If you so desire a Master degree, why not try Nigerian Universities for it?if you are so unsure of the future economic worth, try to apply for either UK or US visit visa. Wish you well.

pursue your dream that is study for your msc in Canadian university.

then face the life as it comes.

canada is a good country

Chai u fall my hand die. Are u telling me our own masters no good? Pls keep ur job and take advantage of our masters and even go straight to phd no dulling. U re blessed

Take the chance and go for ur masters.. with ur qualification and years of experience. getting a job after wont be a big issue. you will be fulfilled and more productive after the masters.

it dont matter what decision you take if you are not guided n directed by the Divine, you still gonna be lost and uncertain

Bro please and please sit your ass down in your company, its when you leave you will know what the streets are saying. School, Masters are always available as far as you have the finances to pursue your educational desires. The gap in the ratio of available Oil company jobs to university masters admissions is excessively wide. Earn as much as you can, save........... masters can wait. So many masters graduate from ivy league schools still looking for jobs. who masters don epp?? (talking from experience)

My advice for you is to go ahead with your Masters plan for three reasons.
1. 4+ years experience in the bag already. Getting a job or starting something yourself should not be difficult.
2. Top university in Canada. That will surely open many more opportunities that would otherwise not come your way.
3. Highly valuable overseas work experience/exposure. highly likely after the program

Furthermore, an MSc (from Canada's top school for that matter) will definitely help a lot in your pursuit of a Phd (I hope you do so and add to the body of scientific knowledge. Who knows? you may discover the next big thing! )

You seem to be a smart chap so take the opportunity!

Remember say you don dey old .

Addressing your worries:
1. Already comfortable life here: I bet you would be more comfortable in Canada... with the exception of their cold weather. All my friends wey dey school for Canada dey very very comfortable... more dan dem dey for naija.
2. Racism: Racism... maybe, maybe not. But what about tribalism here in naija? I'm sure you can handle whatever racist experience you may encounter.
3. culture I'm not familiar with: Well... good point, but aren't you looking forward to experience another culture? A more civilized one for that matter.

Abeg spend some time away from naija wahala. If you can make it here in Nigeria, you can make it anywhere in the world in my opinion.

After dem go say na village people do am.

Better keep your job and enroll for a foreign online Masters degree. Na the same certificate

Who is that Ode?

Bro, from your writing, its obvious u earnestly want to further your studies but your fear of no job is seriously on your mind....in the words of a very good friend ' the best form of investment is investment in yourself'. Your job isn't the highest paying job in the world, is it? your qualifications coupled with your years of experience would do the wonders remember no risk ,no reward!

I pray for you the wisdom to decide properly

Pls when quiting for that Masters abeg give us the name of the Oil and Gas company. I know many people that really need the job more than you.

Masters in what? This is the million dollar question!

If it is STEM related, I'll say you should give it a try. It is always best to get your studies out of the way after several years of experience.

Generally, Canada is a good country and somewhat educated immigrant friendly. Plus, you have the option of crossing over into the US if you desire more income but faster paced environment.

If he try am na sango dey follow b dat

If you are Christian then take it to God in prayers and wait on him for answers. It is a critical decision, your future is at stake.

bicmitchum:
This is a point in my life where I really need other opinions about my pending decision.
Here are the points:

-I graduated first class some years ago after completing studies at the University of Lagos
-Secured numerous masters admission with and without scholarship and intended to go for masters immediately, but got an attractive job offer with an oil multinational. Took the job offer.
-I've worked now about 4+ years with this multinational and the going has been incredibly terrific. Even with the incredible layoffs in my company and in the oil industry, it looks very likely I'll continue to keep my job.
-Every year I have continued to apply for masters in universities abroad given my intention to really acquire a masters and possibly a PhD degree. Never once accepted any of the offers I have been getting. Simply ignored them. As the years rolled by, the offers are no longer coming as usual. I'm getting turned down by schools.
-This year I have now obtained an offer to complete my masters at the No.1 ranked university in Canada, my desired destination. The only offer I got among the top schools I applied to. No scholarships.
-I'm yet unentitled to study leave

Here's the question: do I quit my job and go complete this masters in a really reputable school or do I stay back in Nigeria and continue slugging it out in the oil industry? Who knows what will come of the industry as the oil price continues to flutter? Who knows how my future might turn out if I leave to go chase the masters?

