Question 1
I am a trained Electrical and Electronic Engineer working in Electricity Company. Generally, electricity is the major form of energy that drives the world. Electrical energy is used in almost all the industries and machines directly as either the prime mover or in other forms. With the rapid increase in population, the demand for electrical energy is always in the rise. The rapid changes in technology also necessitate greater supply of electrical energy. Life without the electrical and electronic devices is unimaginable in the current world. In fact, these devices have become part and parcel of human life; we cannot do without them. Imagine life without computers, mobile phones, radios, televisions, electric cookers, electric iron boxes, water heaters, bulbs, and other household devices under the electrical and electronics category. The demand for these devices is directly proportional to the population. This means that, an increase in population directly results into an increase of these gargets. Let us remember that all these devices use electricity; so, if their demand increases, then the demand for electrical energy also increases. Similarly, the demand for the professionals in this field steadily increases with the increase in population. As long as man exists, electrical and electrical engineers are needed. It is therefore true that a career in electrical and electronic engineering is a very secure field, whose demand is in constant rise. In five years time, more and more electrical and electronic engineers will be needed. The field is therefore very securely and lucrative, and individuals should consider joining this field.
Discussed hereunder are the opportunities and threats in this field. The factors affecting the market demand and the emerging trends in Electricity Company have been considered at length. The two major factors are the demographic factors and the technological factors.
Human population including the population size, population density, population growth rate, and population distribution, greatly affects electricity companies. The demand for electricity increases with increase in human population. Where there is a dense population, the distribution of electricity is very easy since several people are served from the same electricity distribution system comprising of transformers, power lines, relays, circuit breakers, among others. The power loss in such a system is also minimum, thus advantageous. However, for a sparsely populated area, electricity companies incur extra costs in distributing the electricity to the individuals. More transformers, distribution lines, and other distribution system components are required. Power loses in the distribution lines are also great, making the company to incur extra expenses. With high population, social evils and crime rates are also high. This means that electricity companies in highly populated areas must factor in measures to curb vandalism of its equipment. If the population growth rate is high, then the company is better off since the demand for its products are anticipated to rise in future, and vice versa. Areas with high death rates pose a great challenge to electricity companies. Such an area depicts that electricity equipments already installed are most likely to remain idle or underutilized. Human population therefore presents both opportunities and threats in Electrical and Electronic Engineering fields.
Technological factors
Technological factors greatly affect electricity companies and Electrical and Electronic engineering in general. Technology moves at the speed of light. This means that the technology today is not the technology tomorrow. Every electricity company and every electrical and electronic engineer must not be left behind the technology if they must stay relevant in this competitive market. Taking signal transmission for instance, there is a policy that the world must move from analog signal transmission to the digital transmission by 2015. This means that the demand for the analog devices must greatly fall and by 2015, all or most of such devices shall have been faced out and replaced with the digital ones. An electrical and electronic engineering company which majors in the manufacture of the analog devices shall find itself irrelevant in the job market in the next five years.
Every company and professionals in this field must be well acquainted with the current trends in technological changes in order to stay relevant. This calls for constant training. A company that advances with technology is better off.
Advancements in technology necessitate more supply of electrical energy. Devices like electric trains and electric vehicles, among others, call for large supply of electricity. An electrical company is better off with such advancements in technology since the demands for the company’s products increase.
As the demand for the electricity keeps rising, a lot of pressure mounts on the electricity companies. The companies must therefore plan on how to increase the capacity of generation, and probably distribution. New systems must be put in place to handle the large volumes of electrical energy and the associated risks. New technologies must also be incorporated in the generation process. If the electricity company was initially generating through hydro, wind, solar, or geothermal, then, such a company must consider changing to the more advanced methods that produce huge amounts of electricity like nuclear. This makes the company more relevant. It must also undertake to train its staff on these changes regardless of the costs incurred.
As the technology advances, the problem of disposal of the previous products becomes a problem. Most, if not all, of these products are explosive and non-biodegradable, and various measures must be taken to ensure that they don’t pollute the environment. With the invention of the wireless technology, the electrical companies that majored on the production of various communication cables must surely find it rough.
Electrical energy cannot be stored in its original form. However, power outages normally occur either as a result of overloads or other faults within the system. An electricity company must therefore ensure that measures are put in place to save the situation in case of an outage. This calls for the manufacture of Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPSs) which can handle large quantities of electrical energy. Backup systems must also be put in place to ensure that the customers are served perfectly.
