Electrical power systems engineering undergraduate courses in Brazil: Academic and market perspectives

Abstract

The economic growth seen in developing countries enhances a demand for multidisciplinary background of professionals in infrastructure and technology-related areas. The wide range of applications and capacity for abstraction acquired by graduates throughout their Electrical Engineering education distinguishes this particular area of expertise as core factor for workforce qualification. In this context, this paper presents the main results of a nationwide survey performed in order to deliver a current overview of Brazilian Electrical Engineering undergraduate degree programs with concentration in power systems. The academic curricula of the most relevant undergraduate programs in electric power systems in Brazil were analyzed aiming to identify the core contents offered in Brazil. Finally, an online survey was conducted with more than 300 individuals, ranging from recent graduates to senior business managers, hoping to verify the consistency between the education offered by the Academia and the current skill set required by the labor market.