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Electronics are ubiquitous in the modern world so the industry is large. It encompasses many areas of expertise, including consumer goods, automotive, medical, military and communications equipment. There are several types of organisation. Component manufacturers make integrated circuits and semiconductors, and include organisations such as Intel, ST Microelectronics, Wolfson Microelectronics, CSR, Cirrus Logic and AKM. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) produce equipment such as televisions, MP3 players and mobile phones – the major players are household names, and multinational companies such as Sharp, Philips and Sony. There are also specialist design houses and consultancies, and many large manufacturers have their own outlets.
Electronics organisations are always on the lookout for ‘the next big thing’, and need to be dynamic enough to deliver high-quality products quickly into the correct markets. Smartphones and netbooks are current growth areas, while previous booms have included DVD and MP3 players. Environmental issues are coming to the fore within the industry so manufacturers are finding ways to reduce power consumption and are also ensuring that products are lead free.
Rapid technological advances are only possible by predicting future trends. It is no use making something that’s already available: you need to produce something that will be required. Building up good relationships with customers gives you a head start. Project lengths vary depending on your role: a designer may spend a year creating a final product but an applications engineer supports that product for its entire life, which may be ten or more years. You can choose your level of mobility: applications engineering tends to involve some travel, while designers are usually office based. Engineers work in multidisciplinary teams where there is a range of experience. Product development roles typically require working on one product at a time, whereas in support roles you might work on several projects a day.
A solid grounding in the basics of electronics is essential. You need the ability to learn and to adapt quickly because there’s new technology every year. It’s important to be able to analyse complex problems and break them down into component parts. Innovation and improvisation are essential, and teamwork and communication skills are key. Starting out, a graduate would do small sections of work, progressing to greater responsibility in a technical or management role. It’s usually relatively easy to move to a different role within a company and progress your career.
Neil Whyte is a new product architect at Wolfson Microelectronics plc. He has an MEng in electronics from the University of Edinburgh and has eight years’ experience in this industry.
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