Newly graduated in Automation Engineering – what would you do?
Hi everyone,
I’m from Denmark and recently graduated with an AP Degree in Automation Engineering.
I’m a bit unsure about what direction I should take from here, so I wanted to hear what people with experience in the industry think.
The thing I enjoy the most, and what I really want to work with, is PLC programming. That’s definitely the part of automation I’m most interested in.
The problem is that I don’t have an electrical background. I know how to program PLCs, but when it comes to the electrical side of things, I’m not nearly as strong. Things like troubleshooting electrical faults, wiring, control cabinets, components, current/voltage, etc. are definitely my weak points.
Another thing that worries me is that after finishing my education, I don’t feel like I’m capable of handling really complex PLC programming tasks on my own yet. I know I’m a newly graduated junior, and obviously I still have a lot to learn, but I’m not sure what companies actually expect from a junior automation engineer.
I’m worried that I might apply for a junior PLC/automation position and then find out that the company expects me to be much more capable than I currently am.
So I’m kind of stuck between two options.
Option 1: Try to get a job working with PLCs/automation
This is obviously what I would prefer, since PLC programming is what I actually enjoy.
But I’m worried about whether companies will choose someone like me over an engineer who also has a strong electrical background. If two people apply for the same PLC job, I imagine the person who has both PLC knowledge and a solid electrical background would have a pretty big advantage.
At the same time, maybe the whole point of getting a junior position is that you’re not expected to know everything yet, and that you learn a lot from more experienced engineers.
Option 2: Become an electrician first
I’ve also considered going through the electrician education so I can build a proper foundation in electrical work.
The advantage would obviously be that I’d eventually have both the electrical knowledge and the PLC knowledge.
But at the same time, I’m worried that I would spend several years becoming an electrician when my actual goal is to work with PLC programming. I don’t know if it would really be worth it, or if I could just learn most of the electrical stuff through working in automation.
So I’m curious what you guys think.
If you were in my situation, would you:
- Try to get a PLC/automation job straight away and learn the electrical side along the way?
- Become an electrician first?
- Or is there another route that makes more sense?
And for those of you who work with PLCs/controls: how important is an electrical background really?
Also, what would you realistically expect from someone who has just graduated and is applying for their first junior PLC/automation job?
I’d especially like to hear from people who started out in PLC programming without being electricians or having another strong electrical background.
Thanks!