What's the difference between an electrical engineer and an electrician? Which way to go?

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Daniel is a Mechanical Engineering graduate of Trinity University's B.S. in Engineering Science and currently works in Business Development in the Engineering Consulting and Construction Industry. All views expressed on this podcast are his own and do not reflect the opinions or views of his employer.

00:00 Introduction
00:17 Question
00:28 Pros of Being an Electrician

[tichintors]

Great video.
I have been in the electrical field for 26 years and moved into BIM. I work along side EEs and have to say that Electrical and Engineering are two completely different fields.

EEs are awesome at abstract ideas,
And Electricians are awesome implementing ideas. Sometimes the Ideas from Engineers don’t work per design, but an electrician will find a way to tweak it to make it work.

Electricians take pride in being able to build things
And engineers take pride in designing things.

[relaxingsounds]

Electrical engineer designs, builds, analyzes electrical equipment.

Electrician installs, maintains, repairs, etc electrical equipment.

[Mrmudbone_gaming]

The difference is that one is brilliant, the other is an engineer.

[yanstev]

Careers can be broken down into three areas: engineering, technician, and electrician. Engineering requires the most rigorous education requirements and includes the ability to design systems down to component level and can create new systems. Technicians operate and maintain electrical systems based on specific training or manuals of existing systems. Electricians install electrical equipment and are trained on electrical codes and standards. Due to study and training requirements, it is much easier for an engineer to learn and perform technician and electrician work, but not vice versa. For a low tech example, a electrical engineer would be needed to design the electrical system (power, AC, machinery specifications, panels, etc.) for an industrial building. Physical installation of wiring, sub panels, outlets, switches, etc. would be done by an electrician. Maintenence and trouble shooting of HVAC equipment would be technician work. Electrical engineering encompasses a host of complex tasks and disciplines from microelectronics, radio communications, computer design, grid level power, IC fabrication, circuit design/fabrication, just to name a few. Generally, any device that uses electricity involves electrical engineering. Engineering school provides fundamental physics principles and usually students end up specializing in an area of study.

[davidc]

Dad is electrician and project manager. His practical experience gives him fast hands on and quicker thinking than me under pressure. I have a electrical engineering degree and MBA with great theory ideas. He is smarter in practical ways and faster implimenting an idea.

[stuartgray]

"Electrical Engineers" understand the theory of Electromagnetism, wave propagation, Optics, Materials Properties, and even Quantum Mechanics.
Electricians study Electrical Code and all the various ways electricity can be unsafe.

EEs Tell the Electricians HOW electricity works and Electricians incorporate that knowledge into our everyday lives.

And Yes, every single Electrician thinks they are smarter than the EEs and call them all a bunch of idiots.

[lorenzovonmatterhorn]

As someone who went the electrician route to subsidized my electrical engineering degree, sure an electrical engineer can do an electricians job but do it shitty. Their soft office hands aren't built for that kind of work. The engineer can make better and more efficient designs maybe cost effective compare to the electrician. Electricians can hold the conversation and understand what an electrical engineer says. But the engineer knows the subject more in depth. One designs it the other one applies it. Just like in applied science, my teacher asked you have a meter stick you cut it in half what do you have. Most people answer 2 sticks 50 cm long. Wrong. You got two pieces of scrap because you lost material cutting it in 2. I'm glad I learned the trade and then got my degree. Helped me communicate better with my team. Plus they also respect me for getting my hands dirty. There's a joke in all trades that engineers are idiots when designing stuff. When my team ask me wtf was the engineering department thinking when making something most of the time, it's due to cost effectiveness and cutting down production time to maximize profits. One company I worked for even told me why are they complaining this guarantees them work in the future. More profit.

[gufmgnr]

Wow. Spot on. I've been in an electrician for about 20 years now and aiming hard for an EE degree. With a family, it is extremely difficult, but for me, it is very worth it because it stimulates the brain... Also, as you said, more family time, less physical wear, and tear on the body for work in later years.

Hopefully, my experience will help launch me forward because I know a lot of companies would prefer fresh students with the extra 20 years to give. Thanks for the video!

[JohnSmith-sjdk]

My 3 younger brothers are Electicians, I am an Elec Eng, if you are very good at math, and Physics, and able to study for hours on end i.e academically inclined then Engineering.

[mthibeau]

Why are there electricians? Because engineers need heros too.

[bigbao]

I'm a electrical engineering grad and I end up doing a CS software engineering job.
Electrican and Engineers can do

[sku]

E.E can do many paths, coding, the power side, etc.. the pay like any thing is based on skill level, senior electrician make BIG money .Manual labor i.e Electrician can hammer your body some get a long career .

[mrechbreger]

And at the end of the day both of them shake hands... the one for IC development, bringing his ICs to PCBs ..and handing over the controllers to electricians for building smart homes.

[harisbasij_rasikh]

well! here in Canada we have a 4 year electrician program! you go 2/3 months for schooling and then 9 months for practical work until you become a journeymen and ultimately a master electrician and only then the journey is done but the doors are still open to move up to become EE because being master electrician the universities will give you some credit toward EE or you can become a city inspecter! or try something else like instrumentation... the point is being an electrician will open up more opportunities for you than any other trade or majors!

[ValenceFlux]

Oh! Oh! I think I might know this one from experience from what the shop told us after we survived a shock.
An engineer only tests at the panel while leaving the rest of the circuit for an electrician to later test before it can be fully verified off and safe to work on. At least in that one case anyway. So always test and verify no matter who claims they already tested and verified... or you might get so hurt your spine will retract all your nerves!

[fnsilly]

Electrical apprenticeship in the united states are about 4-5 years in the I.B.E.W. During that time you are getting paid to be trained.

Electrical engineers aren't getting paid for their time in school and will possibly have to pay back their excessively loans.

Electricans can get a contractor license with only 4 years experience and then can start their own business.

In the U.S., Electrical engineers graduates have to take the Fundamental engineering exam to become an intern for another 4 years before they can earn a professional engineer license.

[classiqblom]

what is the difference between Electrical Millwrght and a Electrician? because i want to work in Marine industry on vessels

[stumac]

Unless you're very good at maths an Engineering degree may prove difficult. It's essentially a high level maths course applied to electrical and/or electronic principles depending on what course modules are included. Have a look at the course syllabus before deciding.

[tigerstallion]

Electricians make the same, often more than electrical engineers. Dont believe the stats, talk to real people, look at real job postings. Licensed electricians who work independently make $100/hr+, and if you manage a team, you get a cut of each unit's 100-200/hr bill rate - many make millions. Good luck finding that in engineering.
Start in the trades, dont go into debt, study engineering & business as you progress. You'll be miles ahead of 21 year old engineers with no practical experience, and no license to touch things who can only do w2 work in limited locations.
and dont join a union

[rogerdavid]

i started as a contracting electrician apprentice, moved to maintenance . during my career, i learnt about and trained on hv switch gear, and also did instalation work, plus testing and fault finding etc. this was in the uk, so i had to pass my city and guilds exams. retired 2015, been working since 1966 in the electrical field.