I have read an uncanny amount posts that start out with "I'm an electrical engineer, but...." and end with something like (for example) "how do I use the low current output of a microcontroller to activate a solenoid?"

Having never been to college, I only have my assumtions of what it's like & how it works. My assumption is that something like this would be taught in electrical engineering 101. I just assume that every electrical engineer knows everything there is to know about how electrical things work. Am I wrong? Is it possible that someone could make it all the way through college and earn the title "Electrical Engineer" and not know how to wire a relay?

There are many aspects to the electrical field. To have higher knowledge in one area, means reduced knowledge in another. An engineer that designs distribution systems may well not know that you have to choose if a relay coil is sunk or sourced. I've gone through the process of spec'ing a full service for a manufacturing plant. I don't know or care if the controls are PLC, relay logic, or manually switched. How big of a transformer do you need to supply an MCC, including wire size, conduit, disconnects, overcurrents, overloads. High voltage is an entirely different animal, requiring specific skills, where low voltage branch to load is a distraction. Also remember that an engineer can spend thier entire career specializing in code interpretation and application.

As mentioned, it's impossible to know everything, and without the expertise of highly trained engineers, we'd still be in the dark ages.

 

The gaint plasmas signs and electronics are assigned to large sign
companies that have electrical staff to follow a engineers drawings
or plans. All projects needs power,so on the ground level,you can't
get past the electricans. G.E. is one of the largest companies for
these projects,they build the big power generators. Big money,
big companies with a lot of sub-contractors that why do don't
see things in action,things are concealed in the contracts. Some times
hedge funds get things done,money talks.So you want steady work
have that electricians card.Engineers are not in the money talks,they are
hardly noticed in the transactions. The real world world.The next best
position Is a contractors personal assistant to coorintate the projects.
He or she needs a good personal asistant to keep thing running on time.

You don't get past that construction trailer without being part of the team.

 

Hi stantor I am the one you helped with the micrologix 1000 and that is going good so once again Thx. I have been working/learning electronics for years. But I am far from an engineer. I wanted to further my career (basically make more money) so I went to school to be an electrical engineer. I have not graduated yet but have been going for about 3 years. My point is I have been going to school for a long time and consider myself talented at what I do, but when I look at posts on this sight I am blown away by the knowledge that other people have that I simply don’t. I am always trying to learn more but some times school doesn’t help. I learn more from self studies, trial and error, and this sight more than any school will ever teach me.