Career as Computer Engineer
Today, computers have invaded every facet of our lives. Offices, industries, manufacturing processes, financial activities, medical, education, entertainment, home, and computers have changed the way of living, working, studying, entertaining etc. India is at the forefront of this expanding industry, and it is expected to grow exponentially in the next few decades. Today, robots and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are creating a storm in the possibilities of using AI in medical, manufacturing and other areas to compete with human intelligence. Data Science is another vast field which has gained popularity in the last decade or more. On the hardware side, innovations like Drones, Chip hardware processors, Robots, etc. are the new areas which are throwing up vast opportunities.
- About Computer Engineer :
- Job Profile |
- How do I get there?
Job Profile
With a growing demand for technological advancements in every sphere of economic activity, the need for trained, skilled and qualified computer engineering professionals is unlimited. At the initial stage of their career, a programmer does coding work in the language used by the organisation. With experience and added skills, the designing of the project is handled by the Senior Project In-charge. It is mostly a desk job, requiring long hours, diligently coding and programming on computers/laptops.
Teamwork is essential as each member creates different modules that fit into the total design of the programme. Timelines and adhering to schedules of delivery of the software to the client requires the programming team to work on strict time schedules, and this may require long hours of work. Most of the software companies take up offshore assignments and adhering to the schedule is paramount.
Software engineers are most sought after not only in India but also abroad. Most of the top software companies in the US have software engineers from India. This lure of working in the US has made Computer engineering course the most sought after. There are various jobs not only in software companies but in every organisation/field where technology has been adopted. System Analyst, E-commerce analyst, ERP Analyst, Design Architect, Data Analysts are senior jobs with few years’ experiences.
Today Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data management are jobs in high demand. It is predicted that about 2.3 million AI jobs will be created by 2030. Robotic programmers, Machine learning researchers, video game programmers will be in high demand in the coming decade. Data mining is another field in high demand and Data analyst, data miners will be most sought after in the job market. An entrant in software programming can earn about Rs 6lakh p.a., while a software engineer with about 5-10 years’ experience will earn in the range of Rs 10-15 lakh. Top Companies pay about Rs 15-25 lakhs to their senior executives. A computer programmer in the US can make about $85000 to $135000 annually. A hardware engineer would receive about $100000-$125000 in the US and about Rs 300000/- to Rs 500000/- at the start of their career.
Some of the top jobs and recruiting companies for Computer engineers
|
Name of Job/Role |
Average Salary offered (at 2-5 years of work experience) |
Top Companies recruiting for these |
|
Assistant System Engineer |
Rs 450000/- to Rs 800000/- |
Tata Consultancy Services |
|
Software Engineer |
Rs 500000/- to Rs 10,00000/- |
HCL Technologies Ltd. |
| System Engineer |
Rs 400000/- to Rs 7.500000/- |
Infosys Limited |
| Associate Software Engineer |
Rs 448000/- to Rs 600000/- |
Accenture Technology Solutions
|
| Software Engineer |
Rs 460000/- to Rs 780000/- |
Tech Mahindra Ltd. Software Engineer |
|
Rs 324000/- to Rs 500000/- |
Capgemini Software Engineer |
|
|
Rs 596000/- to Rs 1200000/- |
Cisco Systems Inc. |
Pros and Cons of career for Computer Engineers
Pros
- Booming industry and vast growth prospects
- New and innovative areas for upskilling and career advancement
- Lucrative job opportunities in India and abroad, especially the USA
- Excellent salary and perks
- Work from home concept prevalent in this industry
- Most innovative HR practices start in this industry
- Offers scope to study new languages and skills to further your career
Cons
- Mainly a desk job and long working hours
- Health issues due to long hours in front of computers/laptops etc.
- Supply of computer engineers is more than the demand
- Stressful time schedules to meet deadlines
- Shift timings to suit Offshore Client’s working hours
Future Growth Prospects and How to get there faster
How do I get there?
