Electrical/electronic engineering : Your skills

In the course of your degree you develop a wide range of subject-specific and technical skills as well as transferable core skills. You also develop valuable skills from other activities and interests.

Electrical and electronic engineering graduates are expected to hit the ground running in a new role. They are expected to make a quick and useful contribution in work.

It’s not enough to rely on your technical expertise; employers will expect you to demonstrate a range of practical skills. You therefore need to think seriously about what you have to offer and how you might fill any gaps you identify.

Apart from specific technical knowledge, electrical and electronic engineering students gain a variety of transferable skills through following their degree programme, including:

• the ability to use specialist knowledge creatively and innovatively to solve problems;
• pragmatism and practicality to turn a concept into reality;
• effective communication (spoken and written);
• good team-working;
• good project and time management;
• a professional approach and ability to work to an ethical code of conduct.

Electrical and electronic engineers are highly employable in a wide range of areas beyond engineering such as IT, finance and management. Skills such as numeracy, problem-solving and IT, developed on electrical and electronic degree courses, are essential to many employers.

If your course includes an industrial placement, you can demonstrate relevant work experience and general business awareness. Practical placements, projects or modular courses can help you develop skills of time management and working to deadlines.

Consider the skills developed on your course as well as through your other activities, such as paid work, volunteering, family responsibilities, sport, membership of societies, leadership roles, etc. Think about how these can be used as evidence of your skills and personal attributes. Then you can start to market and sell who you really are, identify what you may be lacking and consider how to improve your profile. Take a look at job application advice for some useful tips.