2 answers
Timothy
Student
Waldorf, Maryland
1
Question
Updated
867 views
How will I be able to gain the most experience as a future undergraduate who wishes to study electrical engineering And how can I make it so my experiences will be able to help people?
Electrical Engineering has always been my dream career, it pays well, it's difficult, I get to help people, and I get to work and innovate with electricity, which is a commodity that our developing world needs.
However, gaining real applicable experience isn't always easy. I wish to know how to gain experience in order to become an electrical engineer that is able to create effective change in our growing society.
#Spring25
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2 answers
Teklemuz Ayenew Tesfay
Electrical Engineer, Software Developer, and Career Mentor
520
Answers
Ethiopia
Updated
Teklemuz Ayenew’s Answer
As a future electrical engineering student, you have the power to shape the world through your passion and creativity. Start early by diving into hands-on learning with platforms like Arduino, Raspberry Pi, and simulation tools like Tinkercad Circuits or LTspice. Take advantage of online courses in circuits, physics, and programming from sites like Coursera, edX, or MIT OpenCourseWare to build a solid foundation. Choose college courses that offer strong lab components, and take electives in impactful fields like renewable energy, embedded systems, or sustainable infrastructure. Join engineering clubs, student IEEE chapters, or robotics teams to collaborate, innovate, and apply your knowledge to real-world challenges.
Don’t wait for the perfect moment—seize every opportunity to gain practical experience. Pursue internships, co-ops, or research opportunities as early as your first year. Build personal projects that address real community needs—whether it’s creating affordable power solutions or designing assistive technology—and document them online to showcase your skills and vision. Volunteer with organizations like Engineers Without Borders, IEEE Humanitarian Tech, or local STEM outreach groups to make an immediate impact. Surround yourself with mentors who inspire you and share your drive to use technology for good. Focus on areas where engineering can create lasting change—such as clean energy or rural electrification—and use your abilities to uplift communities. Stay curious, stay driven, and never lose sight of your mission: to not just innovate, but to make a meaningful difference. The world needs engineers who think with their hearts and create with purpose, and you have the potential to be one of them. Good luck!
Don’t wait for the perfect moment—seize every opportunity to gain practical experience. Pursue internships, co-ops, or research opportunities as early as your first year. Build personal projects that address real community needs—whether it’s creating affordable power solutions or designing assistive technology—and document them online to showcase your skills and vision. Volunteer with organizations like Engineers Without Borders, IEEE Humanitarian Tech, or local STEM outreach groups to make an immediate impact. Surround yourself with mentors who inspire you and share your drive to use technology for good. Focus on areas where engineering can create lasting change—such as clean energy or rural electrification—and use your abilities to uplift communities. Stay curious, stay driven, and never lose sight of your mission: to not just innovate, but to make a meaningful difference. The world needs engineers who think with their hearts and create with purpose, and you have the potential to be one of them. Good luck!
Michael L.
Senior Consultant
14
Answers
Denver, Colorado
Updated
Michael’s Answer
Hey there! Your best bet is to build out your portfolio! I am not an EE, but I work in the tech field and do a lot of making and tinkering myself. You'll want to make your maker portfolio in Instructables, YouTube, or better yet, design your own website (combining EE and computer programming is a match made in heaven and will help you later down the road if you're interested in things such as but not limited to: robotics, IoT, embedded systems, or industrial controllers).
Spend some time cruising Instructables and YouTube for project ideas. If you don't already know some of the fundamentals of electronics, this is one of the best project based electronics instructions on the internet: https://www.instructables.com/Electronics-Class/.
Electronics projects do unfortunately incur something of a cost, but much of it is upfront in buying tools and components. When I started building out my lab, here are the first things I bought:
- 3D Printer: This will be the most expensive thing but it is the most rewarding as it can be used for many other things outside of EE. You can only have a 3D printer and do an infinite amount of projects without any of the tools and materials I mention below (just some may not be in EE). I started with an Elegoo Neptune 3 Pro which is a great and cheaper starter printer with a lot of customizability and is open source.
- Soldering Supplied: soldering iron (I use a Pinecil), a soldering iron stand, silicone soldering mat, solder (tin lead rosin core), helping hands
- Benchtop DC Power Supply (Amazon has some cheaper options)
- Oscilloscope (there are much cheaper portable options than the pricey benchtop ones)
- Various Tools: precision screwdriver set, tweezer set, wire cutter set, wire strippers
- Breadboard
- Various Electronics Components: Amazon has great starter sets from Elegoo with a bunch of different components but it may leave you needing more such as wire, stripboards, capacitors, transistors, resistors, and so on. Luckily these are things that you can find in fairly cheap kits on Amazon. AliExpress is also a go to for cheap components.
You may also find yourself needing an Arduino or Raspberry Pi but I would judge what you need based on your intended project.
I will say, you do not need to buy all of these things as there are hacker spaces with tools (and people to meet) and websites that will manufacture your PCBs or print your 3D print designs (PCBWay is a popular one). And always remember, YouTube is your best friend here.
Spend some time cruising Instructables and YouTube for project ideas. If you don't already know some of the fundamentals of electronics, this is one of the best project based electronics instructions on the internet: https://www.instructables.com/Electronics-Class/.
Electronics projects do unfortunately incur something of a cost, but much of it is upfront in buying tools and components. When I started building out my lab, here are the first things I bought:
- 3D Printer: This will be the most expensive thing but it is the most rewarding as it can be used for many other things outside of EE. You can only have a 3D printer and do an infinite amount of projects without any of the tools and materials I mention below (just some may not be in EE). I started with an Elegoo Neptune 3 Pro which is a great and cheaper starter printer with a lot of customizability and is open source.
- Soldering Supplied: soldering iron (I use a Pinecil), a soldering iron stand, silicone soldering mat, solder (tin lead rosin core), helping hands
- Benchtop DC Power Supply (Amazon has some cheaper options)
- Oscilloscope (there are much cheaper portable options than the pricey benchtop ones)
- Various Tools: precision screwdriver set, tweezer set, wire cutter set, wire strippers
- Breadboard
- Various Electronics Components: Amazon has great starter sets from Elegoo with a bunch of different components but it may leave you needing more such as wire, stripboards, capacitors, transistors, resistors, and so on. Luckily these are things that you can find in fairly cheap kits on Amazon. AliExpress is also a go to for cheap components.
You may also find yourself needing an Arduino or Raspberry Pi but I would judge what you need based on your intended project.
I will say, you do not need to buy all of these things as there are hacker spaces with tools (and people to meet) and websites that will manufacture your PCBs or print your 3D print designs (PCBWay is a popular one). And always remember, YouTube is your best friend here.