Here's my decision: Work is getting boring as time races on. I'm not getting any younger. I'm in my very late twenties. I should quit, go chase my masters and embrace any uncertainty that may come out of that. If I'm unable to secure an attractive job I'll go with academics for life whether in Canada or in Nigeria. I might even secure a Canadian citizenship. Canada is a lovely destination where I don't mind spending a large chunk of my life.

My worry: I have a comfortable life here. Why shake the bottle? Why stir the pot? Racism is still rife in these "white" countries. My life could get unbearable mixing in a culture I'm not familiar with.

Any inputs, please.

nice story but its still for the gods....

why apply in the 1st place, when you know issues like this will rear it's head.... and every year for that. your matter Don reach oyibo schools. search your heart... the answer is there.u just wanna hear our opinions and weigh it.

Here's my advice, just be patient till you are eligible for a study leave, then you can do the Masters with assurance that you have your job waiting. I'm talking from experience. I know guys with better qualifications than you who are still searching.

Should I quit smoking and take up masturbation? No one cares!! Don't come here and waste frontpage space with your indecisive junk!!
I can help you with a list of people who would readily give you advise than total strangers on a website who you don't know!! Who stand a better chance of robbing you than actually giving you good advise?
Try the following people first before coming here!:
Your pastor
Your imam
Your gf
Your wife
Your bf
Your neighbor
Your colleagues
Your parents
Your step parents
Your foster guardian
Your butcher
Your gateman
Your tomatoes seller
Your bread seller
Your enemy
Your God
Your Idol
Etc !! Pls don't come here and ask life questions that you can easily ask someone close to you!!
If your are so immature and confused that you need the advise of a total stranger who doesn't give a hoot about you to advise you on such a life desicion?! then maybe you don't deserve that oil company job!!!
#rubbish

I'd advise you to stay put in Nigeria. Canada is one of the worst hit countries right now who are laying off workers in the oil and gas sector. Although Canada is immigrant friendly, the jobs are not there in abundance. Lots of Canadians in the oil and gas field are looking for jobs in the US and even those in the US are unwilling to hire because they are also hit by the oil crunch and laying off their workers as well

You also mentioned that your admission came with no scholarship? Like seriously? You had a first class from Nigeria. You wanna spend all your life savings on a masters in Canada whereas you can get into grad school in the US with full tuition waiver based on your GPA and tests scores. You better be wise and evaluate well.

The main reason we go to school is for us to have a better life i.e make money. Now you are making the money which people without qualifications are making too. Play smart

my suggestion to you is to apply for a distance learning master programme. You can be doing your masters programme and at the same time making your money.

The society we are waits for no one.

bicmitchum:

Thanks for the incredible advice. I'm 4+ years now. Not due for study leave until next year September

Good day Sir. .. I m a 1st class graduate of Uniben. I just finished service. I 'll be glad if u can help me in job hunting. Thanks

you can try online masters program if it's possible with your course.

Its is simple bro, if u havnt saved enough money to carry yourself through school over there and you are sure you can wash dirty plates, wash an abatour, work as a janito,sales attendant, then KEEP YOUR JOB! More so bro september no far and while wait i advice you go to a naija school, naija school can make you head that multinational company.

Say the truth. You're not being paid well.

You can still proceed for your masters and PHD here in Nigeria while still working.

take leave of absence or you enroll in a virtual school and get you Msc.

Don't even try it. Lemme ask you a few questions.

1. Are you getting paid well?
2. Are you ready to forgo all the luxuries you're used to in Nigeria and start all over in Canada?
3. Your masters is not funded. Are you willing to use all your savings to fund your masters?

I live in the US and my husband is into Oil and Gas. I know for sure that the industry is not favorable right now and will not be favorable in the next 2-5 years. Just this last month, my husband's firm (and he works for one of the biggest in the US) laid off 50% of their workforce.

