₦airaland Forum

I have been mostly off Nairaland these past few days.
Funniest thing is that I have not been at work due to current PENGASSAN strike (I am a member of PENGASSAN by virtue of my place of work). However, it is difficult to plan ahead for a strike action as one will continually be on alert and monitor the news for updates.

Darellrivers, you are doing a wonderful job. Kudos to you. Keep it up.

And to others, keep moving ahead. Never relent. I will read through the thread and provide any input, if need be.

Cheers.....

chinfo:
Nice one bro!

If I may ask hw many A's guarantees one of graduating with a 1st class?

No fixed number. It depends on the credit unit of the courses you take. An 'A' in a 4-unit course, for instance is equivalent to 4 A's in a 1-unit course. Most important thing is to watch your CGPA and ensure you are consistently above 4.5/5.0 or 6.5/7.0 (If you are in UI).

Hmmm....nice one OP.

Just seeing this. I'm hardly on Nairaland these days.

I wrote this several weeks back fro jarushub.

Kudos...

Tnycee:
@xfire and other guru's in the house, help out please...

I am a graduate of Elect/Elect Engineering(2.1). I want to venture into the oil and gas / energy industry. will a Master's in Business Administration (MBA) increase my chances? What course do i pursue to be on the right track. Should I diversify or should I stick to a course in engineering?? which one will make me more marketable?

Plus, I would love to take up lecturing after retirement from the industry, so should I pursue a master's degree in my field (eg. control & instrumentation, subsea, oil n gas Engineering etc) or should I go for an MBA. Please Nairalanders, I need your insight. PLEASE HELP

If your desire is to venture into the oil and energy industry, then a masters degree in engineering is more desirable by far. You don't need an MBA now with you career objective. Most managers in the oil industry don't even have an MBA. With your BSc engineering, you can even get a job in the oil industry. A Masters in engineering will be more beneficial.

Cheers...

liricyst:
Very nice Mr Xfire..may God continue to keep you. Wish i saw this a long time ago..i wouldn't be where i am now

Anyways,I am a graduate of Elect/elect engineering but i got 2-2 and had an extra year in school and i am 26 (month of may).Finished nysc service in febrary this year. Of course, you can guess that Job hunting hasn't been easy.
Due to my grade and extra year,i decided i would have to start small. So i started applying for internships and temporary jobs in addition to full time jobs. I attended CCNA classes and compTIA A+ classes at CCT in benin during service,i have their certificate but yet to write the International exams. A friend of mine linked me to a coy looking for a temp contract staff who had basic knowledge of networking and computers. Funny enough,only TWO people applied in all,including me. I was able to edge out the other because i could explain the working principle of a laser printer which was a basic in A+
Long story short, i started work there in october but the contract runs out by Jan ending and could be subject to extension. The pay is 55k. I still apply for other jobs though and i'm hoping that i my little experience here will help me to look more employable.

You are on the right path sir. I admire your determination, hard work and foresight.

petengine:
Hello Xfire, how do I download a copy of these CV template? I need it as a PDF or doc file. my email: johnansa1@yahoo.com
thanks

I actually promised to send the MS Word version to nabsprada, Mcwhillion and 3 other nairalanders. My only concern is that I don't want this thread to be inundated with requests for the CV's. I will see what I can do.

AMDEX5:
Is it advisable for someone with lower CGPA, let say range of 3.0 to 3.4 to disclosed it in his CV or just write second class honour without stating d division.

I have said this a couple of times. You can include your CGPA on your CV if you think it will offer you an advantage.

taiwolusol:
Mr XFire, I must confess my hidden love for your work, Ideology and Personality.....God bless you for us

So I have a very big problem. I feel I am beginning to come across as confused professionally. I need HELP.

Where I'm I coming from?
I'm a graduate of Mechanical Engineering. I finished from Lautech with a 2:1 this year(precisely May), I got engaged exactly a week after my final exams in School and left for Bonny to take an NLNG sponsored Naval Engineering welding training with Hyundai Heavy Industries. I finished the training in August and did what every sane graduate would do, I started applying for jobs. I was lucky to land my 1st Interview just a couple of days after my welding Training ended..

The interview was for a Technical Management Trainee position with one of the top players in the downstream Oil and gas sector. I did a couple more interviews and my job search was brought to an halt after about 2 months of serious search.

Yes, I got the Technical Management Trainee job
I'm presently a month into the job and I'm liking it....

Here is my problem sir, as you may have noticed, I'm yet to go for NYSC. Camp opens in 4 days and I'm almost certain I'll miss it. Sir, is it really worth it? Waiting another 4 months to commence the 1-year long scheme.

