Electrician or electrical engineer

[Benefc123]

Hi I'm 17 and currently at college studying a level 2 qualifaction in electrical installation which I am enjoying . However I have an interview for a company who repair Industrial pcb's ,controls and drivers I was just wondering what is the best way to go should I look for electrical engineering apprenticeships or look for electricans and installation apprenticeships. I enjoy both electronics and the installation side but which is the best career. What are the pros and cons for both jobs and could I get still get an electricians qualifactions if I choosen the engineering side. Obviously you get a trade for life with being an electrcian

 

[Marvo]

Engineers are just way cooler, they play golf, they drive nicer cars and they always get the girl (or boy I suppose if you're that way inclined).

 

[telectrix]

Engineers are just way cooler, they play golf, they drive nicer cars and they always get the girl (or boy I suppose if you're that way inclined).

so where did i go wrong? only "nice" car i ever owned was a jeep cherokee.

 

[Badged01]

Engineers are just way cooler, they play golf, they drive nicer cars and they always get the girl (or boy I suppose if you're that way inclined).

And dont forget the big £££££ salary!

 

[Benefc123]

If I went down the engineering route could I switch back and learn installation later in my career

 

[sheephat]

Go with what you would find most interesting, if the engineering is more management base you may not enjoy it, I do commissioning and love it, project management would be the end of me, but being just an "operative" to the suit in the office is not they way that would 'av got me anywhere especially the way the industy has been in the past few years.

 

[Benefc123]

The job what I have an interview for is more repair based like a electrical technician . Which option has better prospects as I know you can get a degree in engineering but you get a trade for like as a sparky

 

[Deleted member 9648]

Engineers are just way cooler, they play golf, they drive nicer cars and they always get the girl (or boy I suppose if you're that way inclined).

They tend to have daft ideas on TT ra values as well.....:cheesy:

 

[Marvo]

Engineers love to spec astronomically low Ra values cause we know we won't be the one who's swinging the hammer to knock in a dozen rods on top of each other

 

[sheephat]

Get the trade and move up.

You have to judge it based on where you want to be in the next few years, if you don't think the engineering path will work out first off get the trade as a backup.

I got my sparks ticket and eventually did a HNC and now do electrical commissioning and I'v never looked back but it's nice knowing if it all goes sh*t up then I can always get the WD40 out and get back on the tools.