Learn more about electrical systems and components by building a radio or a central processing unit of a computer. Get involved in your schools science club to meet others who share your interests and participate in student competitions. Professional associations such as the Technology Student Association offer academic competitions as well as career programs that help students hone their technology skills. Learn more about TSA competitions at https://tsaweb.org/competitions. In addition, SkillsUSA (https://www.skillsusa.org) offers competitions for high school and college students in Electrical Construction Wiring, Electronics Technology, Engineering Technology-Design, and other fields.

Attend a summer program in electrical engineering to learn more about the field. Michigan Technological University (https://www.mtu.edu/syp), for example, offers summer youth programs in engineering, computers, electronics, and robotics, as well as recreational activities. The Women’s Technology Program (https://web.mit.edu/wtp) at Massachusetts Institute of Technology is another option.

Check out TryEngineering.org from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). It offers information on careers and camps and other exploration opportunities, an Ask an Expert section, and other resources. Find publications on electrical engineering on the IEEEs Web site, https://www.ieee.org/publications.

Participate in information interviews and job-shadowing experiences with electrical engineering technologists to learn more about the field. Ask your school counselor and science teacher for help setting up these experiences.

The electrical engineering field is diverse, and is connected to many other fields of applied science and technology. Electrical engineering technologists use their knowledge of the sciences in the practical applications of electrical energy. They help electrical engineers with the design, construction, and operation of electrical systems and devices.

Electrical energy is part of our everyday lives, from our home lighting systems and our televisions and telephones to electrical systems in cars, blood-pressure monitors, MP3 players, video games, computers, and more. Electrical engineers and engineering technologists work on these and other types of products. Specializations vary, including such areas as communications, robotics, or automobiles.

Electrical engineering technologists help electrical engineers to develop and improve high-power electricity transmission systems and equipment. They may help in the design and construction of power plants and the manufacture and maintenance of industrial machinery. Electrical engineering technologists test and review electrical systems, components, and assemblies. They prepare layouts for electrical distribution or transmission systems, and make sure the plans follow design specifications and comply with electrical regulations and standards. Technologists also calculate the costs of materials and resources, and create project budgets and schedules.

Electrical engineering technologists use various scientific and analytical software programs to create electrical systems plans, record and analyze data, and write reports. They are also increasingly using emerging technology—such as augmented reality and advanced artificial intelligence—to save time during the design and production processes, perform predictive maintenance, and meet other goals.