Is Computer Engineering Hard
The common stereotype for computer engineers is the socially awkward nerd for males and the hot goth chick for females. If you’re considering a computer engineering career, here’s the naked truth:
Computer engineering is hard. At times, it could be brutally hard. But it’s an incredibly rewarding career. Computer engineering is among the highest-paid professions with a stable future. Why? Because the world is becoming more dependent on computers. It’s not for everyone, though.
Did you like physics, math, and science when you were in high school? If not, you won’t like computer engineering either. But since you’re questioning whether computer engineering is hard, it means you might be a candidate for this futuristic discipline.
Just keep reading to find out more.
Are You A Fast Thinker Or A Slow Learner?
The answer will determine whether computer engineering will be troublesome for you or not.
Engineering requires fast thinkers. There’s little room to become analytical. You should be able to find the problem and solve it as quickly as possible.
You’ll also need to be thinking deeply and quickly. Slacking must be the cardinal sin of computer engineering.
Forget about the money and your parent’s advice for a moment. To succeed in computer engineering, you need to love the subject and study hard. When you do both, computer engineering isn’t hard at all. It’ll be even more enjoyable.
However, working on earning a computer engineering degree will be insanely painful even when you force yourself to love it. But it’ll be a sweet pain.
Computer Engineering Is A Challenging Field
Computer engineering came to be as there was a gap between electrical engineering and computer science. Electrical engineering has already been developing over the 20th century.
The fast development of computer science also required advanced electricity systems to keep up with the advancement. Thus, computer engineering combines elements of both electrical engineering and computer science.
Furthermore, computer engineering involves writing software to communicate with and between hardware components. Why is learning computer engineering an arduous effort? Because blending the elements of design and construction with electrical systems requires abstract thinking.
It’s like building a bridge between two separate worlds. Computer engineers assembled the fundamental blocks of the screen that show these words to you. They used electricity to power the hardware that’s running a human-friendly system.
The system is more than the sum of its parts. Computers engineers are responsible for building computerized systems in space ships, cell phones, electric cars, solar panels, and rockets. The internet, laptops, microprocessors, human genome mapping are a few examples of what computer engineers are building.
As a computer engineer, your in-demand will help you make drastic career switches while remaining within the bounds of the computer engineering field.
What makes computer engineering fascinating is that there’s no limit to what you can do with it, especially in a world that relies heavily on computer systems for nearly everything. It’s an ever-growing field as computer engineers continue to improve on their systems and innovate new technologies.
There’s no shortage of opportunities in this field, and you’re guaranteed to find fascinating projects to work on for the rest of your career.
The hardships and the challenging problems will be fulfilling to a curious soul like you.
What Do Computer Engineers Do With Their Time?
Computer engineers spend the bulk of their time building computerized systems involving research, design, and development. The devices they create will range from a closed-circuit bulb to a remotely controlled planetary probe. These systems include processor design, coding, and networking.
The description above barely scratches the surface, though. Because it describes the hardware components. In addition to designing the electrical components, which includes building architecture to connect the pieces, computer engineers also use programming to make the parts interact with each other.
As a computer engineer, you’re also responsible for software development. You have to develop operating systems, applications, and programming languages. On top of that, you must make sure your system is secure, human-friendly, and easy to upgrade.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the hardware and software for mobile phones and other devices frequently are developed at the same time. It means each side complements the other to complete the product. Thus, software developers work closely with computer hardware engineers.
Computer Engineering Degree Vs. Self-taught
Some people might disagree, but a computer engineering degree can help you get a job in the field. Many computer engineers are self-taught because they’re passionate enough to teach themselves and build their projects. And that’s how they get ahead.
Furthermore, computer engineering is not easy to learn by yourself, even with tons of free study material online. A recognized degree from an established institution remains the safest bet.
Whether you earn a degree or teach yourself, the median pay for computer engineers is $119,560 per year. When you obtain more certificates and get specialized training, you can get promoted to management-level jobs where the salary is even better. Apart from the stable income, you get to work with bright people on fascinating projects.
You can take a different path altogether and use your computer engineering knowledge and skills to build a new technology that changes the world.
Conclusion
If computer science and electrical engineering married, computer engineering would be their legitimate child. Computer engineering is as hard as the combination of two advanced fields.
The key to making it easier is building a firm foundation by understanding core concepts. You can’t break the rules if you don’t understand them. So, focus on studying the fundamentals as your knowledge will help you in advanced levels.
You also need to be quite comfortable with abstract mathematical concepts, particularly linear algebra, number theory, and graph theory. In addition, you need a solid foundation in discrete mathematics.
As you can see, computer engineering is math. Is math hard for you, or was it your favorite subject at high school?
At last, considering computer engineering is a good sign that you can take it on. But, do more research and know in advance what you’re getting yourself into. Luckily, the information is out there, so research before you commit.
Good luck!
