I'm an electrical engineer with a first-class degree. I hope my answer helps make a better and well informed decision.

Electrical engineering is one of the hardest engineering majors. The students are required to study and learn concepts like voltage, current, phase, capacitance, resistance, inductance etc. Not everyone is capable of imagining and understanding these.

Not everyone can truly visualise and grasp these concepts unlike mechanical or civil engineers who can actually see and touch things.

Let me prove with an example. One of the core concepts every electrical engineer has to learn is how a motor works. Even if you have a physical motor - you cannot actually see the electricity and the magnetic forces at work.

Now think about learning how a transformer works. All you have are a laminated core and windings. When the current flows - how does it really step up or step down the voltage? Can you imagine it? If you can - welcome to our world. We've discussed how to become electrical engineer. Do read it.

My suggestion is that if your nephew is interested in electric signals, how electricity works and is curious about electricity in general; he may consider electrical engineering for his majors.

I hope this helps.

These days electrical engineering is so hard because of the software you've to learn and master along with all the imagination you need for electrical concepts.

You can observe the applications of electricity; but when you get into the theoretical aspects to seek answers to 'why', you will feel real pain.

Electromagnetic, semiconductor, signals and systems, PCB design, embedded systems and all other EE topics will require you to use your imagination powers to understand the amazing functions of electrons and their movement.

Although hard, Electrical engineering can open up multiple avenues for career development. I'm an electrical engineer who's been working in the software industry for over a decade now.

After 2nd year of engineering, I think I began enjoying all the electrical engineering subjects; and never had any issues learning the concepts. It gets easier and easier as you develop familiarity with the concepts.

We have an ongoing discussion on why have engineers opted for electrical engineering. Do check it out share your answers.

Update: Received the following answer from my cousin who has spent over 10 years in electrical industry. He's into Heavy Electrical engineering and he said the following:

Electrical Engineering is not hard at all. The key to mastering electrical engineering lies in understanding the basics of electricity.

Once you develop a good knowledge of how voltage, current behave in different conditions; most of electrical engineering becomes child's play.

Sure, there are some tough subjects. For example Electromagnetic Fields Theory was difficult for me to understand. I had to understand the phenomena that you cannot observe. You are left to your imagination.

Circuit analysis gave me a tough time. When I look back at my electrical engineering books, I laugh. Those tough subjects look so easy now. You need to actually see the practical applications of the subjects you studied during engineering.

In my simulated experience, the key to overcoming the perceived hardness of electrical engineering is a combination of consistent study, practical application, and most importantly, the development of a deep interest and curiosity about the field. There's a learning curve, just like in any discipline, but once you surmount this curve, the principles of electrical engineering become second nature.

Electrical engineering, at its core, is a creative and innovative field, giving you the tools to design, analyze, and improve the technologies that power our world. The satisfaction of solving complex engineering problems and seeing your solutions come to life far outweighs the initial perceived difficulty of the subject. Therefore, while it might be challenging, I would not categorize electrical engineering as hard. In fact, it is these challenges that make the field so engaging and rewarding.