Graduate Electronic Engineers

copacetic · 03-03-2006 10:52am

finnpark wrote:

Electronic Engineering jobs are few and far between at the moment.

As far as a taught masters it is a waste of time.

The government are pulling the wool over our eyes. Its easy to gloss up the figures. Engineering is the worst area to pck at the moment if yo want a job. Without a good 1/1 degree then your chances are between 0 and none. The best you can expect is a technician job.

??
have you any of your own unglossed up figures then?
i'd be interested to read them as you appear to be talking total rubbish..

finnpark · 03-03-2006 1:50pm

daveym wrote:

??
have you any of your own unglossed up figures then?
i'd be interested to read them as you appear to be talking total rubbish..

Three years ago a government representative went to my college and told everyone than there would be a huge lack of electronic engineers in the country. There was thousands spent on a survey by the government and they sent this fatcat about the ITs and universities telling people to go for electronic degrees. I cant remember the figures but not only were they way off it is still actually the other way - there are too many electronic engineers in the country. The government are trying but failing to create a workforce that has high technological skills in the hope of attracting IT investment in the country but the problem now is that we have the skilled workforce but have no jobs to put them in.

You are obviously politically motivated in that you support one of the government parties but Im just looking at it from a graduate electronic engineer's point of view (and IT). The jobs are not there - simple as that and the government gloss it up by showing overall figures where most of the jobs are filled by construction workers.

theCzar · 04-03-2006 5:52pm

finnpark wrote:

Three years ago a government representative went to my college and told everyone than there would be a huge lack of electronic engineers in the country. There was thousands spent on a survey by the government and they sent this fatcat about the ITs and universities telling people to go for electronic degrees. I cant remember the figures but not only were they way off it is still actually the other way - there are too many electronic engineers in the country. The government are trying but failing to create a workforce that has high technological skills in the hope of attracting IT investment in the country but the problem now is that we have the skilled workforce but have no jobs to put them in.

You are obviously politically motivated in that you support one of the government parties but Im just looking at it from a graduate electronic engineer's point of view (and IT). The jobs are not there - simple as that and the government gloss it up by showing overall figures where most of the jobs are filled by construction workers.

There are jobs for electronic engineers, I know lots of people with them. including myself. I have a friend who got a job with an electronics company, but didn't like it, so now he has another electronic eng job.

Further, there is a big demand for engineers (incl. electronic) but it can be hard to get graduate positions. Go to any of the recruitment sites and there's loads of jobs for people with experience. I'd advise people to apply to loads of places, get in somewhere and in a few years you will have the neccessary experience to go any place you like.

I'm registered with gradireland and there's a few advertised grad elec eng positions a week, though actually getting an interview is another thing.

To start moaning about a government set-up is just pathetic. Take some responsibility for yourself.

blondie83 · 04-03-2006 6:04pm

I'd have to agree with theCzar here - I graduated from UCD electronic eng last Summer and pretty much everyone who didnt do a postgrad now has a job. I know someone mentioned earlier in the thread that pretty much everyone in UCC elec eng who didnt do a postgrad has a job (my friend who graduated last summer from the place confirmed this for me). My boyfriend graduated from Trinity elec eng last summer, and by this stage its the same among his classmates. There are a few girls doing the same masters as me who went to UCG (again graduated elec eng last summer) and its the same there too. There are jobs out there finnpark...you just need to look for them!

Brian Griffin · 05-03-2006 1:29pm

theCzar wrote:

There are jobs for electronic engineers, I know lots of people with them. including myself. I have a friend who got a job with an electronics company, but didn't like it, so now he has another electronic eng job.

Further, there is a big demand for engineers (incl. electronic) but it can be hard to get graduate positions. Go to any of the recruitment sites and there's loads of jobs for people with experience. I'd advise people to apply to loads of places, get in somewhere and in a few years you will have the neccessary experience to go any place you like.

I'm registered with gradireland and there's a few advertised grad elec eng positions a week, though actually getting an interview is another thing.

To start moaning about a government set-up is just pathetic. Take some responsibility for yourself.

I'd have to say that you should put a little note to that. There are a good few jobs out there and they are hiring elec eng grads but there are'nt to many jobs in grad elec positions.

