Information Technology vs Electrical Engineering

ProFamous

Hello all, it's been a while since I posted on these forums, but I am going off to college in a couple months and am rethinking my intended major. I am caught between IT and Electrical Engineering.

I have taken some intro courses to IT, some I love such as Networking and System Administration, and some I hate with a fiery passion such as Database Management and Programming. So just rethinking my major. I know Computer Science is not for me, I don't care about OS design or software development in any way. But maybe Electrical Engineering/Computer Engineering - I am interested in electronics and how circuits work, I have played with arduinos and raspberry pis and I do enjoy that sort of thing as well, and EEs/CE also seem to dabble a bit in network design which is cool.

But most of all, I don't want to get a job sitting behind a desk all day - I like new challenges and interaction with people everyday. I am currently just a desktop tech at a computer shop and I find it quite boring after a while (virus removals, OS reinstalls, etc). Don't get me wrong, I enjoy doing it - I am just hoping that as I move up in the ranks to perhaps a sys/net admin it will be a bit more challenging and busier. Or maybe I am just in the wrong field. I just am not a person that enjoys downtime, I prefer to be busy all the time, I feel more accomplished and the day goes much faster that way. Advice? Thanks!

iBrokeIT

If you are going into Electrical Engineering/Computer Engineering you better love math and be damn good it. You need to take lots of calculus, linear equations and differential equations before you can start on most of your Electrical Engineering courses. Have you actually look at the courses required for Computer Engineering? Usually its about half Computer Science and half Electrical Engineering with lots of math too so if you don't like programming you are screwed there...

I think you should probably start by getting a degree plan and course catalog so you actually understand what you are getting yourself into. If you think EE/CENG is about "playing with arduinos and raspberry pis" and "dabble a bit in network design" then you are mistaken. Yes, you can certainly get a EE/CENG degree and do those things but that's not the career path the degrees prepare you for.

FYI: I switched from Computer Engineering to IT. I loved programming classes, the CENG classes(which included some programming some PLAs and FPGAs), did OK in most math classes and then disliked level of math used in the Electrical Engineering courses.

Edit: A VERY basic intro to EE Circuits https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRLXDnViSyI

Russell77

The first thing you might want to think about is where do you want to live? Is there a lot of demand for EE or Comp Sci in the area now? IT is probably has a wider distribution of available jobs but there are hotbeds for IT as well. If all that seems equal then go for what you like. None of the above degrees will hurt you. You can migrate from EE to IT but going the other way is much more difficult. If you are good at math try getting through the first two years of EE. After that you can go in any direction.

Danielm7

ProFamous wrote: »

But most of all, I don't want to get a job sitting behind a desk all day - I like new challenges and interaction with people everyday. I am currently just a desktop tech at a computer shop and I find it quite boring after a while (virus removals, OS reinstalls, etc). Don't get me wrong, I enjoy doing it - I am just hoping that as I move up in the ranks to perhaps a sys/net admin it will be a bit more challenging and busier. Or maybe I am just in the wrong field. I just am not a person that enjoys downtime, I prefer to be busy all the time, I feel more accomplished and the day goes much faster that way. Advice? Thanks!

Sitting behind a desk all day and not being busy don't really have to be connected. Lots of IT jobs are crazy busy, while sitting at a desk all day. A lot of it depends on company culture and your role. In some places you'll be in a lot of meetings, talking to different teams, working with different people, but at the end of the day you're still doing a computer based job, which requires a lot of sitting at a desk.

ProFamous

I am actually very good at math, I look two Calc courses in high school and did very well - however I do not enjoy it as much as others do. And @iBrokeIT, thank you for that. I always imagine EE/CENG as playing with "advanced" arduinos and raspberry pis, mobos and such...but you are right, that is not what an engineering degree prepares you for. So I am going to stay in IT.

@Danielm7, Ok, you are right there. I am fine sitting behind a desk all day, but I want to be busy. I want to have meetings, talking to people/teams, etc etc etc. I am going to start another thread on this topic to get a better idea of those types of jobs.

EagerDinosaur

At least half the developers I work with studied science/engineering at college, with some IT modules, and moved into IT later, so I wouldn't rule out that path. IT employers will probably consider you even if you have an Electrical Engineering degree, but employers looking for an Electrical Engineer probably won't want an IT graduate.

broli720

Engineering is the way to go if you're sure you can handle the math and CS courses. Even if you decide to make the jump into IT from engineering you'll probably end up making more money and get a management position anyway. Engineering just gives you a really solid foundation and if you can throw some business classes into the mix, then you'll be well on your way.