Career as Broadcast Engineer

The most coveted role in this field is usually that of a Broadcast Engineer or Electrical Engineer. Electrical Engineers earn the most in this field, with a starting salary of 8 lakh/annum on average. For Broadcast Engineers, even if the starting salary is a little low, they can quickly build up a reputation by taking on more events, and through word of mouth. The work is also very fascinating and usually deals with cutting-edge technology. Therefore, the role of a Broadcast Engineer provides excellent growth and job satisfaction for those who are truly interested in this field. They can also choose to specialize in areas such as print journalism, TV broadcasts, online media, and so on.

Major movie producing companies such as Dharma Productions and Red Chilies Entertainment, to name a few, are regularly on the lookout for fresh new talent to inspire them in the field of sound and visual dynamics. They usually recruit for Mumbai, with some branches in Bangalore, Delhi and Kolkata as well. 

The field of Broadcast Engineering is constantly evolving and creating new spaces for talented, experimental minds to explore. As such, this is one of the most lucrative times ever to pursue a field which is completely immersed in technology and digital media, as we hurtle towards the peak of the digital age. In the coming years, digital and online media will see progress as never before, and the sky will truly be the limit, as Broadcast Engineers will receive more space and support to test out and voice their ideas. 

Thus, it is vital to be as creative and enterprising as possible. The key is to continually keep up with the times and never stop experimenting and creating. Today, Broadcast Engineers need to amalgamate their knowledge of the digital world from all around themselves, and the better they do this, the more likely they are to get to the top fast.

Pros

• For people genuinely interested in this field, it will be fascinating to work with such fantastic cutting-edge technology and equipment, and you may find your skills improving much faster than anticipated.

• Broadcast Engineers work with a diverse variety of people, usually, through different events and locales. As such, it can be very interesting to interact with so many different kinds of people, and see the world through their perspective.

• The work done by Broadcast Engineers usually follows a pattern of instant gratification, i.e., they can see the results of their work almost immediately; for example, in a successful glitch-free concert. This can be very rewarding and motivating to some people.
  
  

Cons

• The initial low salary drawn by most Broadcast Engineers might seem risky and off-putting to some people, who may have trouble viewing it as a potentially lucrative field. They may also be unwilling to put in the number of years required to establish oneself in this field.

• The working hours for a Broadcast Engineer can sometimes be very long and irregular, and it may be challenging to maintain a work-life balance.

• The constant pressure to make sure that huge events go off without a single hitch can sometimes take a toll on a lot of Broadcast Engineers, leading to a variety of stress-related ailments, such as high blood pressure. However, this would be possible in any other high-pressure job as well. It may also be exhausting sometimes to constantly have to keep up with the myriad trends of an infinite amount of digital media these days.

Broadcast Engineering is a vast field, with a number of entirely different spectrums and roles. The knowledge, experience and skills required to perform the roles falling under this umbrella are equally varied. For example, a digital content curator would need to have very different skills than an electrical engineer. Yet, they would both be in charge of equipment, sound, lighting and video in their respective scenarios. 

Thus, to become a Broadcast Engineer, there are usually two paths available, slightly different but eventually leading to the same nature of work. 

The first path is through science and engineering. This would require students to take up science after Class 10, with an emphasis on Physics. They need to achieve a minimum of 50% in their boards, and often, much more than that, to crack the most prestigious colleges in this field. 

At the undergraduate level, some of the common choices can be a B.Tech in Electrical Engineering, a B.Tech in Electrical and Electronics Engineering and some cases, a B.Tech in Sound Recording, or Broadcast Engineering. 

They can then go on to do an M.Tech or MSc in Electrical Engineering, or Sound Recording, whichever they are more inclined towards. Finally, they can opt to pursue a PhD in a related stream of study. There are also a number of certificate and diploma courses, which cover a wide range of topics, to ensure working knowledge at least.

The second path towards broadcast engineering would be through mass communication and journalism. In this case, a student can opt for arts, with a focus on English after their Class 10. They, too, need to maintain a minimum of 50% and often more to get into the college of their choice. 

At the undergraduate level, they can opt for a BA in Mass Communication, or a BA in Journalism, or English (Honours). They can follow that with an MA or MSc in Mass Communication, or Journalism, and end up with a PhD in the same. Whereas the former engineering path would be dealing more with the physical, technical aspects, such as wiring, and equipment, the latter would have more of a chance working with digital media and broadcasting. However, both roles fall squarely under the umbrella of broadcast engineering.

The average UG program required for this field, whether in electrical engineering or mass communication and the like, would be anywhere upwards of Rs 65000 at least. The average PG program for this field is upwards of 4 lakh. Since broadcast engineering is still considered a niche field by many colleges, there aren’t a lot of specialized degree programs for this course. However, once these are introduced by a number of colleges, the prices of courses would automatically drop drastically. For now, most of the time, students need to take alternative course routes and use the transferable skills to carve out a career in Broadcast Engineering.

Broadcast Engineering is a highly competitive and diverse field, with many of the skills required being available for online learning. With this advent, it has become all the more necessary to establish oneself in this field with a highly reputable degree, from a very well regarded college, which may provide a significant edge, in job hunts. Below are some of the best colleges in India which provide a range of degrees which provide a pathway into Broadcast Engineering.