Career Prospects of Hardware Engineers

Career Prospects of Hardware Engineers

Computers have become an inseparable part of our life. Nearly in all walks of life, we make optimum use of computers in different ways. The computer, which makes calculation easy, operation & storage of data simple, runs on hardware which needs to be properly configured in order to run the system efficiently. It is the job of a computer hardware to ensure that all parts of a computer work efficiently. The main objective of hardware experts is to research, design, develop, analysis and test different computer components.

A computer is made up of different components, of which each part has its own distinct function. A working day in the life of a hardware engineer includes analyzing different prototypes on the basis of theoretical models. As more and more domains are making use of computers, therefore, there is a need of hardware updating and maintenance. As a result, this field is likely to expand in size along with the expansion of computer and different computing devices.

These engineers are required to work in labs, offices, industrial units, etc. There are few other engineers who work on the production site and are involved in the on-site problems. Those hardware engineers who impart services to the public directly should hold a license. The internet world is changing, and therefore, to survive & thrive in this field, it is important for computer hardware professionals to keep themselves updated about latest technologies.

Education requirement

To become a computer hardware engineer, you should at least possess a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering. There are various institutes which are offering hardware and networking courses. Also, graduates with electrical and electronic engineering are also eligible to pursue the course. Bachelor’s degrees can help you to enter into the sector, however, to find a hardware job in large companies, the job aspirant should possess a master’s degree in computer engineering. Another crucial criteria for selection is the work experience, which can give you an added benefit during the interview.

Apart from degree courses, one can also opt for the vocational courses that take anywhere between one year or less than that.

Top hardware colleges/institutes in India are-

1 = All IITs
2 = Regional engineering college, Durgapur
3 = Zakir Hussain College of engineering and technology, Aligarh
4 = Sardar Vallabhai Regional College of Engineering and technology, Surat.
5 = Indian Institute of Hardware Technology, Noida
6 = Birla Institute of Technology, Pilani
7 = Jetking Computer Hardware and Networking Institute

Requisite skills to become a computer hardware engineer and find a good hardware job

To build a career in the hardware sector, you need to have creative and analytic abilities, as a lot of work in this sector involves analyzing and understanding inconsistencies and flaws. Students interested to become computer hardware engineers should possess programming skills. These engineers need to communicate technical reports and problems to the client, therefore, it is crucial to possess excellent communication skills.

Moreover, the knack of understanding of applications and different tools used in software-hardware interface would work in your favor. In addition to this, computer hardware engineers should be keenly interested in technology and know how to integrate different changes.

Available computer hardware jobs in India

It is hard to find a single company or firm where computers are not used. Therefore, there is a high demand of hardware engineers across different sectors. Manufacturing firms, research laboratories and industrial plants are some of the areas where computer hardware engineers are employed. When they are not developing any new model, they do maintenance and quality analysis on current designs.

Some engineers decide to become private hardware engineers. They can also take contracts from two or more companies for the maintenance of computers at their workplace. Consultancy is the other sector where hardware engineers can find a way. Teaching at technical institutes is the other area where hardware engineers are required. It is a highly remunerative field and you can earn perks & incentives along with your salary package.

How much can you earn from a hardware job?

On an average, a hardware engineer can earn Rs 242,037/annum. Your experience would strongly influence the salary package. Most people move on to higher job positions, if they have over 5 years experience.