Welcome to Career Corner, a regular feature in Cougar News which highlights workforce programs at Collin College. Today, we are looking at Electronic Engineering Technology (EET).
Electronic Engineering Technology at Collin College provides its students with the foundation for a career in electronics, manufacturing, and automation with a focus on electrical engineering theory and hands-on application of skills. An Associate of Applied Science in Electronic Engineering Technology prepares students for a career as an electronics engineering technician.
What does that mean? For students who apply themselves, it means they can build some pretty cool stuff. Dr. Yiping Wang, professor of engineering and discipline lead for EET at Collin, recently related a story about a group of Collin students who created a drink-dispensing machine which recognizes customers, provides access to age-appropriate drinks and tracks consumption. The machine, which could be loaded with alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, used RFID (radio-frequency identification) technology and a controller to determine which customers were old enough for alcoholic beverages and delivered them if the customer had been served under a certain limit of alcohol.
“Those students were very smart and put in a lot of time,” Dr. Wang said.
The project was unique in its ambition, but students throughout the EET program learn the theory and practical application needed to build, troubleshoot, and repair complex electronics as part of their education.
Brandon Garlington, a student planning to graduate in spring 2020, built a clock for a microprocessor class project and contributed to a group project of an airborne weather station. The weather station was lifted by a balloon, measuring temperature, altitude, humidity, and other meteorological data before being retrieved via user-controlled winches.
“Since I started the electronics program, it has become a passion for me,” Garlington said.
Garlington is looking forward to learning more about robotics in the spring semester. He picked a good college to do so. Dr. Wang is certified by FANUC (Fuji Automatic NUmerical Control) Robotics for instruction on their widely used industrial robots. He facilitates industry-recognized certificates to students who have passed the robotics courses.
“That is a big plus for people looking for future employment in that area— something to show your potential,” Dr. Wang said.
The program maintains other industry connections which pay dividends for students. Texas Instruments, Raytheon, Oncor, and electronic component manufacturers recruit from the college’s EET program regularly and often give presentations to classes about the benefits of working in technology.
“We work closely with (businesses) to build up the pipeline and give them qualified students ready for their workforce,” Dr. Wang said.
Career Outlook for an Electronics Engineering Technician
- Average Salary: $72,200 *
- 13% growth *
Program Options
Electronic Engineering Technology Associate of Applied Science degree (60 credit hours)
Certificate Level 1 – Electronic Engineering Technology (34 credit hours)
For more information, visit www.collin.edu/academics/programs/EET_1Overview.html or email Dr. Yiping Wang at ywang@collin.edu, or email workforce-programs@collin.edu.
For more information about workforce programs, check out the information sheets at www.collin.edu/academics/info/ or visit www.collin.edu/academics/.
* Average salary for occupation is as of 2018. Job growth projected from 2019-2025. Data obtained from JobsEQ (Collin County), O*NET, and Workforce Solutions of North Central Texas.
Note: The earning potential for employees with certifications and associate of applied science degrees may exceed the average salary.