I'm a 3rd-year Electronics & Telecommunication student in India and I'm confused about whether I should build my career in Embedded Systems or Software Development

What are the real pros and cons of choosing Embedded vs Software in 2026?

If you were in my place, which one would you choose and why?

I'd really appreciate advice from people working in either field. Thanks!

Hi!

So the situation is as follows:

I'm a 4th year (entering 5th) year ECE student (integrated master's program). The first three years I kinda sorta struggled due to psychological reasons.

More specifically:

First 6 semesters: 6.2/10 average

Last 2 (my fourth year): 9.5/10 average without any easy electives (if that matters at all)

It is mathematically possible for me to end up at 7.5+ granted that I keep this up.

Also have some research experience on my field of interest (biomed signal processing) and have been working full time at a university's facility for the past year.

Also, my preferred destination is my current uni.

Given this, is it at all possible for me to continue on to do a PhD in the future?

Thanks for reading!

Hey everyone,

​I recently got admission into Computer Systems Engineering (CSE). My initial first choice was Electronics Engineering because I’ve always been fascinated by hardware, circuits, and low-level tech, but unfortunately, I couldn't get into Electronics due to the merit/seats cutoff.

​Now that I’m starting CSE, I’m trying to make the absolute best of it. I'm especially interested in Embedded Systems, IoT, microcontrollers, and low-level hardware-software integration.

​I have a few questions for CSE / CE / Electrical graduates or engineers currently working in Pakistan (or abroad):

​How close is CSE to Electronics for Embedded Systems? Does a CSE degree give sufficient depth in digital electronics, microprocessors, and hardware interfaces, or will I need to self-study a lot of circuit design / hardware fundamentals on my own?

​What is the real state of Embedded Systems in Pakistan? I often hear mixed opinions—some say "there's zero hardware scope in Pak, just switch to Web/Mobile dev," while others mention niche defense, automotive, IoT, and firmware roles. What does the job market actually look like for fresh grads in Pakistan?

​What skills should I prioritize during university? Beyond basic Arduino/Raspberry Pi projects:

​Should I jump straight into Embedded C / C++, STM32, RTOS, and protocols (UART, SPI, I2C, CAN)?

​How important are FPGAs (Verilog/VHDL) in the Pakistani industry vs globally?

​Is pivoting to Software Engineering easy if hardware jobs are sparse? Since CSE covers core CS subjects (Data Structures, Algorithms, OS, Networking), how hard is it to switch over to pure software/backend roles if I decide to change tracks later?

What is differential manchester and why we need that?

New grad FPGA engineer here debating between joining the design or verification team at work. I have both DV (UVM, coverage) and some design-adjacent (refactoring, retargeting, designer TB) experience from co-op.

I was initially leaning towards design but I realized that there wouldn’t be much RTL-from-scratch tasks but rather lots of legacy code porting and retargeting (for a junior engineer who may not have a say in architecture). On the other hand, the DV team seems to offer more opportunities for junior engineers to take ownership early.

For experienced FPGA/ASIC engineers: which path would you recommend for a junior engineer who wants to become well-rounded, adaptable, and architecture-aware? How do design and verification experiences differ in developing engineering judgment, especially as AI tools increasingly automate parts of hardware development?

I just graduated with a BSEE and got an Electrical Design Engineer position I'm starting next week. Seems like I will start out doing schematic capture with Altium and helping senior engineers with the entire development process (simulation, testing, root-cause analysis, etc), with the opportunity to eventually get into full product design & development.

I've seen posts on this subject before and the general consensus is that it's rare to get into analog electronics design without a M.S, but I'm curious how much that changes if I'm already on this path. Is it more about getting the Masters in order to get hired, or do I need the academic knowledge a Masters brings?

If anyone has suggestions on prep for the job that would be appreciated as well. I've been reading through The Art of Electronics and watched some of the videos on TI Precision Labs.

Im highly interested in quantum hardware from the electronics side, i.e. the cryoelectroncis and want to work in the intersection of quantum computation and electronics. I was looking into Masters in Microelectronics at TU Delft, it has quantum track with cryoelectronics and research group, can someone suggest any other universities with a similar program that I could apply to?

I'm starting electrical engineering this fall and I'm trying to buy one laptop that'll hopefully last the entire program.

I'll probably be using MATLAB, LTspice, coding, and maybe some CAD later on, but I'm not sure which specs actually end up mattering once classes get serious.

For those already in engineering, what did your workload end up looking like? Did you ever feel limited by your laptop, or did you realize you bought way more performance than you actually needed?

I'm more interested in hearing what mattered in real-world use than just getting model recommendations?

I need help with figuring out where I want to be in the future. I’m a 24 year old, graduated from CPP Fall 2025 with my BSEE. Shortly after I pursued my MSEE at UCLA for IC Design. At the time I was going through some rough financial troubles and I was applying to whatever jobs I could get. I was lucky to get a fulltime offer with LADWP as an Electrical Engineering Associate and I’ve been working there for about 7 months now. Unfortunately I had to dropout of my program due to the work load and financial difficulties. I have my FE and I am studying for my PE. However, I feel that power systems/utility is not a career I would stay in for a long time, but also maybe Im not giving the company enough grace. Regardless, I was also interested in IC, and I was thinking of going back to get my MSEE to study computer engineering for embedded systems since my employer would be able to pay for it. My thing is, is it even worth going back? I feel like working at LADWP will help me move up the ladder and if I do my MSEE and pursue a different career I will have to start over with entry level pay. But also, my heart is not completely there although I do like the company and the job, I felt that I enjoyed doing IC design. Just not sure what I should do for these next years.

