Self Assessment in Electrical Engineering Field - Assignment Example

Self Assessment in Electrical Engineering Field Table of Contents Plagiarism Statement……………………………………………………………………………3 Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………….4 Development for Future Engineering Profession……………………………………………..4 Present and Future Goals………………………………………………………………………6 KSA………………………………………………………………………………………………..7 Development of Current Education and Training Needs…………………………………….9 Personal SWAT Analysis………………………………………………………………………..9 Motivation and Career Goals………………………………………………………………….11 Action Plan………………………………………………………………………………………12 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………13 References………………………………………………………………………………………15 Plagiarism and Unfair Practice It is dishonest not to acknowledge the work of other people and you open yourself up to the accusation of plagiarism. All content of this assignment must be your own independent work. No text, code, diagram, or other content (not even a sentence or phrase) should be taken from another source unless this source is referenced. Referenced phrases should be placed in quotes. Each item should be referenced separately. For more information in respect of plagiarism please refer to the University Assessment Regulations at the following web address: http://quality.newport.ac.uk Plagiarism Statement I have read and understood the statement above concerning plagiarism. I confirm that the work attached is my own and that I will follow the College and University Regulations in respect of plagiarism or any other examination offence. Signed: _________________________________________________ Print Name: _________________________________________________ Student ID No: _________________________________________________ Module: Personal Development and Ethics : G106771 Assignment: Assignment 1 PDP Analysis Pathway: BEng/HND/HND Top Up/HNC/Fd (state:) _____________ Date: _________________________________________________ Lecturer: Dr. Louise Hung Introduction The ability to achieve specific goals is one that is dependent on continuous studies and development of skills. Having the right attitude when going through specific programs helps to add into this motivation while providing a different outlook on what is required for the success that one can have in a future career. When analyzing my development and studies in electrical engineering, there are specific strengths and weaknesses which I have noted as well as futuristic goals that I continue to work toward to achieve the goals desired. As I continue to analyze this specific perspective, I recognize that my educational influences will set the pace for a future career in electrical engineering. More important, I understand that my attitude and the desire to be a part of this specific career field will require continuous educational achievements, personal motivation and the ability to collaborate with others in the field with expected focuses on achieving innovative alternatives in electrical engineering. Development for Future Engineering Profession The development that I have had for moving into an engineering professional begins with the personal associations that I have toward electrical engineering. I am originally from Saudi Arabia and decided to study electrical engineering because of the noted alternatives that are available for future careers. My interest is specifically in understanding the mechanics of computers and how this works to change specific aspects of society. When first coming to the college, my personal associations were based on receiving a degree with the understanding of having a future career. However, going through the courses over this period of time has also allowed me to develop a passion for the capabilities that are associated with electrical engineering. My association and understanding of this specific field has grown into one which I believe can change certain aspects of society with the correct types of engineering creating new prospects and abilities for those that are using computers and other electrical devices. The personal development that has come from my degree is also related to my understanding of what it means to build a career because of my responsibility and ability to learn. My desire to learn has grown since I began the program in electrical engineering. However, I also understand that new and complex processes need to be understood. My desire is to reach the top levels of the profession with the ability to offer innovation to a company of my choice while creating new alternatives for electrical engineering. Currently, I understand the mechanics, mathematics and the basic components of this profession. However, I am interested in understanding more of the details and delving into deeper levels of the profession so that I can provide more when working in my profession and career field. To do this, I believe that I need to continue taking more courses and developing skills through personal projects that I can do. My goal is to move forward with a higher degree in this field while looking at the career field for a job. The vocational skills development which I have received and plan to receive is another component that I have considered. To understand more of development, there is an attribution to IEEE, a company which provides information on the latest developments in electrical engineering. This specific company provides insight into innovation, new services, standards for different career fields and top innovators that are offering more for electrical engineering (IEEE, 2011). My desire is to continue to develop with the vocational skills that are driving forward the innovators in this field. The vocational skills development which I have received so far allows me to connect to organizations such as this with an understanding of the new innovations that are a part of electrical engineering. However, there are some uncertainties about the mathematics and development that is associated with this specific profession. Understanding and studying more of these concepts and working both in the university I’m in and outside of the profession can help me to grow more with the vocational skills desired. Present and Future Goals The current goals that I have for my studies in electrical engineering is to understand more about the specific field and to get to the level of