My friend got a scholarship through the OPEC FUND FOR INTERNAIONAL DEVELOPMENT(OFID) for a masters degree in Petroleum Engineering at the University of British Columbia, Canada. He currently works with PWC. He is contemplating whether to take up the offer and quit his job or continue with PWC. He is scared about the present rate of unemployment. I have already, adviced him to take the offer that I did same when PTDF offered me scholarship. I had to resign from my work. His program would be starting on 6th January,2010 and he has not made up his mind whether to call it quit with PWC. He is an engineer and have qualified as a chartered accountant with PWC.

hmm tough one

if hes still interested in his engineering thingy, then this is an opportunity for him. But, if hes cool with his accounting profession and wouldnt want to go back to engineering, then he can stay with pwC

if i were him , ill leave

Focusmind:

My friend got a scholarship through the OPEC FUND FOR INTERNAIONAL DEVELOPMENT(OFID) for a masters degree in Petroleum Engineering at the University of British Columbia, Canada. He currently works with PWC. He is contemplating whether to take up the offer and quit his job or continue with PWC. He is scared about the present rate of unemployment. I have already, adviced him to take the offer that I did same when PTDF offered me scholarship. I had to resign from my work. His program would be starting on 6th January,2010 and he has not made up his mind whether to call it quit with PWC. He is an engineer and have qualified as a chartered accountant with PWC.

It's a tough call especially now that your friend is a qualified accountant. Your friend needs to decide where his passion lies. If he's still very much interested in engineering, i'll suggest he takes up this offer as the opportunity may not come again. As far as i'm concern, passion is what drives one to do what he/she does everyday without moaning or complaining.

For your friend to be a qualified accountant, he must have been working at PwC for a minimum of three years unless he started writing his professional exams before joining the firm. I think three years experience with them should be enough to secure another accounting job if he cannot find an engineering job after his Msc programme. Whichever way it goes, being a chartered accountant is a big catalyst that will come handy in the future.

He should take up the scholarship.
It's a good opportunity, in a good school, and it shouldn't be passed up because of an accounting job with PWC.

It's a tough call especially now that your friend is a qualified accountant.

what makes him a qualified accountant?

He qualified last may after passing the final ICAN exam

then he doesnt need the scholarship, He's now a professional in his new career so i dont think its advisable to go ahead with engineering anymore.