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Studies & Degrees in Electrical Technology

Electrical technology is the applied side of electricity: installing, operating, testing and maintaining the systems that generate, distribute and use electrical power. The Pennsylvania State University describes electrical engineering technology as a field that focuses on planning, designing, installing, operating and maintaining electrical power systems and electronic devices. Students learn circuit theory, electrical machines and motors, wiring and electrical codes, control systems and programmable logic controllers (PLCs), instrumentation, technical drawing and workplace safety.

The subject is not the same as electrical engineering. ABET, the body that accredits such programmes in the United States, explains that engineering programmes often focus on theory and conceptual design, while engineering technology programmes usually focus on application and implementation, with more practical mathematics. A large share of the timetable is spent in laboratories and workshops. At Northeast Community College in Nebraska, for example, students spend about two hours in the lab for every hour of classroom lecture.

Qualifications and levels

Electrical technology is taught at several levels, from a one-year certificate to a four-year bachelor's degree.

  • United States. ABET accredits engineering technology programmes at associate (two-year) and bachelor (four-year) level. At Penn State, the associate degree in Electrical Engineering Technology requires a minimum of 65 credits and the Bachelor of Science a minimum of 128 credits. Community colleges also teach the electrician's trade: the Electrical Construction and Control programme at Northeast Community College is a two-year Associate of Applied Science of 76.5 credits.
  • Canada. Conestoga College in Ontario offers a one-year Electrical Techniques certificate and a three-year Electrical Engineering Technology advanced diploma with an optional 16-month co-op. The diploma is built around two themes, power systems and industrial automation.
  • Spain. The subject belongs to vocational training (FP), in the professional family Electricidad y Electrónica. The intermediate cycle (grado medio) Técnico en Instalaciones Eléctricas y Automáticas and the higher cycle (grado superior) Técnico Superior en Sistemas Electrotécnicos y Automatizados each last 2,000 hours. The same family includes higher cycles in industrial automation and robotics and in electronic maintenance. At university, the related field is electrical or industrial engineering, taught as a bachelor's degree (grado) of 240 ECTS credits, followed by master's degrees of 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits.
  • Short courses. Private training centres offer non-official courses. Campus Training in Madrid, for example, lists an electrical installer course (Curso Instalador Electricista).

Where to study

SpainExchange lists 57 active schools for electrical technology. The United States has 23 and Spain has 10; China and Bangladesh have two each, and New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Canada, Austria, Jamaica, Malaysia, Romania and Bulgaria have one each. In the United States most of them are community and technical colleges, such as Piedmont Technical College, Augusta Technical College, Lansing Community College and College of Lake County, alongside universities such as Penn State and Ferris State University. The Spanish list includes Universidad Alfonso X el Sabio and Universidad Europea de Madrid. Elsewhere, examples include the University of Technology, Jamaica, Universiti Kuala Lumpur British Malaysian Institute and Fachhochschule Oberösterreich in Austria.

Programmes are normally taught in the language of the country: English in the United States, Canada and Jamaica, Spanish in Spain and Latin America. Because so much of the course is workshop practice, most programmes are taught on campus. Check the language of instruction and the entry requirements of each programme before applying.

Careers

Graduates work as electrical and electronic engineering technicians and technologists, electricians, installers and maintenance technicians. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) says that technologists and technicians help engineers design and develop equipment powered by electricity. It projects their employment to grow 2 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 8,100 openings a year, most of them to replace workers who leave. For electricians, the BLS projects growth of 9 percent over the same period.

A qualification is often only the first step for electricians. According to the BLS, most electricians in the United States learn their trade in a four- or five-year apprenticeship, and most states require a licence. Graduates of technical school programmes usually receive credit toward the apprenticeship; in Nebraska, a two-year electrical associate degree may count for up to one year (2,000 hours) of the required experience. In Spain, TodoFP lists occupations such as electrical installer and installer of photovoltaic solar systems for holders of the intermediate qualification.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between electrical technology and electrical engineering?

Electrical technology concentrates on application: building, installing, testing and maintaining systems. ABET notes that engineering programmes focus more on theory and conceptual design and require more advanced mathematics.

How long does it take to study electrical technology?

From one to four years, depending on the level. Examples are a one-year certificate at Conestoga College, a two-year associate degree in the United States, a 2,000-hour FP cycle in Spain and a four-year bachelor's degree in electrical engineering technology.

Do I need a university degree to work as an electrician?

No. In the United States a high school diploma is the entry requirement and most electricians train through an apprenticeship, according to the BLS. In Spain the usual route is an FP cycle in the Electricidad y Electrónica family.

Can I continue to a higher qualification afterwards?

Often, yes. In Spain an intermediate FP qualification gives access to the higher cycle, and US employers may prefer candidates with a bachelor's degree for some technologist jobs, according to the BLS.