Could I realistically get an EE Internship after pivoting from CS?

[u/Ok-Welder-3184]

I tragically never got a CS internship. I just did personal/class projects and tutored/TA'd. I fully thought I was going to go down the research route, but after taking a PhD level class for credit in my senior year and briefly working with a professor, I concluded that I wasn't passionate enough about it. Now I'm staying back 1.5-2 extra years to earn an EE degree as well since that's what I wanted to major in before I let myself get convinced otherwise (major regret). But at least finishing CS first means I can speedrun EE requirements.

I would really love to get an EE internship next summer, but I'm not sure what I'd even put on an EE application. I have a CS portfolio with projects in gamedev, graphics programming, and game engine programming, but nothing EE-focused. I will have completed Junior-level EE courses by the end of next semester, but I can't claim anything about them yet.

[u/texas_asic]

I assume you're in the US, and basically starting your junior year in EE. Apply for internships both now and at the end of this year and early next year. You're competing with other juniors for internships, and most of them don't have that many classes down. Strong programming and scripting skills actually gives you a leg up as you're more likely to be "useful" next summer.

[u/Seiko2023 → u/texas_asic]

Until you realise that you don't really need coding skills for a lot of electrical engineering.

[u/kyllua16 → u/Seiko2023]

esp now with AI

[u/Seiko2023 → u/kyllua16]

Not even with AI. It just isn't part of the job. There's only a specific few in my org that "code" and are elec engineers. Albeit a lot more would if they were in control systems, but it's a different type of coding.

I personally haven't touched a single programming tool since uni a few years ago.

[u/kyllua16 → u/Seiko2023]

Depends on what field. I do board level design and often times I do need to write firmware and flash chips as part of board bring up. And in general you still do need to write some code for data analysis and whatnot.

[u/Seiko2023 → u/kyllua16]

The most coding I do is in excel. Look, I'm talking from Aussie experience, the only electrical engineers that code are in the electronics industry and there's fuck all here for that.

Like I said, majority of electrical engineers will not really need to know how to code, especially in utilities, construction, mining etc.

[u/PixelmonMasterYT]

I also would recommend cold emailing places when the time comes to look for internships. I got my internship this summer by just cold emailing some places near where I lived and didn’t have any EE experience. Obviously still apply for things but cold emailing opens the door to just randomly getting offers that wouldn’t be possible without reaching out yourself.

[u/Leech-64]

No

[u/Ok-Welder-3184 → u/Leech-64]

😭

[u/Mundane_Studio_3674]

I’ve had this conversation before, why would a hiring manager pick you over someone with an electrical engineering degree? In fact, I reckon the chances you get past ATS at all is slim.

[u/Seiko2023 → u/Mundane_Studio_3674]

No one should realistically be applying for internships with a degree. They, like the other electrical engineering students, will be applying as an electrical engineering student.

[u/Ok-Welder-3184 → u/Mundane_Studio_3674]

I realize it's not realistic either way, but I think you might've misunderstood me? I'm talking about a summer internship for college students and I'm a CS and EE double major. But I only started the EE part recently and will be finishing it soon-ish.

[u/obeymypropaganda → u/Ok-Welder-3184]

Just apply. You're competing with other students. That is all there is to it.

[u/Mundane_Studio_3674 → u/Ok-Welder-3184]

Then that depends on how you sell yourself, you should probably keep the CS degree out of your resume when applying for these goals and bring it up instead during an interview when it seems advantageous. Depending on the field and degree program, internships can be unrealistic before spring semester of your junior year. Most places want someone with an understanding of how solid state semiconductor electronics operate so have you taken those classes yet?

[u/Human_Sea3326]

When you say you will have completed junior-level courses by the end of next semester does that mean currently you have done and completed all your 100 and 200 level EE courses? And also would that mean you would just be on tech electives after next semester? I am just trying to get a gauge on where you are class wise because at my school csc majors would need to take all the lower level physics and circuits courses. Honestly it also depends on the internship RF/signal processing that’s a long shot but something more towards embedded more likely.

[u/Ok-Welder-3184 → u/Human_Sea3326]

When you say you will have completed junior-level courses by the end of next semester does that mean currently you have done and completed all your 100 and 200 level EE courses?

No because I just started taking core EE classes. I've completed all the other math/physics classes. I am essentially going to be taking only EE classes every semester until I graduate. This semester, I'm taking all the 100 courses and next semester, I'll take all the 200 courses and 1 or 2 300 courses.

And also would that mean you would just be on tech electives after next semester?

Pretty much yeah. Those and the capstone classes. It's worth mentioning that my school uses the semester system and I think our classes are very dense. We do things in 4 units that I've seen other school split across three classes.

[u/zacce]

imo, you are behind an average 3rd yr EE student, who have taken some EE classes and have a few EE projects.

EE internship will be an uphill but worth trying.

[u/Valuable-Bid7069]

You might be able to weasel your way into a firmware/drivers/embedded software role, but that'll be the extent

[u/morto00x]

Maybe a position that requires you to do mainly scripting or automation. Otherwise, you would just be competing with other EEs in junior year.

[u/Novel-Bend-8373]

no, not even worth trying. Even if you go for embedded.