EE vs Petroleum Engineering: Job Prospects & Physics Overlap

[quantum13]

refer to http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos027.htm

According to the government, electrical engineers are will be in relatively low demand in the years to come. This is unnerving, since I am considering a minor or major in electrical engineering, mostly because of the job opportunities. If the future prospects of EE's are so weak, I am not sure I will pursue this path.

On the other hand, petroleum engineers seem to be prospering.

I have some questions.

Do you think that in the future it will be tough for EE's to find jobs?

Would you recommend switching into petroleum engineering? (given that I don't have too great a passion for either field at this point)

I like physics. Is there a lot of overlap between petroleum engineering and physics? I know there is a lot of overlap between EE and physics.

 

[gretun]

I have always thought any EE is lucrative. I actually think petroleum engineers will be out of job in years to come, I mean you will probably make a blast that will make up when you are forced to retire, but the resources are going to be banned probably.

I also don't think you should go for a job that you don't like.

 

[quantum13]

indeed, it's pretty much expected that EE's will have good job prospects. that's why i was very surprised when i read these government statistics - one of the slowest job growths and median wages of all engineers. do you know if, in the past, these figures were significantly different and EE's were at the top of the list? have any EE's here noticed a reduction in job opportunities at their firms?

 

[kramer733]

How do you minor in electrical engineering? I'm confused. I thought engineering programs were specialized.

 

[clope023]

I've seen ee minors consist of

2 classes circuits
2 classes electronics
1 class signals and systems
1 class logic design

oh and except for solid state devices and maybe power systems there isn't that much overlap with physics in ee as you might think, I entered the major with this in mind and was severely dissapointed, down the line they branch off from each other, at least in my school a lot of upper level ee looks like computer science, I think mechanical overlaps with physics more by the looks of it but that might be how my school does it idk

 

[jasonRF]

I also don't think you should go for a job that you don't like.

I couldn't agree more. You seem interested in some kind of engineering (at least I hope it is interesting to you!) Pick what is interesting, and as long as it is something that can pay your bills, you will be more successful. The best engineers I know are truly interested in their work. Also, job markets seem hard to predict - I have no idea what majors are best for jobs right now, and I am guessing that all statistics are funny due to the recession. I would only let job prospects be a tie-breaker. I fell in love with electromagnetic theory and I couldn't decide between engineering physics and electrical engineering, so picked EE because of job prospects, but either major would have been fine, I think, because I could do what I was interested in.

best of luck,

jason

 

[Stay Tuned...]

have you looked into the solar photovoltaic industry? there seems to be a demand for EE's to design those systems.