I have a B.sc hons degree in physics. Ever since i finished service, i have been told that the only place i can work is schools as a teacher.The reason why i decided to start this tread is to find out the challenges that lies in the labour market as a physics graduate.Its also very rare for oil companies and also the telecommunication sector to request for physicist unless of course you have connections.Most times, i discover that in order to survive in the industry, you need to have some sort of I.T experience otherwise you settle for teachings. In most developed nations, especially europe, physicist are hot cakes as their services are being needed in all sectors including hospitals and so on.Why is there such discriminatiiion in Nigeria.Companies even prefer to recruit engineers rather than physicist.Because of this, i had no choice other than to go into networking to increase my employability rates.What is your view on this, ? PHYSICIST ONLY EITHER INDUSTRIAL OR PURE AND APPLIED PLSSSS

Although your last sentence is exasperating, I will nonetheless comment on your thread for the sake of other physicists on this forum.

Now, there is no special challenge that physics graduates face in the labor market and other graduates do not face. Being a graduate of physics is never a disadvantage in any way. In fact, it is a huge advantage. Just like mathematics, physics trains people to be very analytic. Many companies, both in Nigeria and elsewhere, are looking for people who are sound and can think analytically. Physics trains people to have these traits and even more.

Another thing I would like to draw to your notice is the fact that no company in Nigeria goes around saying we need physicists. I don't know where you got your data from, but I know that there are plenty physicists in many oil and gas companies, telecoms, banks, consulting and even accounting firms, but they are not working as physicists. We don't do high level research in Nigeria and thus many physics graduates do not work as physicists in Nigeria.

It is a nauseating piece of falsehood for anyone to assert that physics graduates will only end up in a classroom teaching physics. A very close family member of mine who read physics( and finished NYSC this year) just got a bank job there in Nigeria. Many of the physics graduates I know are not high school teachers. The best quants on Wall Street are physicists, not even economists or finance grads. These quants earn as much as $$750K/year. I can go on and on.

The advice I have for you guys is what we call 'the scatter gun approach'. Apply to as many companies as possible, say, like 100-200 companies per month. Depending on the strength of your paper qualifications, at least one of the companies should call you for a test.

Good luck!

yeah, im a physics graduate, currently doing my M.sc in Applied Geophysics in Nigeria.
physics makes u an all rounder. u can always apply for technical jobs, do a professional certification that catches ur fancy or go back for your masters.

either way, be focused and know what you want to do.

I'm a physicist, graduated 06. Although I am a jobseeker, I'm so satisfied with the professional. I have no fear abt 2moro. I just concluded a master's prog in Applied Geophysics in Nigeria. Sourcing for scholarship to start PhD in a foreign Uni where I'll be paid for researching. I'll advice you to think out somethin lil like biz that wil keep you moving while you job-seek, upgrade and diversify.

shimol:

I'm a physicist, graduated 06. Although I am a jobseeker, I'm so satisfied with the professional. I have no fear abt 2moro. I just concluded a master's prog in Applied Geophysics in Nigeria. Sourcing for scholarship to start PhD in a foreign Uni where I'll be paid for researching. I'll advice you to think out somethin lil like biz that wil keep you moving while you job-seek, upgrade and diversify.

Are you ready to do a fully funded PGD for one year and then upgrade to a fully funded PhD? Sounds silly, right? Well, many guys I know did exactly this. One is now in Harvard for his Postdoc. The others are scattered around Canada, South Africa, England, Europe and elsewhere in this our world. In fact, I myself got a fully funded PhD position in NY but had to turn in down because I wanted to do a money money course and wasn't ready to invest the next five years doing research, hahahahah. Just let us know if you are interested.

I read a thread where you stated that your Master's degree grades covered for your not so great BSc grades. It is because of this that I am making the above proposition. I think you stand a chance in the fierce competition.

Meanwhile, endeavour to apply for a PhD position at KAUST before the deadline of January 15 2012 reaches. That research university is a money bag, cash cow! My guy doing his PhD there earns 30K Dollars per annum and this money excludes accommodation and school fees. It is only for feeding. Say Saudi 'owo epo' and you would be correct! You can do a PhD and also earn fine cash. hahaha.


T22.

i'm a physics graduate, finished my NYSC this year, currently doing CCNA program in one of the best training centres in Nigeria.
I'm still a jobseeker.

@tanimola, you are that angel I have bin looking for. I am EVER ready for the fully funded PGD. Please give me the full details o. I didnt put up any thread abt masters grade versus BSc but broda man you're on point. Inbox me yo facebook name, Profshimol@yahoo.com Many thanks!

shimol:

@tanimola, you are that angel I have bin looking for. I am EVER ready for the fully funded PGD. Please give me the full details o. I didnt put up any thread abt masters grade versus BSc but broda man you're on point. Inbox me yo facebook name, Profshimol@yahoo.com Many thanks!

Okay Mhen, I would inbox you with all the information you would need. Just make sure your transcripts, both bachelor's and master's, and letters of recommendation, very nice ones, are ready.

Who knows, you could just be lucky!

T22.