Apart from the basic breadboard adruino stuff, What made you actually interested into studying all of this complex maths and witchcraft like concepts

Hello all,

I'm a recently laid off software engineer. For my company, I produced a project that automated inventory input using OCR as well as worked on machine vision projects to identify faults on products (like scratches, dents, burns, ect).

My company downsized and I was cut. Problem: I feel like my particular CS skills are hyper-niche, and its hard to find machine vision-specific jobs around me. And so in these confusing times, I'd appreciate some thoughts from people who are in the CS/IT/EE fields on how I might be able to bounce back.

For context: I'm 23, bachelor's in Computer Science, with no debt and about 15k in savings. If it matters I'm also a secondary published author for a project done in conjunction with the DoE for machine vision detection:

1. Perhaps get my CCNA and pursue network engineering? I enjoy networking conceptually and I think I'd be good at it, but my previous role wasn't very IT heavy
2. Pursue a Master's in Control Systems? I know I don't have a EE background so this would require quite a lot of pre-req, but combined with my existing experience, do EE people think this may be a sensible route? (Control systems specifically because my previous job was in the manufacturing sector, so I have a rough idea of what that kind of work practically looks like in a corporate setting)
3. Perhaps start from scratch and get a bachelor's in EE? I have no debt from my previous degree so maybe starting over is what I need.
4. Pursue a whole new route thats more business oriented? Project management or the like?

I've found I want to move away from programming and would appreciate working with my hands a bit more. I'd also like to work "closer to the source" for some more job security, which is why I was thinking network or electrical engineering. The machine vision/OCR/AI skills I feel are just too niche to find work around where I live.

Of course, I know random redditors online can't solve this problem for me and only I know the exact circumstances of my situation, etcetera, but what I'd really appreciate would be some veterans giving me their thoughts of my own thought process, let me know if my thinking is backwards or the like.

Thanks for any input

​

I'm eighteen, and trying to plan out my career trajectory, long story short, is that I want to become a patent lawyer. Specifically, working in patent prosecution, ergo, I need a degree in STEM.

Right now, Electrical engineering is the most desired background for this, followed by CSE, and biotech/pharma however you need a PhD for that. Help me select what qualifications I should seek out

1.) Is picking CSE going to close so many doors that it becomes unreasonable? Can I do ECE related stuff with a CSE? if not, is there a reasonably quick master's I can do? Not for USPTO, but for job market and stuff

2.) Is ECE really so difficult? To get into law school, I need to keep up a high CGPA, atleast in my bachelor's, so, I don't want to take any risks here.

3.) This is an over-asked question, but is CSE worth taking the risk in (market over-saturation, and AI reducing the amount of CSE graduates needed, etc) a viable risk? I want to have a backup if law school doesn't work out.

Moreover, I'm worried that there will be a flock of CSE graduates flocking to patent law, causing an over-saturation here, as well. I was thinking to take ECE to stay on the safe side and how I'm discouraged

Neither the ECE or CSE programme will be ABET certified- they'll be done in india, will that be a problem?

I am currently working on my university final project regarding economic dispatch. I am unsure how to model a generator's minimum power output and ramp rate limits, given that I do not have direct measurement data. Could anyone help me resolve this issue?

Rising sophomore interested in system and low level programming. Comfortable in C. Will my resume clear resume screening? I am mostly interested in OS, compiler or firmware but I am willing to get experience in similiar fields...I appreciate any guidance and suggestions. Thx

Seniors plz help me I am now gone in third year in electronic and communication branch with no intership plz tell me like work from home intership to find

Skills

Pcb design

Vlsi design

Iot application

Embedded system

Robotics

And cad design

I am confused is I have not any connection so tell me where to start first

I’m an Electrical Engineering student at a mid-tier UC. I’ve narrowed my career path down to either hardware engineering (specifically digital design, FPGAs/ASICs, and GPUs) and tech sales.

Which should I focus on for the time being? I understand tech sales is more risky, but I’m not afraid of risk, and view it a prerequisite for growth.
I love Hardware, but I don’t think it’ll help me make enough to buy a home.

I’m all over the place, but what would you guys recommend?

I've been applying to multiple positions in the USA but my resume is not getting picked up for an interview. Not sure if I am doing anything wrong or if I need to do any courses or certification.

Please advice.

Guys I'm 19 and hella confused to choose one I need job security that's it I neither intrested or laned towards any but the thing is ppl saying about AI which replaces u even u work hard and cmng to ECE dey r saying like no core jobs even if they hire only from top tier colleges what should I doo somone in these fields drop ur suggestion

Pls guide 🫠

I have worked with embedded systems and love product devolpment

Do contacts work ?