What are the specific features of an electromechanical engineer?
In recent decades, the discipline of engineering has undergone two complementary evolutions. On one hand, the speed of technological development has led to a need for advanced specialisation, leaving little room for the traditionally broad engineering education: this is the case, for example, in electronics, computer science and the development of new materials. On the other, the same evolution has led in many application areas to an increasing level of integration between different disciplines: electricity or electronics, mechanics, automation, information technology. Examples include robotics and "flexible manufacturing", energy production, transformation and management, vehicles and transport systems and embedded systems
Technological evolution and responding to society's needs thus require not only engineers with highly specialised training but also engineers with a multidisciplinary profile able to manage the interfacing problems presented by the integration of multiple disciplines within a single system or piece of equipment.
The electromechanical engineering degree at UCL favours the second of these profiles. It integrates the respective disciplines into a coherent whole, giving priority to basic knowledge in order to facilitate specialisation or changes of direction during the student's career. The electromechanical engineering programme thus results in the training of engineers who are well prepared to follow technical developments and adapt to the needs of the employment market and the ever-changing companies within it.
Due to the broad spectrum of disciplines included in the electromechanical engineering programme, students must choose between two specialist goals at the beginning of the first year of the master's: mechatronics or energy. The first emphasises courses in electronics, mechanical production, automation and robotics, while the second prioritises electricity, thermodynamics and energy.
What are the potential careers for an electromechanical engineer?
The multidisciplinary nature of the electromechanical programme gives access to a wide range of careers.
Opportunities in mechatronics can be found in:
- The design of innovative equipment in a variety of sectors;
- Process automation;
- Robotics.
Opportunities in energy can be found in:
- The design and management of energy generation systems;
- Energy audits;
- Managing and planning energy needs.