• ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

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What Can I Do With A Major In...

OCCUPATIONAL POSSIBILITIES

ELECTRICAL ENGINEER

Design electronic circuits and the equipment that uses them. Some work on the tiny chips that serve as the brains of the products, while others focus on integrating those chips into the products.

Educational Requirements

Avg. Maine Salary:	$26.13 per/hour
Avg. # Maine Employment	770
Annual Openings:	30
Projected Growth:	9.8%

MANUFACTURING ENGINEER

Design the machinery that makes electronic devices such as cellular phones, VCR's, and semiconductors. Manufacturing engineers choose which equipment to use and how to configure it. They meet with vendors, and work closely with them to make sure they build the manufacturing machinery according to specifications. If the company has foreign manufacturing facilities, engineers also oversee the installation of equipment at those sites. For many the international travel, which typically includes first-class accommodations, is a major selling point. Once the equipment is built, the engineer oversees its installation and continues to tinker with it to make it more efficient. Not all projects involve starting from scratch. In some cases, it's a matter of re engineering a process to speed it up or add features to a product.

Educational requirements may include a bachelor's degree in mechanical, electrical, or chemical engineering or material science. Many companies recruit college seniors, but it helps to have done a summer or semester internship.

Avg. Maine Salary:	n/a
Avg. # Maine Employment	975
Annual Openings:	23
Projected Growth:	4.3%

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RELATED OCCUPATIONS

SKILLS

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SAMPLE JOBS

Product Manager Pneumatics -
Outline of Product Specifications, recommendations of product pricing strategies through maintenance of up-to-date competitive product and price comparisons, maximizing sales and profitability; insure production of catalogs and promotional items while providing educational materials for Sales Managers and distribution; assist customers and internal departments with issues such as pricing, technical problems and availability of products; develop and submit sales forecasts, analysis and trends while monitoring gross profit margins; develop and insure distribution of price lists.
Qualifications: BS in Engineering or equivalent work experience with 5-7 years of related product management with some supervisory background.

Electrical or Mechanical Engineer -
Ability to speak and write Chinese preferred (Mandarin dialect helpful). Will train in New Hampshire, then transfer to China. Must be able to make 2-5 year commitment to live and work in southern China, Guangdong Province, four hour drive form Hong Kong.
Qualifications: Four year Mechanical or Electrical Engineering degree, must be Computer Literate, CAD/CAM helpful.

Software Test Engineer
Testing/debugging communication drivers that work with industrial automation software. interfacing with PLCs and other hardware devices.
Qualifications: BSEE or equivalent desired and current or recent experience as a Test Engineer.

RELATED ACTIVITIES

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

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PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

• American Public Power Association
  2301 M St., N.W., Washington DC 20037
  202-467-2900
  

• Ag Electronics Association
• Aircraft Electronics Association
• American Association for Crystal Growth
• American Electronics Association
• American Metal Detector Manufacturers Association
• American Public Power Association
• Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association
• Association for Electronics Manufacturing of SME
• Association for Work Process Improvement
• Association of Edison Illuminating Companies
• Association of Old Crows
• Audio Engineering Society
• Automated Electrified Monorail Product Section- Material Handling Institute
• Automotion Forum
• Bioelectromagnetics Society
• Cable Tray Institute
• Catholic Protection Industry Association
• Central Station Alarm Association
• Certified Ballast Manufacturers Association
• Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association
• Contract Services Association of America
• Council of Superconductivity
• Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association
• Dielectric's and Electrical Insulation Society
• Edison Electric Institute
• Electric Power Research Institute
• Electrical Apparatus Service Association
• Electrical-Electronics Materials Distributors Association
• Electrical Equipment Representatives Association
• Electrical Generating Systems Association
• Electrical Insulation Conference
• Electrical Manufacturing and Coil Winding Association
• Electrical Overstress/Electrostatic Discharge Association
• Electrical Women's Round Table
• Electricity Consumers Resource Council Electrochemical Society
• Electrochemical Society
• Electromagnetic Energy Association
• Electronic Distribution Show Corporation
• Electronic Industries Association
• Electronics Representatives Association
• Electronics Technicians Association International
• Energy Telecommunications and Electrical Association
• EUCG
• Home Automation Association
• IEEE Signal Processing Society
• Independent Electrical Contractors
• Institute for Interconnecting and Packaging Electronic Circuits
• Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Institute of Nuclear Power Operations
• Instrumentation and Measurement Society
• International Association of Electrical Inspectors
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
• International Electrical Testing Association
• International Electronic Packaging Society
• International Engineering Consortium
• International Institute of Connector and Interconnection Technology
• International League of Electrical Associations
• International Microelectronics and Packaging Society
• International Microwave Power Institute
• International Sign Association
• International Society of Certified Electronics Technicians
• International Union of Electronic, Electrical, Salaried Machine, and Furniture Workers
• Joint Electron Device Engineering Council
• Laser and Electro-Optics Manufacturers' Association
• Laser Disc Association
• Laser Institute of America
• Lightning Protection Institute
• Magnetic Materials Producers Association
• Microbeam Analysis Society
• National Association of Electrical Distributors
• National Association of Relay Manufacturers
• National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates
• National Electrical Contractors Association
• National Electrical Manufacturers Association
• National Electrical Manufacturers Representative Association
• National Electronic Distributors Association
• National Electronic Service Dealers Association
• National Food and Energy Council
• National Hydropower Association
• National Marine Electronics Association
• National Ornament and Electric Lights Christmans Association
• National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
• North American Electric Reliability Council
• Nuclear Energy Institute
• Power and Communication Contractors Association
• Power Conversion Products Council, International
• Power Electronics Society
• Power Sources Manufacturers Association
• Professional Service Association
• Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International
• Semiconductor Industry Association
• Semiconductor Safety Association
• Superconductor Applications Association
• Surface Mount Equipment Manufacturers Association
• Surface Mount Technology Association
• United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America
• Variable Resistive Components Institute
• Video Electronics Standards Association
• World Research Foundation
• AACE International
• Air Balance Consultants
• Alpha Chi Sigma
• American Academy of Environmental Engineers
• American Academy of Mechanics
• American Association of Concerned Engineers
• American Association of Engineering Societies
• American Automatic Control Council
• American Ceramic Society
• American Chain Association
• American Concrete Institute
• American Consulting Engineers Council
• American Filtration and Separations Society
• American Helicopter Society
• American Indian Council of Architects and Engineers
• American Indian Science and Engineering Society
• American Institute of Chemical Engineers
• American Institute of Engineers
• American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers
• American Psychological Association - Division of Applied Experimental and Engineering Psychology
• American Public Works Association
• American Railway Engineering Association
• American Society for Engineering Education
• American Society for Engineering Management
• American Society for Healthcare Engineering
• American Society for Macro Engineering
• American Society for Precision Engineering
• American Society for Quality Control
• American Society for Testing and Materials
• American Society of Agricultural Engineers
• American Society of Bakery Engineers
• American Society of Certified Engineering Technicians
• American Society of Civil Engineers
• American Society of Gas Engineers
• American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers
• American Society of Highway Engineers
• American Society of Mechanical Engineers
• American Society of Naval Engineers
• American Society of Petroleum Operations Engineers
• American Society of Plumbing Engineers
• American Society of Safety Engineers
• American Society of Sanitary Engineering
• American Underground-Construction Association
• American Water Resources Association
• AMERICAN Water Works Association
• American Welding Society
