Is it worth going from radio engineering to IT?

Question

Programming

Good day, forum users. I would like to address you with the following question. I am a 4th year student majoring in radio engineering. I chose consciously, according to my mindset and personal preferences, everything was in order. I have completed my studies to this day, and will soon receive a diploma, but there is no particular zeal in mastering the profession. I tried many times to fight it (during periods of motivational upsurge), took books, searched for various thematic forums, articles, tried to abstract from everything that distracted me, but all this rested and rests on several things. It is difficult to find something suitable for the beginning of development. An area that is more or less interesting (reception and processing of signals, DSP) is deprived of literature that smoothly introduces the case. Just today I entered the query "DSP" or "signal processors" on youtube with a desire to see some lessons, but I did not find anything in Russian. Yes, I can watch lectures in English, but the very fact of the lack of information is depressing. There are very few thematic sites where you could get information, and if they exist, they are so antediluvian that it hurts your eyes at one glance. No developed communities, nothing that could stir up interest. Even when I manage to come to terms with this, I remember the number of vacancies. And it's not all that fun. Even when I manage to come to terms with this, I remember the number of vacancies. And it's not all that fun. Even when I manage to come to terms with this, I remember the number of vacancies. And it's not all that fun.
It is worth saying that the university fixed me in one enterprise, where I do research work, while simultaneously performing simple (not for beginners) tasks. Most of them are programming algorithms for receiving signals from satellites, etc. I had to make programs with a windowed interface in RAD Studio, which basically fascinated me. In addition, programming has been interesting for me since school, but when I decided that I would go into such an area as radio engineering, I discarded everything related to IT and did not develop much there.
For the last half a year I have been torn about in doubts - to put up with the inconveniences that exist in my current profession or to go where my soul lies. (I'm afraid to speak with confidence, because once I was sure that I was not mistaken in choosing radio engineering). During the fall, I took two online courses for a certificate with honors in C ++ and computer architecture. I understand that this is the most basic base. The second course is very introductory. But I didn't feel any dissonance. He completed assignments with passion and on time. What is it, if not an inclination and interest in this area? The abundance of information is also encouraging. For self-education, it's a paradise. Take it and learn!
I ask you for advice, how to be? Is it worth it to give up and go where it turns out to develop productively and with interest, or to stay in place with some dissatisfaction and constant struggle with oneself?

Answer 1

topic close to me. I'm getting ready to move from IT to e-commerce (not as a developer, but as an entrepreneur).
In your case, you do not have to fight with yourself, and, frankly, I do not see any particular problems in changing specialty / activity (or you did not describe them). There will be almost no risks in this shift.
1) You already have a strong technical education (and this is especially cool if you find a job as an IT technician where knowledge of radio engineering is needed - then you will be a very valuable person). In order to program, you do not need any long ingenious preparation. You already understand radio engineering and have programmed something in connection with radio engineering at a certain enterprise. It's fine.
2) No one is forcing you to change anything drastically. Now you do not need to fundamentally refuse to work in radio engineering. You can get a job in your specialty at the start and in the process learn at least at work.
If you want to become a programmer, you need to decide on one of the programming languages ​​and start practicing and reading literature. Again, this can be done at work as well.
In your resume in your job description, feel free to point out aspects that speak about you as a programmer (even if you work in an enterprise where programming is a non-core activity). That is, indicate not just the place of work (as is often done), but responsibilities, achievements, special projects, etc.
"Programming algorithms for receiving signals from satellites" - that's cool.

Answer 2

Robotics + Arduino and you will be the KING there and turn around to the fullest at 1000%.

Answer 3

In IT, you can even leave medicine, Lord. The main thing is that the soul lies to this.

Answer 4

Is it worth going from radio engineering to IT?

It is worth being a good radio engineer, a circuit engineer, and at the same time (or after that) still be a good programmer (maybe work in this specialty).
1. General technical, and even more radio and electrical specialties give a cut above the level of education (brain level ;-)), which is an indispensable base in any occupation.
2. Observations of many years show that truly extraordinary , outstanding programmers came from those who received a general technical education: Mekhmat, Physicotechnical Institute, Chemistry, Radio Engineering, etc.
After IT faculties, only mediocrity (office plankton) is obtained.

