Occupational Information Network Review Exercises

2.4 Occupational Information Review Exercises

1.       List the four branches of an electrical and electronics engineering field.

2.       For each branch of electrical engineering named in question 1 above, describe briefly its operations.

3.       State why are licenses required in installation work by private contractors?

4.       List any five companies which are involved in the field of communication engineering.

5.       Define the following terms as applied in electrical engineering occupations:

a.       Artisan.

b.      Craftsman.

c.       Technician.

d.      Engineer.

6.       Describe briefly the educational requirements for each of the categories of workers in question 5 above.

Occupational Information Network Key Points

2.3 Occupational Information Network Key Points

1.       The four major groups of occupations in the field of electrical engineering are:

a.       Power engineering

b.      Electrical installations engineering

c.       Communications electronics engineering

d.      Industrial electronics engineering.

2.       Across the network of technical occupations, the following personnel cadre are employed:

a.       Artisan

b.      Craftsman

c.       Technician

d.      Engineer.

3.       An artisan is an accomplished operator with a comprehensive knowledge of techniques and the tools used in his or her area of specialty.

4.       A craftsman is a skilled individual talented to perform a range of tasks in his specialty to the required standards.

5.       A technician is a highly skilled worker with both theoretical and practical backing. A technician is directly answerable to the engineer or a technologist.

6.       An engineer is the topmost head of technical teams in large organizations and he is in charge solving design related problems with his respect to his field of specialization.

Electrical job entry requirements and job descriptions

2.2 Electrical job entry requirements and job descriptions

In electrical engineering, the jobs are grouped and classified in the order of seniority and according to their demand. The job groups are:

1.       Artisan.

2.       Craftsman.

3.       Technician.

4.       Technologist

5.       Engineer.

The artisan is at the bottom of the ranks while the engineer is at the top.

Occupation pyramid

2.1.1 Artisan

To train as an artisan in any specific area of electricity, one has to have obtained passes at KCPE.

An artisan is a skilled operator who has a good knowledge of techniques and appropriate tools.

His job does not require him to solve design problems or to perform administrative duties.

2.1.2 Craftsman

Entry into craftsman training requires at least good passes at KCSE or a high achievement at the artisan level. 

A craftsman is to perform a range of tasks in a specified field, such as electrical installations, to a very high degree of accuracy, workmanship and efficiency.

Craftsmen may be required to instruct and supervise artisans. They also may participate in a "shop-floor level" decision making process. They are immediately answerable to technicians.

2.1.3 Technician

The requirements for entry into the technician training program are: Good grades at KCSE in the relevant subjects or a high performance at the craft level.

The training of a technician includes theoretical and practical skill development to enable him understand and use complex tools, equipment and materials in his area of specialisation. He also possesses social and administrative skills to qualify him to lead, supervise and guide his subordinates at the place of work.

The duties of a technician are:

a)      To work under the engineers in order to supply the technical expertise and practical skills for the engineers to solve design problems.

b)      To organise and manage workshops or production lines.

c)       To supervise, organise and instruct the work under him.

d)      To participate in the decision making process at the middle level management.

2.1.4 Technologist

Entry requirements into the Higher National Diploma programmes are the Ordinary Diploma Technician Certificate with some work experience as a practising technician.

Technologists are highly trained personnel. Their combined practical skills, higher theoretical, scientific and managerial skills enable them to operate at levels close to that of engineers.

Technologists/higher technicians are heads of the technical teams in organizations whose physical plants are not too complex.

2.1.5 Engineers

Engineers are usually trained at the university. Electrical engineers hold at least a B.Sc. degree in Electrical Engineering.

Entry into the faculty of engineering at the universities require very high grades in the KCSE examinations.

Although the engineer does not possess high practical skills, his or scientific, theoretical and managerial skills are very high.

Engineers head the technical teams in large or complex organizations. Their work involves solving design problems related to their field of specialisation.

Occupational information network

2.0 INTRODUCTION

Aim of occupational information network is to equip the learner with a brief range of occupation prevailing in the field of electrical engineering.

It is hoped that this information will make the reader cultivate an interest in studying electrical engineering or related fields as for future occupation or career.

2.1 TYPES OF OCCUPATIONS

The field of electrical engineering may be broken into four major groups:

1.       Power engineering,       

2.       Electrical installations engineering,

3.       Industrial electronics engineering,

4.       Communications electronics engineering.

2.1.1 Power engineering

Is concerned majorly with the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity. The main employer in this field is the Kenya Electricity Transmission Co. Ltd (KETRACO), Kenya Power Lighting Company (KPLC), Rural Electricity Authority (REA), Geothermal Development Company (GDC), Kenya Nuclear Electricity Board (KNEB) (established in 2010) and Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KENGEN) .

Employees in this area deal with equipment handling high voltages and currents. They are usually positioned at the electrical power generating stations and at the sub-stations.

2.1.2 Electrical installations engineering

This area involves the construction of electric power circuits such as the transmission and distribution power lines, wiring factories and buildings, and installing machines and appliances.

People working in this area are either employees of companies or self-employed contractors. Government sectors playing major employments are Kenya Electricity Transmission Co. Ltd (KETRACO), Kenya Power Lighting Company (KPLC) and Rural Electricity Authority (REA).

Electrical installations engineering’s operation is strictly regulated by law under the Electric Power Act. Contractors must be licensed to restrict them in their areas of specialisation.

2.1.3 Industrial electronics engineering

It is commonly concerned with the control of machines or operations by use of electricity. The control may be recognized by using electro-mechanical devices, simple electric circuits or by computers depending on the nature of the job.

Working in this region entails handling both the high power and low power circuits practically on every job.

Manufacturing industry like Bidco and Unilever are major employers.

2.1.4 Communications electronics engineering

This field deals with equipment and systems used for passing intelligence or information from one point to next. Communications electronics engineering involves working with telephones, radios, television sets, communication satellites and other signal processing systems.

Generally, the equipment encountered are of low power but the cellphone, radio and TV transmitters are usually high power equipment.

Employers in this area include the Orange Communication Ltd, Telkom, KBC, the Directorate of Civil Aviation, Kenya Institute of Mass and Communication and private companies such as Sanyo, Phillips, Airtel Kenya, Safaricom Kenya and many others. Self-employment is also a popular occupation e.g. servicing cellphones, DVD Players, computers, radios, TVs, etc.