• APEC, Inc.
• ASFE: Professional Firms Practicing in the Geosciences
• ASM International
• Associated Builders and Contractors
• Association for Bridge Construction and Design
• Association for Computing Machinery
• Association for Electronics Manufacturing of SME
• Association for Facilities Engineering
• Association for Finishing Processes of SME
• Association of Conservation Engineers
• Association of Consulting Chemists and Chemical Engineers
• Association of Diesel Specialists
• Association of Energy Engineers
• Association of Engineering Geologists
• Association of Environmental Engineering Professors
• Association of Federal Communications Consulting Engineers
• Association of Iron and Steel Engineers
• Association of Muslim Scientists and Engineers
• Audio Engineering Society
• Biomedical Engineering Society
• Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers
• Combustion Institute
• Commission on Professionals in Science and Technology
• Composites Manufacturing Association of SME
• Computer and Automated Systems Association of SME
• Construction Management Association of America
• Construction Specifications Institute
• Council of Engineering and Scientific Society Executives
• Council on Forest Engineering
• Cryogenic Engineering Conference
• Cryogenic Society of America
• Deep Foundations Institute
• Design-Build Institute of America
• Electrochemical Society
• Engineering College Magazines Associated
• Federation of Materials Societies
• Flight Engineers International Association
• Fluid Power Society
• Forming Technologies Association of SME
• Human Factors and Ergonomics Society
• IEEE Signal Processing Society
• Illuminating Engineering Society of North America
• Industrial Mathematics Society
• Institute for Municipal Engineering
• Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Institute of Environmental Sciences
• Institute of Hazardous Materials Management
• Institute of Industrial Engineers
• Institute of Noise Control Engineers
• Institute of Transportation Engineers
• Insulated Cable Engineers Association
• Insurance Loss Control Association
• International Association of Knowledge Engineers
• International Council on Systems Engineering
• International Engineering Consortium
• International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers
• International Reprographic Association
• International Society for Measurement and Control
• International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering
• International Society of Explosives Engineers
• International Test and Evaluation Association
• International Union of Operating Engineers
• Joint Electron Device Engineering Council
• Keramos Fraternity
• Machine Vision Association of SME
• Machining Technology Association of SME
• Marine Technology Society
• Materials Properties Council
• MTM Association for Standards and Research
• NACE International
• National Academy of Engineering of the United States of America
• National Association of County Engineers
• National Association of Minority Engineering Program Administrators
• National Association of Power Engineers
• National Association of Relay Manufacturers
• National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors
• National Constructors Association
• National Council of Black Engineers and Scientists
• National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying
• National Electrical Engineering Department Heads Association
• National Institute of Building Sciences
• National Institute of Ceramic Engineers
• National Institute of Packaging, Handling and Logistics Engineers
• National Institute of Steel Detailing
• National Society of Architectural Engineers
• National Society of Professional Engineers
• National Technical Services Association
• North American Die Casting Association
• North American Manufacturing Research Institution of SME
• North American Membrane Society
• Professional Engineers in Private Practice
• Professional Services Management Association
• Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association
• Refrigerating Engineers and Technicians Association
• Refrigeration Service Engineers Society
• Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America
• Reinforced Concrete Research Council
• Research Council on Structural Connections
• Robotic Industries Association
• Sigma Phi Delta
• Society for Experimental Mechanics
• Society for Imagining Science and Technology
• Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration
• Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering
• Society for the History of Technology
• Society of Allied Weight Engineers
• Society of American Military Engineers
• Society of American Value Engineers
• Society of Automotive Engineers
• Society of Broadcast Engineers
• Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers
• Society of Carbide and Tool Engineers
• Society of Engineering Science
• Society of Fire Protection Engineers
• Society of Flight Test Engineers
• Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers
• Society of Independent Professional Earth Scientists
• Society of Manufacturing Engineers
• Society of Marine Port Engineers
• Society of Mexican American Engineers and Scientists
• Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers
• Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers
• Society of Petroleum Engineers
• Society of Piping Engineers and Designers
• Society of Plastics Engineers
• Society of Reliability Engineers
• Society of Rheology
• Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers
• Society of Women Engineers
• SOLE - The International Society of Logistics
• Special Interest Group on Mobility of Systems, Users, Data and Computing
• SPIE- International Society for Optical Engineering
• Standards Engineering Society
• Structural Stability Research Council
• Surface Mount Technology Association
• System Safety Society
• Technical Engineers Association
• Theta Tau
• United Engineering Trustees
• Water Environment Federation
• Western Dredging Association

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The information on this page was taken from the following sources: CareerWare 98; Maine Dept.of Labor, 94; Occupational Outlook Handbook, 98; National Trade and Professional Associations Of the United States, 97; College Majors and Careers