Answer 5

From the point of view of opportunities and earnings, there are a hundred times more work in IT, and salaries are higher, a quick look at vacancies on headhunter is enough to roughly assess the situation on the labor market. I myself studied electronics, the field is super interesting and few people really understand it, but the demand on the market is rather small, hence the low salaries and difficulties in finding employment, especially if you do not live in Moscow or St. Petersburg. If I were you, I wouldn't even think about it.

Answer 6

You need to select an adjacent area , such as microcontrollers or FPGAs.
Lectures of the Physics and Technology Institute:
"Digital signal processing"
1st lecture from the course "Digital signal processing"
DTFT of periodic sequences
Discrete in time Fourier series

Answer 7

Good afternoon! I am a radio engineer. I join the authors above. You don't have to go somewhere and change something drastically. Look at DSPs, FPGAs, microcontrollers, IoT, embedded computers. IT and radio electronics, ACS and programming merge, spheres penetrate one another, synthesize a new IT sphere, in which wireless networks (mesh, etc.), smart homes, cars, and also bionics, technologies for creating familiar devices based on new materials and principles, such as quantum computers. Google ESP8266 - super machine. Read habr. In general, we are on the verge of a new techno-wave and this wave, IMHO, will not come from Russia. So learn English.

Answer 8

I still recommend focusing on DSP. Knowledge of English at a technical level will greatly expand the scope of the search and increase the level of knowledge. Here are application examples . I believe that from this range you can certainly choose something interesting for yourself.
In general, DSP finds application in many industries. Especially if there is a craving for algorithms, and even more so, with a store of knowledge in the implementation of algorithms in C ++.

Answer 9

Yes, friend ... you are still learning and gaining new knowledge. As you wrote ... programming algorithms for receiving signals from satellites, etc. ... and as a radio engineer I also wrote my graduation project on 155 logic and 561, so this industry is developing very rapidly.
In general, you can go to programming controllers. There are many interesting books on the subject. Write real programs for serious business. For example, controllers that process signals from points, for example, at thermal power plants or substations. You sculpt your software (on Delphi) and you have a real income.
In general, take a closer look at the topic of DRM radio, digital data transmission on short waves. It seems that in St. Petersburg they conducted a test broadcast. Imagine high-quality content at distances of a square connection!

Answer 10

Close topic. I myself have a basic education in radio engineering. Unfortunately, purely in my specialty, in my region you can only work for the defense industry. In principle, now specialists are not paid much there, but still not bad. But until you grow up to their level (and this is 5-10 years old), you will receive a penny, like a boy in a phone sales salon. I myself am now a system administrator, and along the way I am running several CNC machines in our production. I would advise you to pay attention to automated process control systems (machine tools, modern automatic lines, manipulators), it just requires knowledge in the areas that interest you. Radio engineering will be very helpful in working with control cabinets, sensors. And programming will help when communicating with the PLC, which control the lines and machines. Especially now, on large lines, the PLCs themselves are controlled by computers. And then often met the situation, when electricians with their eyes closed say which sensor is weird, but they are afraid to approach the computer. Conversely, the programmer makes huge projects for the computer, but cannot measure the output voltages of the power supply.

Answer 11

The most important questions in life - we must answer ourselves. In our country, radio engineering is poorly developed. There are examples in life when people changed radio equipment and went into the field of IT / economics, where they succeeded. You are still young, you can search for yourself. The main thing is not to feel sorry for the time spent by working in the field of radio electronics, and then retraining in IT.

Answer 12

After the first course, I transferred from Radio Engineering to Computer Systems and Networks. Because I have a soul for programming, but not for circuitry. I entered Radio Engineering because there was a very big competition on the network, and I, as people say, pissed)) But then I transferred and finished my studies, and I don’t regret it.