The other problem is my radical approach to job search. I'm seeing greener pastures everywhere! As a matter of fact, I recently received a trainee process engineer Interview with Weam and Company Limited in Portharcourt and I'm already contemplating going. I'm confused...... Please Sir, I need your Advice

Well, your question came a bit too late. You asked just 4 days before resumption to camp. I'm sure your decision was already made, or almost made on whether to go for NYSC or not. If you had asked me the same question a month earlier, I probably would have advised you not to miss NYSC. But then, my answer is belated.
It's good that you have another 4 months to sort out yourself with the organization, retain your employment and go for service. Make use of the 4 months to get necessary permissions from your office to resume to camp. You should be able to work that out. Don't miss the next service. NYSC is extremely important. The earlier you are done with it, the better.
I am happy that you are seeing green pastures all around you at a time that many others are bemoaning the high unemployment situation in the economy. I still believe that if one is diligent and wise enough to make the right choices at the right time, the sky is the limit. You appear to be doing well. Why not share your experience here for others to learn?
It is absolutely normal for people to be confused when they have more than one good choices. I know someone that once got job offers in NNPC, Shell, Mobil and Chevron at about the same period and I can still remember how confused, sad and exhilarated he was! What a hysterical feeling! The first step you need to take is to settle down on your job. At least you have a job so you aren't desperate. Then determine exactly what you want. Set a standard for yourself and don't go below the standard (except if your career goal changes). You do not have to apply for every job or go for every interview if you aren't interested in the organization. I never went for all the interviews I was called for. I went for only those I was really interested in. And I have worked for 3 organizations so far! So take it easy. I'm happy you are confused for the right reasons.

Horayce:
Wow, you left school in 2011 and ur still 25. Man u r young. I studied mech too but went thru an unconventional route to work in high finance out of love (not necessity, biko kwa). But after a career meltdown im now goingback to my engineering roots. All my peers( bar none) who left to study for an msc in pet engr or a related degree virtually all have good jobs with the top oil majors or service coys like schlum and subsea7. I'm about to do same now, got admitted into very good msc petrolem and subsea programs in the states There's simply no other option for me, study now or live to regret wondering what if i did. Instead of talking about it I'd advise you take the risk of applying to only the top programs in the UK --Heriot watt, imperial, Cranfield --and US-- Stanford, UT austin, Texas A&M. If you are admitted with funding or scholarships, weigh the cons and pros of leaving a job you dread for a very promising career prospect. It's night and day in my opinion. Personally i think the upside of an msc is higher at this point in your career, considering you want to break into an oil major.

@ olujastro

This is a detailed and well articulated response. I do not know how many years of experience you have. But with 3+ years of experience as an offshore engineer coupled with a Masters degree from a top university abroad, you will be at a good position to secure a great job. But then, as Horayce pointed out, there are uncertainties. But the opportunities outweigh the risk. However, I will advise you to have enough cash if you are planning on quitting, even if you get a scholarship.
I wouldn't advise you to go to a UK school. There are more opportunities in US and Canada, particularly in US where the oil industry is currently booming despite falling oil prices. Besides, it's easier to get a work permit in US.
But most importantly, make sure you clarify your career goals. Make sure it is what you want. No one can do that for you.

cigie:
Brethren, please permit me to derail a bit.

Which is more difficult to get: a job (in a MNC) or a scholarship? I have the impression the later is harder to land.

What do you think?

There is no blanket answer to that question. It depends on the job or scholarship opportunity in question.

shakol91:
Good @ Oga xfire...nice posts. Please what should half baked accounting education with 2nd class lower do? Should she further and change course of study or continue with the same course with professional exams like ican,gmat etc

Please what do you mean by half-baked accounting education?

engrsyer:
Good job done xfire. What if ur CV entered 3 pages perhaps because of working experience that is within 2 years, is their anything wrong with it?

No, nothing wrong with it. However, it is preferable for a graduate with just 2 years experience in a particular coy to stick with 2 pages. Prioritize the details on your CV and remove the superfluous ones. Your CV will shrink to 2 pages

Chiscomax:
Can someone who made a 2:2 in engineering bSc and a 2:1 Masters still get a job in somewhere like shell,nnpc,chevron,etc?

You mean in oil majors? If that is what you mean, then I say such candidates can still get jobs in such organizations in some cases. Some companies accept 2.2 + Masters e.g. the current NNPC recruitment exercise made provision for 2.2 graduates but with Masters degree qualification. A few others, as a matter of policy, don't recruit graduates with less than a 2.1.

kfrosh:
@Xfire plss respond to my question.Tanx

kfrosh and co, I will be back soon to respond to all your questions. Bear with me

olujastro:
xfire, hope u are still on this thread as I've got some questions for you concerning some career decisions I plan to take.

Interesting story...
Still here

@nabsprada, how's service going?

kelechi50:
Pls bros XFIRE I studied criminology and security studies with 6 months work experience not with oil n gas company or related.please worth are the best course to certified with to make me relevant to work with oil n gas.I mean the very best or if there is any job u guys can link me with I will be grateful @ xfire and co pls help me; my email Thankgodm4realigboji@yahoo.com

Great contribution icon4s
Most oil companies recruit experienced security coordinators / advisors/ experts with the exception of Shell which recently started recruiting trainee security advisors.
I will advise you to focus on gaining experience. It doesn't matter where. Experience in security field is more valuable than certification. They may be some certifications in the field but I'm not aware of any. I will try and find out.
But gaining experience in various aspects of security coordination - security management of personnel, logistics, transport, facilities, inventory stock etc should be your top priority.

Lepetitechic:
Thanks for the post sir. I have a question though is an industrial physicist taken as a geophysicist in the O&G Industry?

No. