Electrical Engineering Technologists

Learn more about electrical systems and components by building a radio or a central processing unit of a computer. Get involved in your school's 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 IEEE's 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.