The sources listed here can provide dependable and up-to-date information about careers in electronics and career planning.

Internet Career Sources

Standard Occupational Publications

Internet Career Sources

American Electronics Association 5201 Great America Parkway P.O. Box 54990 Santa Clara, CA 95056 http://www.aeanet.org

Consumer Electronics Association 2500 Wilson Boulevard Arlington, VA 22201 http://www.ce.org

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 1828 L Street, NW, Suite 1202 Washington, DC 20036-5104 http://www.ieee.org

International Society of Certified Electronics Technicians 3608 Pershing Avenue Fort Worth, TX 76107 http://www.iscet.org

Standard Occupational Publications

Occupational Outlook Handbook

Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) provides a wealth of data and commentary about all occupational categories. Projections on job opportunities are given through the year 2018. The publication is maintained by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Occupational Outlook Handbook (www.bls.gov/oco/) is also available online. Below are some examples of occupational titles and definitions from the online version of the OOH. You may click the links for more information.

Electrical Engineers design, develop, test, and supervise the manufacture of electrical equipment. Some of this equipment includes electric motors; machinery controls, lighting, and wiring in buildings; radar and navigation systems; communications systems; and power generation, control, and transmission devices used by electric utilities. Electrical engineers also design the electrical systems of automobiles and aircraft. Although the terms electrical and electronics engineering often are used interchangeably in academia and industry, electrical engineers traditionally have focused on the generation and supply of power, whereas electronics engineers have worked on applications of electricity to control systems or signal processing. Electrical engineers specialize in areas such as power systems engineering or electrical equipment manufacturing. http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos027.htm

Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers Businesses and other organizations depend on complex electronic equipment for a variety of functions. Industrial controls automatically monitor and direct production processes on the factory floor. Transmitters and antennae provide communication links for many organizations. Electric power companies use electronic equipment to operate and control generating plants, substations, and monitoring equipment. The Federal Government uses radar and missile control systems to provide for the national defense and to direct commercial air traffic. Such complex pieces of electronic equipment are installed, maintained, and repaired by electrical and electronics installers and repairers. http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos184.htm

Electrical Drafters prepare wiring and layout diagrams used by workers who erect, install, and repair electrical equipment and wiring in communication centers, power plants, electrical distribution systems, and buildings. Electronics Drafters draw wiring diagrams, circuit board assembly diagrams, schematics, and layout drawings used in the manufacture, installation, and repair of electronic devices and components. http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos111.htm