I wouldn’t focus on low level software and hardware. I believe that opportunities in these areas will shrink over time as hardware gets cheaper and newer tools allow people to work at a higher level of abstraction.
Think of how assembly language has become niche, or how web tools help you put together simple UI’s that would previously have taken days. Or relational databases with SQL that killed off the previous generations. We are working on tools that substantially reduce the coding/testing burden, and I’m sure we are not the only ones.
If you focus more on the skills that a CS degree will help you develop you can’t go far wrong, no matter what the future holds.
It very much depends on where you plan to live and work. Work opportunities are not evenly distributed.
Computer engineering has become a niche and there are few potential employers. Most computer manufacturers assemble computers from components and subsystems from Intel, AMD, TMSC, Nvidia, etc. Although it does require a great deal of expertise, it is not typical of what is taught as CE.
Consider what the proposed CE curriculum covers. In many cases university courses fail to keep up with the pace of technology. Industry experience is far more valuable than theory. There just isn't enough time during a semester to develop in-depth practical experience in any given area.
Electronic / embedded systems engineering have broader potential areas of application. FPGAs are potentially a very good skill to have. But, as above, consider in light of employment opportunities.
At the lowest design levels EEs obsess over transmission line effects and EMF radiation from PCB traces. These days advanced electronic circuits are microwave transmitters.
>> It very much depends on where you plan to live and work. Work opportunities are not evenly distributed.
This, a million times, and is often overlooked.
In fact, I would say that you should try working it out backwards. Find the place where you will really enjoy to live and find the best possible work you can do aligned with or leveraging your current skills with decent prospects for future growth.
Twice in my career, I found work that was interesting but in places where I didn't like to live. And living well is way more important than working!!!
I wouldn’t focus on low level software and hardware. I believe that opportunities in these areas will shrink over time as hardware gets cheaper and newer tools allow people to work at a higher level of abstraction.
Think of how assembly language has become niche, or how web tools help you put together simple UI’s that would previously have taken days. Or relational databases with SQL that killed off the previous generations. We are working on tools that substantially reduce the coding/testing burden, and I’m sure we are not the only ones.
If you focus more on the skills that a CS degree will help you develop you can’t go far wrong, no matter what the future holds.
It very much depends on where you plan to live and work. Work opportunities are not evenly distributed.
Computer engineering has become a niche and there are few potential employers. Most computer manufacturers assemble computers from components and subsystems from Intel, AMD, TMSC, Nvidia, etc. Although it does require a great deal of expertise, it is not typical of what is taught as CE.
Consider what the proposed CE curriculum covers. In many cases university courses fail to keep up with the pace of technology. Industry experience is far more valuable than theory. There just isn't enough time during a semester to develop in-depth practical experience in any given area.
Electronic / embedded systems engineering have broader potential areas of application. FPGAs are potentially a very good skill to have. But, as above, consider in light of employment opportunities.
At the lowest design levels EEs obsess over transmission line effects and EMF radiation from PCB traces. These days advanced electronic circuits are microwave transmitters.
>> It very much depends on where you plan to live and work. Work opportunities are not evenly distributed.
This, a million times, and is often overlooked.
In fact, I would say that you should try working it out backwards. Find the place where you will really enjoy to live and find the best possible work you can do aligned with or leveraging your current skills with decent prospects for future growth.
Twice in my career, I found work that was interesting but in places where I didn't like to live. And living well is way more important than working!!!