How Technicians Are Shaping the Future of Electrical Engineering

Becoming a professional engineer is more than just a career advancement opportunity—it’s a step toward shaping the future of an evolving engineering industry. Through flexible and affordable online electrical engineering programs, electrical technicians can grow their careers and advance into engineering leadership positions.

In today’s technological environment, the importance of skilled professionals who blend hands-on expertise with advanced training cannot be overstated. Find out why technician-engineers are important to the electrical field and how you can level up to a career in electrical engineering.

Why the Industry Needs Technician-Engineers Now More Than Ever

While the world works toward electrifying more and more public systems, the electrical workforce is retiring rapidly.¹ Experienced workers transferring from the industry are causing workforce shortages, creating a struggle for U.S. companies to fill their approximately 19,000 projected annual electrical engineering job openings.²

Meanwhile, aging infrastructure creates higher risks for breakdowns in commercial electrical systems, requiring more frequent maintenance and thoughtful preventive solutions. That, plus the increasing complexity in energy, automation, and IoT systems, makes skilled electrical engineers more essential than ever. For example, electrical infrastructure must handle higher data traffic and process it efficiently to support the growing number of IoT devices in everyday applications, such as smart thermostats and advanced medical sensors.³

In future-forward engineering, technician experience is a strategic asset. Given the effectiveness of experiential learning, those with a background of hands-on experience more readily translate classroom theory to strategic problem solving for the unknown issues of future technology.⁴

Evolving Roles in Electrical Engineering

Job roles for certified electrical engineers are growing, with options from field technicians to system architects and project leads. Given today’s electrically demanding environment, the projects, specialties, collaborators, and advancement opportunities for engineers also vary widely.

Electrical engineers might work on modernizing the system we use to transmit and receive electricity through modern smart grid technology. Alternatively, they may improve electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure by designing and implementing charging stations for at-home or public use and efficiently integrating them into the power grid. Also, as professionals continue to investigate how AI can optimize current systems, electrical engineers use machine learning to create predictive maintenance algorithms, fault detection and diagnostic tools, autonomous control mechanisms, and energy distribution solutions.⁵

In electrical engineers’ work environments, solving today’s complex problems often requires interdisciplinary collaboration with mechanical (i.e., self-driving cars), computer science (robotics), or even biological experts (biomedical devices). No matter the project or team makeup, there are also ample leadership opportunities available for technician-engineers, ranging from team leads and engineering managers to senior technical directors.

The Value of Education in Powering Career Transformation

Education builds a strong foundation for upward movement in the rapidly evolving electrical engineering field. If you are already working in the field, an electrical engineering degree for technicians strengthens your resume and bridges your practical experience with advanced engineering theory. In classes, you will comprehensively learn core principles that will equip you for advanced problem-solving and innovation on the job.

Online programs, in particular, enable career mobility while offering flexibility, accessibility, and support for adult learners. Remote courses with a clear structure, timely support, engaging delivery, and easy digital experience—such as those at Bradley University—empower students to earn an electrical engineering degree while working full time.⁶

Long-Term Career Growth and Impact

After earning your online Bachelor’s of Science in Electrical Engineering (B.S.E.E.), you open the door to professional licensure, technical specialization, and leadership advancement. First, to become a licensed Professional Engineer (PE), you will need to complete the following:

• Pass the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam
• Gain four years of experience under a licensed engineer
• Pass the Principles and Practice of Engineering exam
• Get a license from your state board⁷

A PE license broadens your opportunities for entry-level electrical engineering jobs, progression into leadership roles, and long-term advancement. Meanwhile, specialization in control or power systems, communications, microelectronics, or computer hardware allows you to hone in on a niche, reducing your competition and increasing your value in the job market.

A career in electrical engineering is also personally fulfilling, since your day-to-day involves new and interesting challenges across different projects. Depending on your work, you may positively contribute to sustainability or smart infrastructure, building a lasting legacy in high-impact engineering sectors.

Electrify Your Career With Bradley University’s Convenient Online Program

After working as a technician, becoming an electrical engineer isn’t just a career change—it’s a future-building opportunity. With valuable experience already in your arsenal, technicians like you are uniquely positioned to lead the next wave of innovation in electrical engineering.

At Bradley University, our certification-to-degree path for electrical technicians combines immersive learning experiences with the flexibility to learn and work in tandem. We are committed to providing accessible tuition and financing for an outstanding program that broadens your job opportunities and propels your career forward.

Ready to start the transition from electrical technician to engineer? Explore how Bradley University’s online electrical engineering program is designed to support experienced professionals in stepping confidently into engineering leadership roles.

See our admissions information to learn how to become an electrical engineer online. If you have questions about the process or would like to request more information, contact an Admission Advisor today.