Power is essential for everyday operations in almost every facet of modern life. Power engineers help ensure that this power is accessible to people. They plan, design, and implement solutions to meet the power demands of the world. While Power Engineering as a course is not as popular as other engineering courses, the demand in the field is increasing rapidly.
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Also known as power systems engineering, this is a part of electrical engineering that focuses on how electric power is generated, transmitted, distributed and used. Much of the field is concerned with problems of three-phase AC power, conversion between AC and DC power, and the development of specialised power systems such as those used in electric railway systems and aircraft.
Courses and eligibility
A general path to becoming a Power Engineer is to pursue a Science stream in high school with Physics, Chemistry and Maths, followed by an undergraduate degree in Engineering or Electrical Engineering and getting certified as an engineer in training. After this, students can apply for a job or a postgraduate degree, depending on their career goals. While some private universities have their own entrance tests for the UG course, many universities in India that offer this course take into account scores from common entrance exams such as the IIT-Joint Entrance Exam (JEE), SRJEE SRM University Joint Engineering Entrance Examination (SRM-JEE), Birla Institute of Technology and Science Admission Test (BITSAT), Vellore Institute of Technology Engineering Entrance Exam (VITEEE), among others. To pursue PG in Power Engineering, students need to major in Engineering or, more specifically, in Electrical Engineering with a minimum of 55% marks in the qualifying paper. The GATE score is considered for admission.
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The courses deal with concepts of how power is generated, instruments used for electricity generation, and how the energy is distributed. Depending on one’s career goals, a student can also consider certifications such as Engineer in Training (EIT Certification), Certified Energy Manager (CEM) Certification, and Electrical Technician Certification. There are general certifications, such as the General Certification of Electrical Proficiency, to get started in the field.
The top colleges in India that offer this course are the IITs in Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi and Kharagpur, VIT, SRM University and Delhi Technology University. For those looking to study abroad, options include Stanford University and the University of California in the U.S.; McGill University and University of Victoria in Canada; Technical University of Munich in Germany; Imperial College London in the U.K. and Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands.
Apart from the technical and numerical skills, an aspirant should also be able to troubleshoot and solve problems and work independently. Good communication skills are also an advantage. Another requirement is the ability to perform hard physical labour.
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Career options
The field has varied job profiles such as Service Maintenance Engineer; Power Electronics Engineer; Safety Officer; Power Technician; Electrical Engineer; Electrical Project Engineer; Test Engineer; Design Engineer and Circuits Engineer. Options also exist in research and academia.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics in the U.S. predicted that the jobs in the electrical engineering field are likely to increase by 7% between 2020 and 2030, with 22,300 jobs added each year.
With the increase in environmental and economic challenges, there is a need for new processes and techniques and the implementation process. As a result, power engineers are critical for society’s development and functioning.
The writer is the CEO and Co-founder of GyanDhan