understanding more of the mathematics and electrical processes that are applied in several fields. My belief is that the more in which I can learn about this specific profession, the more successful I can be when working in this profession. The future goals that I have are to work beyond the level of being able to function as an electrical engineer. Currently, I understand enough to develop projects and to work within the field with basic projects. However, I want to move beyond this to a point where I become an innovator in this field and am able to provide insight and understanding to others, such as the authors and presenters that are from the IEEE. My focus is to learn to collaborate with others who have the same foresight in electrical engineering, specifically to offer innovation and insight into what is available within this field of study. KSA The KSA that I hold is based on the amount of understanding that I have gained since being a part of this program. Before coming to this school, I only had a general idea about electrical engineering and what is meant to the current society. Since this time, my knowledge has increased with in depth mathematical understanding, design and the ability to work within specific electrical systems. This amount of knowledge is one which I believe can currently be applied to different fields and assists in employment. It is known that most schools have this goal to allow individuals to work in sectors such as education, industry and government (Henry Samueli, 2011). The skills that are a part of electrical engineering are another concept that I have been developing. When I first came into this program, I was uncertain of any skills and didn’t understand most of the concepts which had to be applied to this field of study. However, the courses that I have taken all have practical applications and have allowed me to develop the skills for being a competent electrical engineer. The skills include the application of math, science, design and computing skills required. Teamwork and communication are also a known skill that is required among those in this field, specifically because of the nature of the work and the innovation which requires different skills from various individuals (BLS, 2011). I believe that since my time of beginning at this school, all of these skills have developed to another level through group projects, individual initiatives and the desire to learn more about the subject. The learning style that has developed has come mostly from practical projects that require applying the different skills as well as continuous desire to learn about these skills. The attitude that I have held through this program has also changed drastically. When beginning, my only desire was to focus on a career field that I thought would be conducive to a better future. However, the amount of knowledge that I have gained in math, science and computing has created a passion for the subject that I am studying. I am always looking at personal projects that I can develop outside of the classroom to learn more and to practically apply what I am doing. I also look at some of the ways that I can continue to remain motivated. My attitude is to be one of the best electrical engineers in the field and to continue growing with my understanding of the specific field. My study skills have changed because of this from basic skills of completing work on time to motivating myself to go to the next level of achieving projects and working on individual projects outside of the classroom to grasp what is done with the concepts given. My attitude is one which I continuously work on to have a positive focus and to continue focusing on the possibilities for the future so I can work into the right career field while offering innovation and motivation that is essential to becoming successful as an electrical engineer. Development of Current Education and Training Needs The first semester is one that has allowed me to develop more and to understand more about electrical engineering. I have chosen this course specifically because of my desire to learn more about the fundamentals of electrical engineering and how it applies to different concepts. The qualifications that it will give me will broaden my capabilities of working into any career field related to electrical engineering, specifically with the focus on moving into innovation within this field and becoming a recognized individual that understands more than the fundamentals of electrical engineering. The placement of this course is educationally based and is done to provide intellectual concepts that can be practically applied. Personal SWAT Analysis The strengths that I have related to electrical engineering are a combination of motivational goals and skills. Since I have begun in this particular field I have become highly motivated to focus on understanding more about electrical engineering and what is needed to create innovative and high – end projects. This has allowed me to develop more personal projects as well as work inside the classroom for what is needed to change my understanding of electrical engineering. The skills that I have gained from my personal motivation will allow me to work into a career field at a different level. It will also provide me with the ability to work toward self – motivation, which will help me not only with the general career field but also if I am interested in more entrepreneurial endeavors. The weaknesses that I have in relation to this degree are based on the misconceptions and lack of understanding that I have related to this topic. Some of the more in – depth topics and theories related to electrical engineering are slightly confusing to me and are difficult to grasp. Having to work harder at these subjects and trying to find different ways to grasp some of the topics that have been given. There are also some personal weaknesses in grasping the topic. Since I’m from Saudi Arabia, there are some difficulties with English as the main language as well as the ability to communicate with others, especially when working in teams. Continuing to practice communication and team skills is one that is required for me to work into the correct career field. The opportunities that are available are ones which I am currently considering. My desire to work into being an innovative force in the field of electrical engineering is one which I believe requires more education. My opportunities are based first on gaining a higher educational degree, such as a PhD in electrical engineering. Only 1% of those who study electrical engineering have this level of a degree (BLS, 2011). I believe that this can help me to compete even more and move into the in – depth understanding of what is required for offering innovation in this field. My other opportunities are based on creating a career path that is conducive to my personality, including working within a high paid profession or moving into entrepreneurial endeavors. The threats that I am faced with is based on the rising amount of individuals who are studying electrical engineering. