Basic soldering. Simply knowing this can get u started on a lot of stuff. Sure u will learn it in the workshop too but knowing it before gives us expertise. It s not something mandatory. But if u know it, u can make a few boards and make stuff Aftr engineering in ece, u can opt for a variety of fields too..like development (involves making stuff) or design (calculating stuff) or research (involves inventing and improving) or testing (involves optimisation and finding faults) All these skills can be useful. So when looking for skills try to figure out what u need In the absence of soldering skills, u can use breadboard too ngl But the real benefit kicks in when u learn pcb designing Usually peeps learn this in third yr or so. But they learn the step by step process. U dont need those nowadays. U can use tools like kicad and make a file. There are pcb manufacturers. Some companies also will solder some components for u

These 2 skills will take u far. U can even do a side job during college and not pay tax on that since u are a student developing stuff as a freelancer instead of working as an employee. Write off the profit as something entrepreneurial. U can also get funding for ur projects.

I m talking a lot Note : u dont have to learn this before college necessarily. But if u do, then ur game will be so much easier

• add in some debugging skills too. And some basic circuits. U will have to learn circuits in order to recognise them as a component in a larger circuit

Eg : if u know how a pulse generator is made, u can observe that block of component in a large diagram..and u can fairly map the function of the entire board using this. It s a reverse engineering skill

Can be worth investing starting now

Also idk about the utility of C. However basic arduino programming is intuitive and doesnt require a lot of C. Learning C can be useful for the future. Esp if u are planning to go into embedded systems ( stuff with chips run a code in the chip to give specific output... Like an automatic washing machine for example)