Any electricity company whose purpose is to generate electricity, transmit and distribute the electricity to the customers in a safe, reliable and economical manner, must ensure that the system parameters like voltages, currents, energy, and power are matched with the design requirements in relation to safety, reliability, quality, and economy. For such a company to enjoy maximum returns on the huge and expensive investments, the system must operate without violating design limits or without breakdowns. It is therefore imperative that an electricity company anticipates future changes and plan appropriately. My company does this best.
Question 2
Benefits of social media networks
The use of social media network continues to grow around the world, an improvement that could change the electrical and electronics engineer-customer relationship. With the increase in internet accessibility and usage, the company has best used social networking sites besides online technologies to reach their customers. Based on this premise, my employer has potentially explored this development. The benefits realized by the company as result of engaging in social media network are as discussed. Generally, the benefit is simply company-customer relationship and employee advancement.
Sharing of information
Through social media network sites like face book and twitter, better communication and information is offered to the customers. Potential customers can easily access the engineers and vice versa. Also, the potential of social media network lies in its ability to reach a larger audience. It enables engineers to have a larger audience, older and new, and present capability of an efficient information gathering and passage.
Recruitment of professionals
Besides the communication and information sharing benefit, the company can easily recruit its professionals. This is done online. The company is able to locate Electrical and Electronic engineering profession online through the social networks like the face book and YouTube. There are thousands of electrical and electronic engineering communities who use these tools and exchange the information. By joining these sites, the company is guaranteed to find outstanding candidates, both passive and active. The company can therefore conduct recruitment procedures without a hitch.
Displaying company news
The company is able to advertise itself to the active users of the social media networks like face book and LinkedIn. In addition, by connecting to other colleagues within or outside the company, the company will be in a position to access the world news posted by the professionals on the site concerning electrical and electronics undertakings.
Marketing and Company Branding
Social media networks have been of greater impact in marketing the company’s brand. The company has been able to develop a group page or company page with blog entries and promotions to reach the online social site users. This way the company is able to come up with a persuasive corporate profile where it markets its services to the wider site users.
Professional Growth
The company is able to remain well informed of all the conferences, seminars, blogs and publications offered by other firms dealing in similar field. Therefore, company can offer professional advancement to the employees by offering them the opportunities for career advancement through attending these conferences.
The social media networks like use of YouTube act as connectors between the company and the company’s potential customers. Customers feel connected immediately he or she gets a good answer to the problem. This shows that the company is even able to offer their services over the net, especially if the issue is pertinent and urgent and an expertise advice is needed.
Question 3
SO WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?
What it all means is that with an increase in the world population, there is an equal emergence of competition on the available opportunities. Besides, it shows that new opportunities and competition correlate to technological advancements. Technology keeps on advancing and therefore efficient preparation to be successful in the future is of great essence.
Possession of critical success factors
These are the skills and resources that an individual must have. It asserts that key people in ones career need to be valued. For instance, valuing of the functions of professional societies is a good step to strategically develop ones career to meet the market competition.
Developing ones goals, objectives and action items
Career development entails clear definition of one’s goals, objectives and action items that will assist in countering the competition and staying on course to maximize on the available opportunities. Goals are the broad results that one is committed to achieve. It influences personal decisions. Objectives on the other hand are statements relating to goals by describing of what must done. For each goal, there must be a set of action items to help support the objectives. Developing of goals should encompass developing both short term and long term goals. Long term goals help individuals strategically plan for the future and thus compete for the future opportunities.
Self evaluation through SWOT analysis
One needs to make a complete valuation of his strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Having all this information spelled out allows one to visualize the big picture of the future and putting ones goals in focus. As an electronics and electrical engineer, the strengths and overlying opportunities must be analyzed to overcome the competition and maximize on the available opportunities. For example, one needs to analyze his technological strengths and major on the same. This guarantees competitive edge in the market.
In a nutshell, career development entails maximizing ones career value. Always consider the decisions that will help effectiveness in the subsequent years. Secondly, one needs to think strategically by developing a career roadmap and focus on the bigger picture of the future. To remain competitive, one needs to plan and develop in advance what one wants to achieve. Pledging of one’s resources and career skills to achieve the set career goals that have been set is thus essential for competitiveness.
Reference
Bird, J. (2003). Electrical and Electronic Principles and Technology. 2nd ed. Linacre House, Jordan Hill.
Sony Statement. “What Does It All Mean”
