Teaching using Electrical Software

Traditional methods such as hand calculations have been taught in electrical trades and engineering courses for many years. These hand calculations still have their place in that they can teach the students important skills and the basics. However, in industry electrical hand calculations are cumbersome; they are time-consuming and inaccurate.

These days industry is using software to perform electrical calculations. Educational institutions have recognised this and have been using software to teach and prepare their students for the workforce.

Teaching students using electrical software has the following advantages:

1. Students are more employable – By teaching electrical software students are exposed to industry practice, which makes them more employable and better prepared for the workplace.
2. Accurate calculations – Electrical software provides much more accurate results than traditional hand calculations.
3. Compliance – Helps and ensures teachers and students stay up-to-date with the latest Standards.
4. Explore more design options – Using software the students can explore different options quickly and easily to come up with an optimal electrical design.
5. Sanity checking – Verifying hand calculations, lookup tables from the standards and common rules of thumb.
6. Accurate calculations – Electrical software can provide much more accurate results than traditional hand calculations.
7. Recognised by customers and industry, this creates trust in the calculations you provide
8. Reporting – Presenting a report directly from software creates a more professional and is more trusted by clients and other contractors