Yes, Canada is favorable because it's easier to get permanent residency, but getting a job is another issue. I know of a Nigerian-Canadian who is into Oil and gas and got offered a job with juicy remunerations in the US. He worked for a few weeks in the US (imagine) and decided to quit and go back to Canada. Oil prices began to slump after he went back and he was one of the first to be let go. That was over a year ago and he is still in the market looking. He is always calling my husband to check if they have any openings in their company but they also are laying people off, so no hope for now. I know not less than 3 Canadians (2 in my husband's office) who are on H1 (work) visa in the US because they found it hard to get jobs in Canada. Canada is one of the worst hit economies with this oil price fall and I don't see any boom in hiring anytime soon. Heck, one of my friends graduated with a masters degree in Geophysics from the University of Manitoba in 2014 but still doesn't have a job.

Second of all, to be candid, people in oil and gas in Nigeria make much more than those in the US or Canada. Yes, the ones in the US and Canada might make more on paper but by the time health insurance, 401K and taxes is taken, your counterparts in Nigeria take home more than you do...taxation is almost non existent in Nigeria anyways and you get to take home more than 90% of your gross pay. After your masters, you may get a job in Canada but it might not be in the cadre of what you used to do in Nigeria and it might leave you unfulfilled as You already had a career in Nigeria. What you might get here might not be at par. It's easier for those who haven't had a career yet in Nigeria before moving. Plus remember, your Nigerian experience counts for little to nought in Canada, you'll have to start all over. The time you'll spend trying to find a job in Canada, then starting from the bottom, you can use to get more years of experience in Nigeria and advance in your career.

Third, you're lucky. You're indeed so lucky. You mentioned that there has been several rounds of layoffs in your company but you survived. Means, they value you and consider you an asset. Continue like that and you might make managerial position in a few years and from there jumpstart your own company or business. You have study leave coming up soon, why not wait until then? If you go before your study leave, is your job guaranteed? Remember, there are millions who will snap up your job the moment you leave even if they're offered a quarter of what your company is paying you right now.

Lastly, with your first class undergraduate degree, you should not be paying out of pocket for any post-graduate degree! Several high ranking schools in the US and Canada will accept you in an heartbeat with full tuition waiver to boot! Most of these schools have recruiters coming to your school and from there you can score an internship which will eventually lead to a full time job provided you perform well. Have you even thought of an online masters degree? There are several high ranking schools in the US who do that. Take your classes online and do your research on ground or whatever. Your diploma does not bear "Online Degree" it is awarded by the school itself. Some reputable Ivy League schools even offer this option.

Overall, the choice is yours to make.

It's no surprise that the offers have reduced, because you are you are growing older competing with younger and more recent graduates.

About Canada,
1. It is one of the top 5 countries in the world with the best educational systems
2. It is one of the top 3 countries to live with a very low crime rate
3. Ensure you get your Permanent residency before you think about coming back
4. With your qualification from a Canadian institution, your market value increases and you can negotiate better if and when you decide to return to Nigeria.

Trust me, Canada is a WIN WIN decision.
Cheers

EbolaParasite:


@ Bolded
There are numerous professionals with excellent degrees, US and Canadian experience wey full naija at the moment. The industry is mega competitive. If you leave, there are 50 people waiting to take your place. That place will not be there when you are done. If you leave, you'll probably kiss the industry good bye and end up being a teacher.

Not just a Teacher but a Teacher in a private school that might not pay you more than 30 to 35k in a month i have seen many master holders doing it while those with foreign masters might be lucky in private polytechnic or university that might make close to 100k or a little above a month You can do masters if you are guranteed of getting a job.Not all scholarship funded masters student end up getting job talkless of the one you paid for.You can do masters anyime but not steady job with reliable income.

Bros go for the masters programme, but before then can you help secure your position for me? God bless you as you help a sis..

Kriztovar13:
Before you leave pls, help me secure an IT placement in you company

christopherkriztovar@gmail.com

are you for real or are you joking ?

It's surprising how most folks are advising OP to get an online MBA or Masters . Maybe outside Nigeria, but online degrees are not yet fully recognised in our country. On the other hand, some are advising him to undergo the degree in Nigeria; tell me, if you were to be in his shoes(he got admission from Canada's top school, either McGill or University of Toronto) will you study in Nigeria? People should be honest, at least for once. 4+ years experience is more than enough for a masters degree. People wey dey McKinesy & Co dey take MBA(or any additional degree) after 2+ years.

For superior analysis I recommend Jarushub. I'm even surprised to see this kind of topic on Nairaland.