You can get jobs in a lot of different grad eng areas with an elec degree But if your only willing to take a job within elec positions, then your cutting your chances of getting a job.

copacetic · 06-03-2006 9:53am

finnpark wrote:

Three years ago a government representative went to my college and told everyone than there would be a huge lack of electronic engineers in the country. There was thousands spent on a survey by the government and they sent this fatcat about the ITs and universities telling people to go for electronic degrees. I cant remember the figures but not only were they way off it is still actually the other way - there are too many electronic engineers in the country. The government are trying but failing to create a workforce that has high technological skills in the hope of attracting IT investment in the country but the problem now is that we have the skilled workforce but have no jobs to put them in.

You are obviously politically motivated in that you support one of the government parties but Im just looking at it from a graduate electronic engineer's point of view (and IT). The jobs are not there - simple as that and the government gloss it up by showing overall figures where most of the jobs are filled by construction workers.

not politicaly motivated at all, just anti-bs motivated.
'fatcat' that is sent to universities to talk people into doing electronic degrees who are already in college??

there are plenty of jobs out there, ask anyone in final year in any of the colleges...

finnpark · 09-03-2006 5:28pm

daveym wrote:

ask anyone in final year in any of the colleges...

Very funny very funny...are we both on about the same courses here??? :rolleyes:

http://egfsn.forfas.ie/press/reports/pdf/egfsn0310_4th_skills_report.pdf is a report by the Government on the huge shortage of electronic engineers:rolleyes: .

What a waste of money doing up such a report when its obviously pure rubbish and inaccurate. Theres not much hope for those of you who do not have 1.1 degrees - you would need to try abroad at first I think. All complaints to Mary Hanrney TD and Noel dempsey TD.

daveirl · 09-03-2006 9:09pm

This post has been deleted.

finnpark · 09-03-2006 10:31pm

daveirl wrote:

This post has been deleted.

Mine have not.

Even some of the ones who got 1.1s are just working as Technicians. There are few graduate engineer jobs going for electronic engineering that is .

This is predicted to continue this year as the graph shows...http://www.electronic.ie/images/demand_graph.gif - and that graph is for all engineering jobs.

cargrouch · 20-03-2006 5:20pm

Electronic engineering jobs (I'm talking circuit design companies here) do exist for people with extremely specific experience. Basically, the market is very fragmented. So while you might have experience in a very similar area, and you're obviously pretty damn smart after finishing a four year elec eng degree, the companies are putting such a squeeze on things that you would have to be almost 98-100% match for their position.

That didn't come out quite as clearly as I wanted it to. Comment on it if you wish, I gotta go simulate some stuff.

zuma · 21-03-2006 3:42am

finnpark wrote:

Mine have not.

Even some of the ones who got 1.1s are just working as Technicians. There are few graduate engineer jobs going for electronic engineering that is .

This is predicted to continue this year as the graph shows...http://www.electronic.ie/images/demand_graph.gif - and that graph is for all engineering jobs.

Which college did your friends do their degrees in?

CathalMc · 21-03-2006 1:36pm

finnpark wrote:

Mine have not.

Even some of the ones who got 1.1s are just working as Technicians. There are few graduate engineer jobs going for electronic engineering that is .

This is predicted to continue this year as the graph shows...http://www.electronic.ie/images/demand_graph.gif - and that graph is for all engineering jobs.

The article that picture is taken from is actually trying to promote EE from the perspective that the demand for engineers is growing, not neccessarily greater than supply.

Demand exceeding supply is a luxury many industrys do not have. It's a competitive market, you are in competition for jobs even when demand exceeds supply because the industry does not neccessarily want you just because you survived an EE qualification. They want bright, talented and interested people.

<Cathal's Alarmist Theory of Supply and Demand>
I believe that employment straight from universities may in fact drop, but the companies will tell the government that their demand for graduates has increased - and they will not be lying - they will retain their standard for good graduates, and the supply of these is decreasing.
</C.A.T.S.D.>

Anyway, Midas Ireland lists 7 multinational and 9 indigenous semiconductor companies interested in increasing Irish EE graduate output:

Analog Devices, Cadence, Intel Ireland, Cypress Semiconductor, Duolog, S3, Xilinx

Anatech, Cratlon, Edalics, Eagle IC, IC Mask, Lightstorm Networks, Silansys, SensL, Wildflower Semiconductor.

