OCCUPATION: Electronics Engineer

Name: Tracy Blackford

Employer: Interstate Electronics Corp.

Thumbs up: “I like the responsibility. Presently, I’m working as a systems engineer for communication systems--satellite systems in particular (for the U.S. Navy). I enjoy the fact that it’s on the edge of the latest technology.”

Thumbs down: “There’s an awful lot of bureaucracy in the defense industry. It’s frustrating sometimes because tasks that would seem simple sometimes require multitudes of paperwork. And there’s a lot of politics.”

Next step: Staff engineer. Does similar work but is assigned to more responsible jobs.

Advice: “A master’s degree is important if you want to move up.”

Salary range: Engineers with little or no experience earn an average of $31,200 a year. Experienced engineers earn an average of $48,450 a year.

Fringe benefits: Employers usually offer attractive benefits packages to engineers, including paid vacation, sick leave, holiday pay and health insurance programs, as well as stock-option and profit-sharing plans.

Hours: Most engineers work a 40-hour, five-day week. Overtime and weekend work are sometimes necessary.

Educational and training requirements: A bachelor of science degree in electrical or electronic engineering is essential. Graduate degrees in engineering or business are sometimes required for promotions.

Size of work force: Almost 81,000 electrical and electronic engineers were employed in California in 1987, and that number is expected to grow to 136,000 by the year 2000.

Expected demand: National employment projections rank this as the fastest-growing engineering discipline in the 1990s. Demand from manufacturers is expected to account for most of the new jobs.

Job description: Electrical and electronics engineers design and test new products, such as home appliances, industrial machinery controls, computers and office equipment. They also design, operate and maintain communication and electrical power systems. They use computers to solve complex mathematical equations. Major employing industries: Almost two-thirds of California’s electrical and electronics engineers are employed by manufacturing companies. Others are employed in the communications and construction industries.

Advancement: Depending on the industry and company, engineers can move into managerial, sales and administrative positions.

For more information: Call or visit the job service window at any office of the state Employment Development Division. In Orange County, the offices are in Anaheim ((714) 978-7421), Fullerton ((714) 680-7800), and Santa Ana ((714) 558-4294). Employers are also invited to call with job openings.

Source: State Employment Development Department.