Automation is slowly taking businesses by storm all over the world. The need for software and automation engineers has grown ten folds in recent years, and this is why automation engineering is becoming the most sought-after profession. It’s quite common to get drawn to the world of technology, and if you’re looking forward to becoming an automation engineer, you’ve landed at the right place! This guide will take you through all the necessary information required to start your career in automation engineering.
The best part of working in the automation field is that it never gets boring. You’re always creating new things and consistent software development helps you maintain a firm footing in the automation field. However, numbers and figures are not where automation ends. To excel as an automation engineer, there are a number of skills you need to inculcate, including leadership. Don’t worry, though, because we know just the right recipe to ace automation engineering. Let’s get started:
What is a Role of an Automation Engineer?
Primarily engineers, an automation expert supervises the production of various hardware and machinery. The key role of an automation professional is to work closely with a team and implement various language systems to create automated machines. Automation engineers don’t need years of experience in automation to start their careers. Still, they need to develop technical skills and proficiency in programming languages like java, python, and C++.
Apart from programming skills, automation engineers also need to have common skills required for engineering jobs. Grit is surely one of them, but a sense of responsibility, critical thinking, concept development, and a sufficient amount of working knowledge is also necessary. You’ll also need to have a thorough understanding of different operating systems, types of manuals, and front-end web designing.
Once you know how the manufacturing industry works, you can start practising your role as an automation engineer in various corporate systems. Bear in mind that apart from academic certifications, good software engineers also possess some great people-dealing skills!
How to Become an Automation Engineer?
By now, you must be tempted to become an automation engineer. Look no further for more information because here’s all you need to know to automate your way to success:
1. Enroll in an Academic Degree Program:
First things first, you need to have a strong academic background to secure automation engineering jobs. The good thing about automation is that you don’t necessarily need to have a bachelor’s degree in automation. You can be from any related field and still practice automating.
Hence, if you want to try other majors, you can opt for graduating with coding, robotics, mechanical engineering, or even combined engineering. You can also choose to pursue a bachelor’s degree in computer science to automate later in your life.
2. Understand the Dynamics of the Role:
With technology giving birth to more and more professions every day, it’s common for you to be drawn towards automation. However, automation jobs are not everybody’s cup of tea. You typically need to have a lot of patience and grit to create automation projects, and this is where many people relatively fall short of progressing.
Each year, the automation industry also has a lot of people flocking from other fields, like electrical engineering. This is where employers start to suffer because if you don’t have a passion for automation, you won’t be able to keep up with the responsibilities. It is, therefore, important to understand the dynamics of automation to emerge as a successful developer.
You can also get in touch with a couple of automation engineers and see if their day-to-day tasks appeal to you. Communicate your shortcomings about the field and ensure that you weigh every pro and con of the job before taking up an opportunity. You can do your homework whilst pursuing your bachelor’s degree so that you know what to do once you graduate. Connecting with engineers who’re already designing and working on management is also a great way of expanding your network.
3. Master’s Degree and Certifications:
Graduation is a good time to test some opportunities, but that’s not the end of the hustle. To strengthen your resume in automation, you need to work your way up with a master’s degree in a relevant field. Don’t stop the grind because many employers prefer people that have a good amount of certifications in different courses, along with a master’s degree.
The amount of money you earn also depends on your qualifications, so always ensure that you’re investing sufficiently in your academic growth. This is also a good way to test and implement different technology and computer science theories. Once you gain a good number of certifications, you’d easily be able to demand good compensation for your services.
4. Gain Relevant Experience:
Automation engineers often give up mid-way because they can’t tackle all the technical areas. This serves as a major negative factor in your career because employers will always hold it against you when hiring. Therefore, you should always continue automating different projects every now and then, even if you’re on a break. This also helps you polish your technical skills and test your expertise in the field. If you don’t keep up with the software and technical upgrades, you’d gradually lose your credibility as an engineer.
Automation jobs aren’t easy, but it’s important for you to trust the process. Gain a solid work experience as an automation engineer to strengthen your resume and improve your skills. You can also diversify your tools by gaining experience in computer science or other data-related fields. This will add flexibility to your schedule and allow you to study different types of users. These observations are a major factor when devising solutions for automating problems.
5. Find Engineering Jobs and Opportunities:
Once you start feeling proud of your capabilities, start applying for engineering jobs. Make a stellar resume and cover letter to stand out amongst other applications. This process may be time-consuming, but trust your professional network, and you’ll get an opportunity within no time.
Wrapping Up:
The world of automation is progressing by the minute and it’s high time for you to put your technical skills to the test! It doesn’t matter if you’ve never done automation before; people who have a history of coding, robotics, and computer sciences, can try their luck in the field.
Hence, don’t delay it further and go through this guide to start your journey as an automation expert! We hope you have a good time automating!