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this is a fast growing field and is expected to continue to rise in the next five years (BLS, 2011). Distinguishing myself from others in this field is required for me to offer even more innovation. Finding a strategy to overcome these threats, such as collaborating with others who are interested in developing more innovative products in electrical engineering can help to overcome the rise of those who are studying in this field and which are offering innovation with electrical engineering. Motivation and Career Goals The motivation that I have in the workplace and the studies comes from my personal attitude. I am motivated to learn about electrical engineering because I believe that I can contribute something to my community from this field. More important, I have a desire to understand everything about this field and what are becoming the driving forces in this particular arena. Whenever I learn a new skill with electrical engineering, I also am able to gain a new level of motivation to apply the particular concepts in a practical manner for different projects. My desires for a job are to work in an area that is motivational and which leaves room for innovation. My hope is that I won’t be in a profession that doesn’t allow me to experiment with the possibilities of electrical engineering and which is limited specifically by the need for the corporation to have specific products. My desire is instead to work into an arena that is interested in innovation and growth within the company and which leaves leverage for those who are working in electrical engineering. This is something which I believe can be furthered with my own endeavors. There is some desire for me to move into an entrepreneurial endeavor at a later date after gaining experience, specifically with the focus of going into this field in 3-5 years and after having gained experience within a job. Action Plan My goals for the short term are to get more experience with electrical engineering. I have the desire to learn more about this field and to move beyond the fundamentals of electrical engineering. I can achieve this by continuing with courses and certificates as well as working on personal projects that I am interested in. The short term goals not only include finishing this degree, but also moving into a higher level degree and up to a PhD to achieve the goals I want with innovation. The medium term goals that I have are to finish my PhD. While I am studying, I will also want to push myself into the career field and to find a fresher job. This will allow me to practically apply insights into the field and will offer me the capacity of understanding the other requirements for working as an electrical engineer, such as team work and communication. By developing these skills with a professional career and studying at the same time, I will be able to work into more innovational options while moving more in depth to the career that I am interested in. The long term goals that I have are possible to achieve after five years. The first goal is to move into a high paying career that allows me to work in electrical engineering with innovation and with the capacity to develop projects that help the corporation to move forward at a different level. I am interested in combining this with the educational knowledge which I am receiving through a PhD to the work place. From the higher career field that I move into, I will want to develop into more entrepreneurial endeavors. This includes creating innovative programs and structures in the field of electrical engineering that are widely recognized. Being internationally recognized for innovations, such as through the IEEE is one of the long term goals that I want to reach while continuing to learn with what is required for electrical engineering. I understand that the long term goals require continuous, life – long learning and the ability to understand the innovations that are surrounding me as well as how I can work my way more into this field. Conclusion Currently, the skills that I can offer to an employer are based on the skills that most graduates have, including the fundamental options for electrical engineering. The jobs that are currently in the market require design skills, creativity, computer troubleshooting, development and the ability to manufacture electronic devices (WiseGeek, 2011). I believe that I can offer all of these skills to employers with my current education. My desire to develop more skills that move beyond the fundamentals and into the innovation that is hard to find among employees is the next step that I am interested in taking for employment. To fulfill this gap for the future I will need to work in two directions. The first is to continue developing educational skills that provide more insight into the field of electrical engineering. The second is to continue to work on personal projects that lead to innovation and creativity and which provide a portfolio of potential options for the career field that I am interested in. References BLS. (2011). Engineering Technicians. Retrieved from: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos112.htm. IEEE. (2011). IEEE: Advancing Technology for Humanity. Retrieved from: http://www.ieee.org/index.html. Henry Samueli School of Engineering. Electrical Engineering Educational Mission and Goals. Retrieved from: http://undergraduate.eng.uci.edu/degreeprograms/electrical/mission. Wise Geek. (2011). What Are Some Jobs In Electrical Engineering? Retrieved from: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-some-jobs-in-electrical-engineering.htm. Read More