Portrait photo of Sandra Haas

Sandra Haas, automation technician

| B&R Industrial Automation GmbH
2024-10-01 VDE dialog

Good prospects

Young people often have a distorted image of studying electrical engineering and the opportunities it opens up later on. High time for a reality check – which shows just how exciting and, above all, multifaceted this profession is.

By Martin Schmitz-Kuhl

Gero believes that electrical engineers repair machines. Ida, on the other hand, thinks they are responsible for installing wall sockets or smoke detectors. And Marlene imagines they might be the people who put up the city’s Christmas lights.

The results of the study series “The image of electrical engineering”, published last year by the International Central Institute for Youth and Educational Television (IZI) in cooperation with the VDE, are alarming. “Even if young people often have a distorted image of what our work is actually about, we shouldn’t be surprised if no one wants to become an electrical engineer any more,” says Dr. Michael Schanz, Head of VDE’s Technical Committee for Study, Work and Society. However, this misunderstanding, the negative image and the associated dramatic decline in student numbers have had devastating consequences in two respects:

firstly, they mean the shortage of skilled workers will get worse. However, in order to master all the upcoming challenges – from the energy transition to the digital transformation and artificial intelligence – we need significantly more electrical engineers, not fewer. You could put it a little more bluntly: who is going to save the world if not those young people who decide to study electrical engineering and information technology today?

Secondly, these issues also have consequences for every single one of the young people who choose not to study this subject due to their misconceptions. Because they don’t know what they are missing out on! “Electrical engineers are more in demand now than ever before,” says Schanz. In addition, a huge variety of different, often very meaningful – and usually well-paid – jobs await them, according to the VDE expert. The only problem with this is that there are so many great jobs that we simply don’t know where to start and where to stop when trying to present them all. So here and on the following pages, we’ve provided just a few examples – far beyond smoke alarms and Christmas tree lights.

Good work. Good working conditions

Portraitphoto of Philipp Grundmann
IMST
2024-10-01 VDE dialog

Microelectronics graduate Philipp Grundmann works for the aerospace industry at IMST

Read more

Technology that saves lives

Portrait photo of Laura Unger
Markus Kümmerle
2024-10-01 VDE dialog

Medical technician Laura Unger analyzes biosignals.

Read more

Stop climate change, worldwide!

Portrait photo of Carsten Gatermann
Ingenieure ohne Grenzen e. V.
2024-10-01 VDE dialog

Energy engineer Carsten Gatermann is researching the electrical supply of the future.

Read more

Research for future

Portrait photo of Anikka Tjabben
DFKI
2024-10-01 VDE dialog

Electrical engineer Annika Tjabben is developing the data transmission of tomorrow.

Read more

Keeping everything running

SHaas
Portrait photo of Sandra Haas
2024-10-01 VDE dialog

Automation technician Sandra Haas moves large machines at the touch of a finger.

Read more

Transformation above the clouds

Portrait photo of Kai Tran
Karla Paine, EFT Mobility
2024-10-01 VDE dialog

Development engineer Khai Tran improves electric drives.

Read more

Clever energy management

Portrait photo of Jasmin Schirra
Westenergie
2024-10-01 VDE dialog

Project engineer Jasmin Schirra integrates new solutions into existing energy grids.

Read more

At home all over the world

Michael Kienle and other men sitting on a roof
BOS
2024-10-01 VDE dialog

Photovoltaic installer Michael Kienle concentrates the sun's rays around the earth.  

Read more

Beach volleyball and speech recognition

Portrait photo of Jens Heitkaemper
Privat
VDE dialog

Electrical engineer Jena Heitkaemper improves speech recognition at Google. 

Read more
Contact
VDE dialog - the technology magazine