I'd suggest that any EE graduate should have applied to most of these before becoming disillusioned about availability of jobs. I certainly didn't know the existence of a number of these when I graduated, so I figure the same is true of others.

Furthermore, in response to Finnpark's comment about taught Masters:

IMHO, the taught Masters offers an useful option to graduates for several reasons:
For individuals coming from less-recognised institutes or with poor grades that may be stigmatzed - fairly or unfairly - in getting jobs, doing a taught masters at a university is probably the shortest route to improve your CV to become competitive - on paper - with good university graduates. The coursework typically blends 3rd/4th year undegrad EE courses with graduate courses so that this person gets a well rounded education - or in some ways, a second chance at graduating with honours.
Also, the taught Masters allows postgraduate study without specialisation - somewhat like the US professional MEng degree, but at the same time providing substantial exposure to research. At the end of the taught Masters, the individual will have given him/herself a non-trivial amount of education pertinent to further postgraduate research programmes or to industry to accelerate his/her career.
Obviously, a research Masters will benefit an individual more in terms of a career in research - but the benefits over the taught Masters in industry are not obvious - unless you want to get into industry research. I recall a Analog Devices graduate presentation last year, where they said that the initial financial benefits of having either Masters was identical - but I don't know is this typical.

Jeeves · 22-03-2006 1:04am

I was wondering if anyone could help me,i am thinking about finishing up my college life this year, hopefully i will leave with a Beng in Elec Eng. I keep getting told that i will have to go abroad to get started in the industry due to the shortage of jobs here, now that really doesnt upset me as id love to travel anyway,this country is that expensive now i can hardly afford to go out anymore never mind starting to build a house an settle.

My question is if i am going to travel Where would i start to look for a graduate job in a foreign country such as the US, Australia or anywhere in Europe? when i dont know even where to here.

I am a qualified car mechanic with hands on experience in different areas and would rather be working with hands on approach such as servicing and maintainence rather than a mainly a deskjob but would start anywhere.
Any advice on this subject would be gratefully recieved.

theCzar · 22-03-2006 7:11pm

Jeeves, I've recently joined a company that may appeal (they'd certainly be interested in you I think). It's called CGG (Compagnie General de Geophyisique) they prospect for oil all around the world. The jobs based at sea on a survey ship, with 5 weeks on board, followed by 5 weeks off at full pay (works out at €30k a year, tax free if you're out of Ireland for 6 months + I gather). If you're interested in travel like myself, it's a great oppourtunity (provided you can put up with the seafaring portion, no sea experience required).

If you want hands on, the Observer position might interest you.

Their recruitment manager told me they're trying to get more Irish staff. If anybody is interested/wants to know more about it, please PM me.

Jeeves · 23-03-2006 1:38am

Thank for the tip czar il definitly check out the website, dunno if i would have sea faring legs on me, but its sounds like an option well worth checkin out. Thanks again for the tip.

scorptech · 27-03-2006 1:00pm

Hi, I'm looking for an engineer who would like to do some CB repairs/upgrades/mods in their space time (paid work). They need to be in the North Dublin/Meath area.

If there is someone on the board already do this, can you pm me.

Thanks

Glenman · 31-03-2006 5:54am

I agree, Its almost impossible to get any sort of a job unless you get a 1:1. I managed to get that but still no luck, had 5 interviews. Managed to get a job as a Tech after 5 month looking. Its not great but sure its a start.

janettetwenty · 16-09-2020 9:31am

You are right that the people who graduated are very smart.

aido79 · 16-09-2020 1:23pm

janettetwenty wrote: »

You are right that the people who graduated are very smart. By the way, 88 help will obviously come in handy to get a degree, because sometimes situations arise when it is impossible to do all the homework on your own.

This is a 15 year old thread. Who are you replying to?

But since the thread has been resurrected from the dead I just thought I'd ask what the market is like for graduate electronic engineers?

blondie83 · 16-09-2020 1:30pm

Wow 15 years - I feel old now! So did everyone get a job in the end?

godtabh · 16-09-2020 2:21pm

janettetwenty wrote: »

You are right that the people who graduated are very smart.

Don't post in Zombie threads. Next time you do you will be banned from this form.

I've edited the piece that suggests something illegal. You have been carded for this.

Graduate Electronic Engineers

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