Hi all,

I am a full fledged physicist but I also delved into a lot of things, Programming, Wired and wireless networking, Mathematics, Electrical/Electronics and now finally FINANCE. You all know that as physicists, our quest for knowledge no de end.

I plan to be a quant and recently wrote my CFA L1 exams. Dont tell me I lost focus. If you see the Quantitative Methods and Portfolio Management, its all pure mathematics and physics. You will use poisson distribution, correlation, regression, skewness, kurtosis, confidence interval, variance, standard deviation AND pure calculus etc to Model returns and risk of an investment and summarize what a stock, porfolio or investment will look like in future.

It was very very very very interesting for me because I had a fully quantitative background and eventually turned to a lecture among my finance peers because IF YOU WERE NEVER A PHYSICIST (ANALYTICAL), YOU CAN NEVER BE/THINK LIKE A PHYSICIST.

I am very proud that I studied physics and If given the opportunity to go to university again, I will definitely do a double major in PHYSICS/ACTUARIAL SCIENCE/QUANTITATIVE FINANCE.

Meanwhile, I work with a firm where I crunch all their data and tell them in simple sentences what the figures and trends are saying,

^^^^

Portfolio Manager or Quant?. If latter, then I advise that you begin a PhD in Physics, Applied Mathematics or Quantitative Finance in addition to your CFA. If former, then the CFA will do just fine.

Portfolio Managers and Quants are not in the same class O. A Quant can comfortably do the job of a Portfolio Manager after some weeks of training, unless the Portfolio Manager has some special difficult-to-learn skills and strategies that he uses to allocate funds to assets in the portfolios under his care. Even at that sef, give a Quant time, he go sabi am. However, the converse is almost impossible. I am sure you know this.

In my opinion, and even as it is on Wall Street, Physicists are the best Quants ever (this claim is debatable sha). Most continuous time models used by Quants have their origins in Physics. Yes, I say Physics. Quote me.

I pity any Physicist that does not really know what he or she is capable of doing. Woe to such a Physicist!!


T22.

tanimola22:

^^^^

Portfolio Manager or Quant?. If latter, then I advise that you begin a PhD in Physics, Applied Mathematics or Quantitative Finance in addition to your CFA. If former, then the CFA will do just fine.

Portfolio Managers and Quants are not in the same class O. A Quant can comfortably do the job of a Portfolio Manager after some weeks of training, unless the Portfolio Manager has some special difficult-to-learn skills and strategies that he uses to allocate funds to assets in the portfolios under his care. Even at that sef, give a Quant time, he go sabi am. However, the converse is almost impossible. I am sure you know this.

In my opinion, and even as it is on Wall Street, Physicists are the best Quants ever (this claim is debatable sha). Most continuous time models used by Quants have their origins in Physics. Yes, I say Physics. Quote me.

I pity any Physicist that does not really know what he or she is capable of doing. Woe to such a Physicist!!


T22.

I agree completely with you. PhD in Quantitative Finance all the way.

Without overblowing our trumpet, as a physicist, you are always too sure that there is no QUESTION from anywhere that can ever catch you unawares without an intelligent answer.

Check the bios of quants, you will discover that most of them are physicists of mathematicians. Ask the forex traders, and they will tell you how much maths and physics goes into stock movement modelling.

Physics is the way to go.

In addition, most of the concepts we leanrt in Economics were derived from Physics. The Accelerator and multiplier principles of Economics etc are all from physics.

A good physics grad can always always stand his ground in any conceivable situation.

But hey, na real hardwork oh.

'Wounded' physicist here

I planned to study physics in my high school days, but liver failed me, and I had to settle for the less glamorous electrical engineering

AjanleKoko:

'Wounded' physicist here

I planned to study physics in my high school days, but liver failed me, and I had to settle for the less glamorous electrical engineering

LOOL

Less Glamorous? Go for an interview and see who they pick first, at least here in Nigeria, Most likely electrical, I think,

I studied Physics and I am so fc.uking proud of it. Our class is always very small as we are a special few. I won't lie, the course is very hard and exciting at the same time. You could be an expert in mechanics and be zero in electronics except u get first class brain. You will be grounded in Courses like, electricity, electronics, Mechanics, Quantum mechanics, Magnetism, Electromagnetism, Geophysics, Nuclear, Materials, Computer Programming, Energy, Atmospheric, Thermodynamics, Mathematics, statistics, Calculus e.t.c

Some of my colleagues are now working in Oil coy as Reservoir engineers / Petrophysicist/Instrumentation Engineers - Mobil, Chevron and schlum, some in telco as Network Engineers - Glo, some in manufacturing as Materials engineers - Corus and P&G , some Financial services as business Analyst and risk expert - Zenith, Intercontinental, Oceanic e.t.c, one is a radiation Physicist at a Government Hospital - FMC Abuja and a few of them teaching in Secondary schools and Universities (OAU) . With a Physics degree, you easily fit into most work environment. So OP, don't dull oooo 
Check out the pic below, see Men,

Thanx everyone for your contributions and i'm really glad i started this thread. Your comments have restored back my confidence as a physicist. I used to feel ashame whenever i tell someone i read physics but now you all have shown me those that have achieved alot in this course.That implies that i can also do the same.May almighty God help us in our quest for a successful career.

