Mobile communications and the Internet are at the heart of communication and technology , now and for the future. In this context, these trends are impossible to ignore:
There are billions of users constantly connected
Internet-based advertising and marketing channels are accessible to everyone
Although Business Intelligence and Big Data are important, data alone is useless
Artificial intelligence is the driving force behind many industries
Prediction is possible… if you understand the way data, algorithms and relationships are managed (machine learning)
Judgment and intuition are only relevant if they are contrasted with data (Bayesian statistics)
There are more things than people connected to the internet
These trends make several university courses that were traditionally interesting now irrelevant. These courses that were not very relevant are now indispensable:
Electronics and Control Engineering
Electronics and Control Engineering , known as Automation Engineering (at universities such as San Francisco de Quito), is one of the most complicated courses at the National Polytechnic School and, from every point of view, the most undervalued, both by society and by its professionals.
The problem:
This career should be the center of the service industries, but the problem is that we do not know what it does or what it is used for, largely because its exit profile, described by the EPN, says this (textual quote):
“To train professionals with the ability to conduct scientific and technical research, disseminate science and technology, and provide services in the fields of Electronic and Control Engineering, focusing their activity primarily on solving problems of Ecuadorian society.”
With that description it is difficult for other industries to notice what a Control Engineer can do and that is a waste because their focus is on working with processes:
Understanding and knowing them
Look for opportunities to automate them
Look for opportunities to control them
Implement solutions as quickly and effectively as possible
The result is that in industries (like mine, marketing), a newly graduated engineer is much more productive and valuable than a digital marketing and communications specialist with several years of experience.
Why?, an example:
In my line of business, it is very important to work with various reports (media, analytics management, social networks, conversion) when an experienced marketer or communicator faces this activity:
On his first attempt it takes him 2 hours (he has good job function email list judgment and experience, he just needs to fine-tune certain points)
In the second one and a half hours (the points are fine-tuned)
In the third one hour
And so on forever
The marketer/communicator doesn't know automation or VBA . He doesn't know how to create macros, with a bit of luck he'll work with pivot tables and nothing more.
On the other hand, the Electronics and Control Engineer:
On your first attempt it will take 3-4 hours (you don't have marketing criteria yet)
On your second attempt 2 - 3 hours (there are some points to fine-tune in the report)
In the third… 15 minutes (all points are fine-tuned)
In the fourth, probably 5 - 10 minutes... and the report will constantly improve
Although he is not an expert in the most widely distributed programming languages (JavaScript, Python, PHP, for example), he is very familiar with algorithms, VBA, macros, and automation capabilities.
He will not do the same process more than 2 times and that makes him more valuable than an average specialist.
The problem is that control engineers believe that they can only work in large industries or oil companies.
Companies that are in short supply in the country. A good percentage of these professionals do not have a job and that is absurd because we need them in all industries, for these reasons: