Ramesh Khajjayam is an Electrical Engineer and is currently working as Consulting Systems Engineer at Siemens, Atlanta, USA. Born into not so well educated family, Ramesh did not have a mentor or guide during his career journey. He empowered himself with information and is now a Licensed Professional Electrical Engineer. This is his career journey.
- What is Electrical Engineering?
Ramesh
- It is a field of engineering that deals with the study and application of
electricity, electronics and electromagnetism.
- What are you currently doing now?
Ramesh
- I am a Consulting Systems Engineer and I lead a team of Engineers for power systems distribution
projects in industries like metals, mining, paper etc. For example, when
Siemens receives an order to build a substation for a new steel plant, I am
consulted for executing that order. I will have to identify the electrical needs
of steel plant, provide technical specifications for equipment like
transformers, circuit breakers etc, design layouts for substation, perform
analytical studies, test and commission the equipment, execute the order and provide support.
- When and how did you first realize that you
wanted to become an Electrical Engineer?
Ramesh
- In my 10th grade, I first learned about the concept of electricity
and became very interested in it. We all take electricity for granted and I
took it too. But when I first learned about power, current, voltage, energy and
the amazing capability of electrons, protons and neutrons, I became very
interested in Electrical concepts.
I
chose mathematics, physics and chemistry as my majors in high school and picked
a career in Electrical Engineering.
- How did you continue to pursue your passion
for Electrical Engineering after Bachelors degree?
Ramesh
- I am blessed to receive quality education in my Electrical Engineering and
few courses like Transmission & Distribution, Switchgear and Protection,
Power Systems Analysis, Controls and Signal Processing took my interest to next level.
I realized that I had to get further education and specialize to pursue my passion.
I chose MS program in West Virginia University as they have a dedicated
research program in Power Systems and graduated with specialization in Power Systems.
- What happened after graduation? What is your
first job? And how did you get your first job?
Ramesh - MS
in Electrical Engineering was not a smooth ride. I was one of the 15 students
in my program and we all were very fearful of job opportunities. We all kept
hearing about lack of job opportunities for those specializing in Power Systems
and most of my classmates chose different electives not relating to Power
Systems in their 2nd year.
I
didn’t get a job right away after my graduation. I changed my strategy in job
search by expanding my horizon from local/utility companies to Multinational
companies. Siemens contacted me after applying online and offered me a job with
visa sponsorship.
- What is most enjoyable being an Electrical Engineer?
Ramesh - I enjoy planning/building power distribution systems like substations for heavy industries. Bidding/Proposal phase and Execution phase my most favorite phases of the projects I take up.
- What challenges (professionally,
personally, physically) did you face in this career journey? And how did you
overcome these challenges?
Ramesh -I never had a mentor or guiding force all along. None of my
family members received education beyond 12th grade and I had no one
to look upto to pursue my passion. I empowered myself with information gathered
from school friends, and Internet.
I researched extensively for MS program on the Internet. I
went to every university website and looked into programs, and specializations.
I even contacted professors and enquired about their specialty/expertise.
I flew from India to US on a student visa and it wasn’t easy
finding a job given my immigration status. I needed visa sponsorship with a job
offer. Luckily Siemens gave me the ticket after changing my job search strategy.
With hard work, discipline, perseverance
combined with luck, I finally became what I wanted to become.
- What advice do you have for young Engineers? How can they
become successful Electrical Engineers?
Ramesh - I suggest young people to build up expertise in following skills.
Attention to detail – One has to pay at most attention to
detail and there is no room for error when working with electricity. It can be
hazardous.
Technical – One has to have wide range of technical
knowledge with strong understanding of physics fundamentals, basics of
electromagnetics, mathematical complex equations theory, and control systems
Analytical – One has to be able to analyze the cause of
problem, determine the best solution and quickly take
action.
Communication – Communication abilities to deal with
clients, vendors, internal team, project managers, lead engineers etc on
different levels
Inquisitive – Ready to embrace the ever emerging new trends
in the electrical engineering yet remain focused on the core theories behind
gigantic machinery and systems
Team Player – Electrical engineers are always team players. It
is important to develop oneself to be able to share and gain knowledge from
team members because everyone thinks and executes things differently
Education – Core courses in electrical engineering are
mandatory. In addition, the engineers will continue learning during the
professional career to enhance the skills and keep up to date with the trends in
the market
To learn more about Electrical Engineering and job opportunities in US -
http://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/electrical-and-electronics-engineers.htm#tab-1
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