I m a geophysicist graduated from futa though stil servicin.i dnt kno much abt job dificulty for physicist all i kno is dat as a physicist all u nid 4 survival is on ur brain.

Greetings, brethren.

'Would appreciate if someone can furnish me with me with a solution to Question 4, Post 14 on this thread:

www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=688663.msg8550096#msg8550096

Thanks!

You folks will have to keep this thread alive if you want it to remain sticky.

Fellow physicist, greetings to you all and most of all compliment of the season. Please, with a degree in Industrial physics can one study applied geophysics in Msc directly without a one year post graduate diploma. Thanks as I await your responses

desertboom:

Fellow physicist, greetings to you all and most of all compliment of the season. Please, with a degree in Industrial physics can one study applied geophysics in Msc directly without a one year post graduate diploma. Thanks as I await your responses

I think you can, but it all depends on the institution you are willing to attend. UNILAG accepts anything physics to its MSc geophysics programme. All you need is a 2:2 or better.

If you are looking to study abroad, then try some schools in the Netherlands. They give full scholarships, about 1400-2000euros/month, but your grades have to be stellar. Try, for example, TUDelf.

T22.

Pls am an udergraduate of physics, FUTO in material science wen i was lukn 4 a place 4 an IT placement i got 2 a compny wia i was askd my area of specializatn, i didnt knw wat 2 say because i just chose option i stil hav dz fear of wia 2 work in an oil firm cos datz wia my mind is and b/w matrial sc and electronics option whch is betta pls i need ur response and advice

saxywale:

Check out the pic below, see Men,

Physics Big Boyz

@tanimola22. . . . Thanks bro. I really appreciate your input but with a CGPA of 3.01 can one study applied geophysics (Msc) in any fairly good university in the USA, UK or Canada? What have you got to say about universities in Asia? Can it atleast guarantee employment? Please, apart from Msc do you know of any professional certification in any part of the world that can boast one of getting employed? Thanks

desertboom:

@tanimola22. . . . Thanks bro. I really appreciate your input but with a CGPA of 3.01 can one study applied geophysics (Msc) in any fairly good university in the USA, UK or Canada? What have you got to say about universities in Asia? Can it atleast guarantee employment? Please, apart from Msc do you know of any professional certification in any part of the world that can boast one of getting employed? Thanks

Yes, you can. People with your same GPA have studied at universities in most of the countries you listed, especially in the UK. But I fear that Canadian universities require something different. Please check.

Meanwhile, some schools, especially in the US, would require that you provide a satisfactory GRE score before admission is granted. There are some very nice schools in Japan, try them.

There is no degree that guarantees employment; only God guarantees anything. Degrees from IVY league schools can only immensely increase your chances of getting good jobs; they do not guarantee good jobs. Please take note of this fact.

If you have the capacity, then attend this petroleum institute in Paris-http://www.ifp-school.com/accueil.asp. The institute attracts top oil and gas companies and has helped over 80% of its students secure top jobs.

I am not aware of any professional certification in geophysics. Google can help here.


T22

@tanimola22. . . . Thanks a million bro. Good bless you

One the things that gives me pleasure in life is physics,i love every bit of it reading.i av HND in physics electronics. Long before i grad.i av flier for Physics n wish to study it.i av knw many things 1 can do wt Physics in my 1st year in skul. Now that am serving,am into many programs like cyber security, fibre optics etc.just to back my knowledge of physics. When u undastand physics u've undastand every thing in the world and u've have the total pleasure u could ever think of.

In a bid to keep this thread alive, can we discuss:

Alternative Energy in Nigeria: Challenges and Opportunities.

With special focus on Solar, Nuclear and Bio-Fuel.

Hopefully, we can come up with a Framework, Working Plan or Roadmap.

Thanks!

Physics pop quiz:

The earth is spherical, right?
What would happen if I drilled a hole right through the center of the earth, from the surface of where I am, to come out somewhere else? And then jumped into the hole.
Assume the earth has a cold core and no ground water or anything like that. Just rock. What would happen?

Nice thread. @ Temayo,did you graduate from NAU in '07? I think i know you! Am very close to a Sales position at Glo. Just had my first interview and the other two wld come in January 2012. M.SC will follow soon,maybe PTDF OSS. @ Ajenlekoko, baba i hail o! Let me think abt that pop quiz.

@ajanlekoko dats a tough drill. Its not even possible for that to happen but if you just want to imagaine,u wud cum out at the other side of the world since the world is round and spherical.maybe thats why God made d inner core hot n unconducive so scientist like you dont go to america just by digging

Taiw:

@ajanlekoko dats a tough drill. Its not even possible for that to happen but if you just want to imagaine,u wud precipitate out at the other side of the world since the world is round and spherical.maybe thats why God made d inner core hot n unconducive so scientist like you dont go to america just by digging

GBAGAUN!!!

Next answer pls