Every student aspiring to be a Computer Engineer has to pass XII class in Science stream with Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry as compulsory papers. Many Boards have Computer as a subject in X and XII class too, and students can opt for this subject at the school level itself. For a B. Tech. or B.E. course, a candidate has to appear for IIT Entrance exam/JEE and based on the ranking; choose a college offering 4 years-Computer Engineering Course. There are broadly 2 branches in Computer Engineering –Hardware and Software. Specialization can be taken up as postgraduate courses. One can do a 2-years Masters in Computer Application or MSc. in Computers in India. One can also do MS abroad after clearing the GATE entrance test. Ph. D for research and super specialization is also available in most Universities. Diploma and varied certified courses are also available from many institutes for those desirous of learning a particular language. These courses can be taken up from school level.
How much does it cost?
A 4-year degree course in computer engineering can cost between 5-10 lakhs. A B. Tech in one of the IITs will cost about 8.50 lakh. Private engineering colleges charge between 10-15 lakh for the entire duration of the course. Students who procure high ranking in JEE get Govt. seats, concessional tuition rates, costing about 2-3 lakh for the full course. A Post-Graduation course costs about 4-5 lakh in India. MS in a University in the USA will charge $15000 to$20,000 as tuition fee alone. There are multiple institutes teaching languages like Java, C++ etc. One can also learn Online from various paid and free learning sites
What are the Top Colleges where one should be studying to become a Computer engineer?
The demand for Computer engineers is so significant that all
engineering colleges today offer Computer engineering stream. Top
10 Colleges (as per 2019 ranking) to study Computer Engineering in
India are:
|
Rank of College |
Name of College, City |
Programme Fees |
|
|
Indian Institute of Technology- Delhi |
B. Tech Rs 4.47 for 4 years |
|
|
Indian Institute of Technology- Mumbai |
B. Tech Rs 8.55 Lakh for 4 years |
|
|
Indian Institute of Technology- Kharagpur |
B. Tech. Rs 8.34 lakh for 4 years |
|
|
Indian Institute of Technology- Kanpur |
B. Tech. Rs 8. 27 lakh for 4 years |
|
|
Indian Institute of Technology- Roorkee |
B. Tech. Rs 8.52 lakh for4years |
|
|
Indian Institute of Technology- Guwahati |
B. Tech. Rs 8.61 for 4 years |
|
|
Birla Institute of Technology & Science- Pilani |
B.E/B.E. (Hons.) Rs 16.73 lakh for 4 years |
|
|
Delhi Technological University |
B. Tech. Rs 7.81 Lakh for 4 years |
|
|
National Institute of Technology- Tiruchirappalli |
B. Tech. Rs 7.42 lakh for 4 years |
|
|
Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar |
B. Tech. Rs 8.63 lakh for 4 years |
Books and other Study Material
Java, Python, AI and Data Management are some areas which I must know, for anyone wanting a career as a Computer Engineer. Books recommended for beginners are:
- Java: How to Program by Deitel and Deitel
- Python for Beginners by Harsh Bhasin
- Think Python by Allen B Downey
- Artificial Intelligence-A modern approach by Stuart Russell and Peter Norvig
- Machine Learning Solutions by Samir Bhatia
- Advanced-Data Analytics Using Python: With Machine Learning, Deep Learning and NLP Examples by Sayan Mukhopadhyay
- Machine Learning for Beginners: A Plain English Introduction to Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning by John Slavio
What if this career does not work out for me? What are the other options for a person with these credentials?
An advantage for a Computer Engineer is that he/she can move to any industry of their choice if one is not happy in the IT industry. Industries relating to finance, banking, medical, electronics, home appliances are all options to do lateral shift. However, if a person doesn’t wish to pursue a structured corporate career, teaching in academic institutions, writing books and coaching are options which can be pursued.
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Content on this page is by Career Expert Mrs. Kum Kum Tandon MA (Psychology), M.Ed, Diploma in Educational Psychology, Vocational Guidance & Counseling (NCERT, Delhi) | View Complete Profile |