What are the top skills of an electrical engineer

Electrical engineering is an exciting and dynamic career that continues to evolve, increasing in importance and prestige.

Working in this field means you can shape the world of tomorrow, innovating and designing the technology we use today, and making waves in what we’ll use in the future. From medical devices and mining operations to drone technology, electrical engineers are behind it all. 

If you’re considering a career in electrical engineering or want to grow your existing career, you’ll need a few specific skills. First, some soft skills will serve you well, such as communication, good planning, and leadership skills. 

There are also a few crucial, specific skills you should develop or refine before continuing on this path. If you’re wondering what skills are needed for electrical engineering, here are just five of the top skills needed to thrive in this career path.

5 top skills of an electrical engineer

When considering what electrical engineers do daily, it’s no secret that the role encompasses a whole host of soft and technical skills in order to excel and get the job done. With the technical skills of an electrical engineer including circuit knowledge, troubleshooting, being numerically minded, out-of-the-box thinking, and strong programming, there’s a lot to get stuck into when you venture into the world of electrical engineering.

1. A knowledge of circuits

Before we start detailing the more complex skills required for electrical engineering jobs, let’s start with the basics. You need a thorough knowledge of circuits to succeed in this career.

To understand the largest, most complicated installations, you’ll need to start by understanding the most basic circuit design. If you enjoy circuit design but don’t have a lot of experience with it, start working on small at-home projects and enrol in online courses to find out if you have what it takes. 

2. Being an excellent electronic troubleshooter

This is one of the most important skills for any engineer – yet it can be hard to define. You need to be good at troubleshooting – assessing a problem and then establishing a solution. Your success will increase over time as your skills grow, but the ability to approach a problem with an open mind and apply creative thinking is key.

A comprehensive understanding of digital technology will help you troubleshoot all kinds of problems, increasing your productivity and value within an organisation.

3. Creative, ‘outside the box’ thinking

You’ll see ‘good problem solving’ on lists of required skills for nearly every career out there. But in electrical engineering, it’s a must. When you work in this field, you need to be able to think about problems in a creative and ‘outside the box’ way. When you approach a common problem, you’ll have to devise a new - and maybe even unusual – way to solve it.

Creativity is king, especially in the commercial sector. You’ll need to understand what consumers want and need and develop exciting solutions that get them hooked. Book learning isn’t enough – your creativity is a precious resource in any junior electrical engineering job. It’s how you’ll get a senior electrical engineering job.

4. A way with numbers

It’s common for engineering students to encounter hurdles with their numeracy. When they get to a certain level of coursework, they can struggle if their mathematical knowledge is not up to par. 

Ideally, electrical engineering students will have a solid background in calculus and maths. If you didn’t focus on calculus when in school, it’s smart to take a refresher course before enrolling in further education. 

5. Strong programming skills

Even if you don’t plan on using coding regularly, it’s a beneficial skill to have under your belt. This becomes particularly true when analysing data or working with low-level embedded systems. Some of the most useful languages include Java, C, C++ and Basic, but any programming skills will be valuable.

Again, if you didn’t focus on programming at school, now is the time to take courses. 

Some of the most useful languages include Java, C, C++ and Basic, but any programming skills will be valuable. Again, if you didn’t focus on programming at school, now is the time to take courses. 

Advance your electrical engineering career

Now you know some of the skills needed for electrical engineering, if you want to take the next step, you should put your foot forward. How do you do this? Refining the skills we’ve highlighted will help you improve your CV and make it stand out to potential employers. 

Do you have the skills required to work in electrical engineering? If so, now is the time to check out TRS Staffing’s electrical engineering jobs across a range of sectors. Or, register your details and you’ll receive job alerts straight to your inbox.