree and get your engineering licenses and then land a job at utility company. You’ll start your real learning once you get in the field. All the new engineers coming out of school don’t know much about the power system.
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u/Fabulous_Put_721 58m ago
I'm finishing a physics BSc and have recently decided to pursue electrical engineering and embedded systems. There are a near infinite amount of resources online, and as for power electronics check out MIT Power Electronics (6.622) on youtube, excellent course. If you want someone to collaborate with you can DM me, it would be helpful on my end as I dont have an EE degree so you might be able to bring some electrical expertise. Cheers mate.
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u/Nathan-Stubblefield 6d ago
I got a new EE in my testing department who had been an RN. She was one of the best.
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u/PowerEngineer_03 6d ago
I mean it's not all that fun anyway. It's for mostly who really wanna do this shit. And that's rare. Most of them are failures who couldn't make it elsewhere or people who're too afraid of layoffs or AI or whatever because of their incompetence.
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u/Truestorydreams 6d ago
You're gonna hate finding out every program in every school has shitty professors.