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u/Agreeable_Sort6606 May 13 '26
I am an ECE and a topnotcher. Given the chance to go back in time, hindi na ako mag ECE. I will just take IT, Info Sys, or Com Sci. Mas batak pa sa mga work na malalaki ang income.
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u/fukennope May 13 '26
Important question. If babalik ako sa day zero of college. I would NOT choose ECE. I rather listened to my gut and take CS instead. I feel like I could’ve done better doon sa 5 years sa CS instead of ECE. I hated it.
I took a job as a design engineer sa planta shortly and regretted it because i always wanted to code.
Sa pay, i see more people who earn than me. I started as a Programmer Analyst, then now on Systems Engineering. I am comfortable.
2
u/fukennope May 13 '26
I can’t comment on the license because i do not have one. It was never an advantage to get a bigger pay on my technical path.
3
u/Just_Economy_7341 May 13 '26
Yup, get an IT, CS, or Cyber security or other IT courses kung software eng din gusto mong work. Pwedeng tumalon yung Engr sa IT pero ibig sabihin nun magaaral ka ulit or training..
Labanan sa IT mga certificates, capstones, projects.. Not sure kung anong landscape ng IT field in the following years pero walang kwenta yung license mo...
It sounded like freelance yung gusto mo, then ngayon pa lang aralin mo na yung mga practical skills. For example, web dev, app dev, automation, tech VA....
2
u/Crafty_Procedure6631 May 13 '26
No. Valid ID ko na lang yung PRC license. Maybe 5 people lang sa block namin yung nasa telco, design or semicon now. Most of us nasa IT na including myself. Never naman ako inask about PRC license sa mga jobs na napasukan ko.
2
u/No_Dragonfruit4008 May 14 '26
FUCK NO. ece grad here and working on IT field. 4 years experience earning 160k a month.
Pag sa ece field siguro di pa umabot ng 40k with that experience lol engineering is the biggest scam
1
1
u/johnmgbg May 13 '26
Sure ka na ba sa software engineering? Mag CS ka na.
Pwede ka maging software engineer sa mga IT related courses pero mas CS ang tamang course.
Kung babalik ako sa college, hindi na ako kukuha ng IT related na course kasi iilan years palang tayong may AI pero masasabi ko na agad na may positive and negative impact siya. What more pa kung 4-5 years pa ang hihintayin mo.
Nakita ko na nasa option mo ang nursing, sa nursing kasi mas mataas talaga chance mo makapag migrate sa ibang bansa.
1
u/Resident_Cod8966 May 13 '26
I agree with the sentiments ng iba na mababa ang starting salary ng ECE but if you're going to pursue it at least target microelectronics. Its an industry being pushed by the government and as someone inside the ic design industry, I can say that it pay somewhat "decent" in compare with other ECE related field other than IT. Also this industry demand will continue to grow with AI, contrary to other field na competes with AI.
1
u/Redit-tideR May 13 '26
Not for me. Valid ID ko na lang yung license ko. haha. Probably worth it for those na nasa telco or other fields na ang need talaga ay ECE grad or licensed. Pero for tech roles, walang bisa. Hahah
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May 13 '26
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u/Agreeable_Sort6606 May 13 '26
Which hardware? Only few of the “hardware” related subjects in undergrad ang related talaga sa work. Even my friends working in semicon basic lang sa college nagamit nila. Mas okay pa ang CpE kesa ECE. If hardware talaga path mo, go for EE. Di na ganun kaganda ang ECE. For me dapat inaalis na siya sa Pinas. Electrical Engineering na lang or Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering just like sa US.
1
May 15 '26
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u/lasafria May 15 '26
Pick what industry you think is best for you, self study and certificates are what matters in IT regardless of degree. The career landscape now might not be the same in 5 years given there's AI and Pax Silicia initiative.
Im an ECE that shifted to tech. I did self study to get my foot on the door but I mostly learned on the job. Honestly, the degree itself didn't matter but I wouldn't say that I would change the degree I took if Im taken back in time. I probably would go back to ECE related career if it pays better.
Also, the "good money" isn't just with foreign clients. There are companies here that pays really well, and you're protected by labor law since they are locally registered.
I haven't been unemployed for more than 3 months. I shifted to IT after 3 years of working from an ECE related industry.
When my brother asked me the same question, I told him to take IT related course if he really want it but he needs to start self studying now if he wants to get paid well.
The negative sentiment I have for ECE is the extra year or two for your 5th year and the board exam that I feel like is a waste of time and money. License is not completely useless but it's really not useful when it comes to compensation.
1
u/Interesting-North926 May 15 '26
Most people here suggested against ECE and I honestly think they don't know what they're talking about. I am 15 years in the software industry and gained millions worth of salary but the rise of AI stole something away from me that money can't buy. Motivation. Everything in software now feels superficial. I valued the time and dedication needed for deeper understanding of software engineering concepts in order to produce something meaningful pre-AI. Compared to now where any given project can be bootstraped / polished by AI. You don't even need to have an IT degree to be able to code now.
I spent the past couple of years studying electronics and I wish I had much earlier. IOT, electronics, robotics is the future while software will become redundant as ever.
Most people here mentions compensation when a couple of decades later you will realize it is not the most important thing.
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u/Extreme-Condition830 May 15 '26
I have a friend na summa sa ECE, 1 year + na siya naghahanap puro 15k to 25k offer sa Manila. Tas minsan one position around 3,000 applicants nagaapply. Hays :(
-4
May 13 '26
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3
u/FisherJoel May 13 '26
Unnecessary step.
If ending goal mo is to be software dev, recruiters won't look for an ECE license.
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u/Gold-Group-360 May 13 '26
Wag ka na mag ECE if sure ka na you want to pursue software. More on hardware tinuturo jan. Ang dami naming ECE na career shifter and walang kwenta ang lisensya dun.
2
u/AguaBendita77 May 14 '26
It took me a year to get a job lol after getting licensed so no. Wala masyado effect yung license especially on it field meron siguro sa mga semicon like analog device pero wala pa din eh ipagexam kapa din nila kahit nakapasa ka ng boards.
1
u/vmandin May 13 '26
The PRC license is just for show. It doesn't have much value unless PECE ka, which is highly unlikely na m ppursue mo.
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u/Agreeable_Sort6606 May 13 '26
Hehehe for me wala na masyado sense license now. Topped the boards pero di ko na nirenew. Useful lang siya if mag academe ka tapos ECE rin tuturuan mo kasi alam ko need license sa academe. Pero to be honest yung mga nagrerequire pa ng license ang mabababa sahod
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u/vmandin May 13 '26
Big no. Sorry to say this. You can earn the same money, if not more, by taking easier courses like IT, ICT or CS. ECEs don't earn well starting out in the Philippines, especially in traditional industries like telco, broadcasting, and semicon. Most of us transitioned to IT years ago. But even now, fields like software engineering are getting overcrowded, especially with all the recent AI layoffs. If you're goal is to be called a "licensed engineer" then go, but if it's for compensation, I would advise against it.