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Graduate Electronic Engineers

2

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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 14,483 ✭✭✭✭daveirl


    This post has been deleted.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 296 ✭✭PDelux


    IBM was advertising for a good few positions in the Irish Times last Friday. worth a look.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,078 ✭✭✭theCzar


    I think a lot of engineers, myself included expected to have companies falling over themselves to secure my signature... doesn't happen.

    However for all the worriers, there's loads of jobs for grad elec engineers out there, but it takes time to figure out where to look. I graduated from UCD in 2005 with a 2.1, I was fairly picky about what I applied for and was unemployed until Christmas, I have since had 2 offers and I expect a 3rd in the next day or too.

    Ericsson and Intel hire loads of people, but Intel are mostly mechanical/process engineer positions. I was the last of my friends to secure a full time position. I have 3 friends in Ericsson, maybe a 4th soon, another in Intel and several doing post grads.

    I've seen people post here questioning the wisdom about doing elec eng, but I whole-heartedly endose it as a course because even if the elec jobs are there, theres loads of companys who love to hire engineers.

    I'm taking a job with CGG, where I'll be working as a Geophysicist aboard a survey vessel, the position said it required a M.Sci but I got it with a B.E.


  • Registered Users Posts: 550 ✭✭✭Teg Veece


    From what I can make out a masters is more industry focused where as a PhD would be leading you down the path of lecturer/researcher...
    Does a PhD give you the "Dr." before your name our is that something separate altogether?


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,931 ✭✭✭dingding


    Teg Veece wrote:
    From what I can make out a masters is more industry focused where as a PhD would be leading you down the path of lecturer/researcher...
    Does a PhD give you the "Dr." before your name our is that something separate altogether?


    Yes :)


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  • Registered Users Posts: 550 ✭✭✭Teg Veece


    Correct me if I'm wrong but do students taking a PhD course get paid for it?


  • Subscribers Posts: 16,550 ✭✭✭✭copacetic


    Teg Veece wrote:
    Correct me if I'm wrong but do students taking a PhD course get paid for it?

    you don't take a phd course, you do a phd by research and often it is part funded by EU or industry or whatever..


  • Registered Users Posts: 33,519 ✭✭✭✭dudara


    Generally PhD and Research masters sutdents get paid somewhere in the region of €1k per month. This will last for about 3-4 yrs and 18-24 months respectively.

    My PhD funding was cut after 3 years, and I spent the next 2 doing a succession of jobs, lecturing and tutoring in order to earn enough money to support myself while finishing it. It was worth it though. i've two generous job offers on the table at the moment ( in a different industry to my PhD)


  • Registered Users Posts: 550 ✭✭✭Teg Veece


    Thanks for clearing that up.
    Dudara, do you think doing a PhD is worth giving up 4 years of earned pay? Are the job opportunities that much better?


  • Subscribers Posts: 16,550 ✭✭✭✭copacetic


    i'll chime in on that if dudara doesn't mind, I don't think it's worth it for the money, only if you really want to do what the phd is in. i have a couple of friends who did phds and they did get good jobs when finished, but I had 3-4 years experience in the meantime and done a funded masters. so at the end of the 4 years had got that 4 years of pay, 4 years of experience and was better off money wise in the job too.

    Now they do have their phds and possible will overtake me as they build up experience to go with it, but all in all I would take my route again given the choice..


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 43 binaryboy


    are things really that bad out there?


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,078 ✭✭✭theCzar


    binaryboy wrote:
    are things really that bad out there?


    no. Everybody I know of from my class is either in a good job or full time postgrad.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 43 binaryboy


    theCzar wrote:
    no. Everybody I know of from my class is either in a good job or full time postgrad.

    cool! just sent off a few cv's in the past week


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 888 ✭✭✭themole


    daveym wrote:
    i'll chime in on that if dudara doesn't mind, I don't think it's worth it for the money, only if you really want to do what the phd is in. i have a couple of friends who did phds and they did get good jobs when finished, but I had 3-4 years experience in the meantime and done a funded masters. so at the end of the 4 years had got that 4 years of pay, 4 years of experience and was better off money wise in the job too.

    Now they do have their phds and possible will overtake me as they build up experience to go with it, but all in all I would take my route again given the choice..

    i would agree whith that.

    i am doing a PhD now and it only worth doing if you want to really do it.

    don't think of the money. money wise the best thing would be to do as said above, then if you still wanted a PhD you could have saved up money to stop working and do it , of even do it part time.

    remember you can always start doing a masters by research and upgrade it to a PhD if things are going well.

    i you do decided to do a PhD put a lot of research into it. choosing the right supervisor is very important. look into how regarded they are in their field, as well as how many students they have. if they have too much you may never see them, but if they don't have any, or very few it could mean they are only starting off themselves.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,476 ✭✭✭ardmacha


    A elec eng friend of mine who wanted a change of scene did the Master of Management Science in the Smurfit Business School in UCD. This is a maths/computer type course and it leads people into the IT/Mangt consulting end of things.


  • Registered Users Posts: 33,519 ✭✭✭✭dudara


    If you do a PhD you have to be certain about it. You are going to have another 4 years of penury when compared to your class colleagues. i'm way behind some of the people who graduated in my class.

    However, even though I'm leaving the area I worked in, I've learned loads from my PhD, ability to tackle problems, assign, delgate, and time manage. You will also be more mature than recent graduates when you enter the market, this is a plus You will learn lots in a PhD, just be sure about it. It's very easy to get discouraged when you don't have a lot of money.

    Since I'm not continuing in research I'm going for jobs at graduate level, but the offers are 2-3k more generous than for a standard graduate. However, I expect my extra maturity to show faster and result in improved performance. Employers like the maturity angle.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,975 ✭✭✭68 lost souls


    I was working fro Motorola ESG (Energy Supply group) who closed down, we were designing batteries for mobile devices.

    Cork is mainly just software based place


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,604 ✭✭✭blondie83


    theCzar wrote:
    no. Everybody I know of from my class is either in a good job or full time postgrad.
    Well I can think of one exception...but everyone else seems to be set up nicely! Well done on the job by the way - looks pretty interesting. Is it "few months on, few months off", or just constantly on board with 28 days leave, or what? I'm gonna have to think about looking for a job soon enough myself now :cool:


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,078 ✭✭✭theCzar


    blondie83 wrote:
    Well I can think of one exception...but everyone else seems to be set up nicely! Well done on the job by the way - looks pretty interesting. Is it "few months on, few months off", or just constantly on board with 28 days leave, or what? I'm gonna have to think about looking for a job soon enough myself now :cool:

    Ah blondie, long time no see, I hope your going to Edlad's birthday!

    5 weeks aboard ship, followed by 5 weeks leave in the country of my choice. I get ferried back and forth by chopper. :v:


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,541 ✭✭✭finnpark


    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.


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  • Subscribers Posts: 16,550 ✭✭✭✭copacetic


    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..


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,541 ✭✭✭finnpark


    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.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,078 ✭✭✭theCzar


    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.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,604 ✭✭✭blondie83


    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!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 51 ✭✭Brian Griffin


    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.


  • Subscribers Posts: 16,550 ✭✭✭✭copacetic


    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...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,541 ✭✭✭finnpark


    daveym wrote:
    ask anyone in final year in any of the colleges...

    :D:D:D:D

    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.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 14,483 ✭✭✭✭daveirl


    This post has been deleted.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,541 ✭✭✭finnpark


    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.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 314 ✭✭cargrouch


    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.


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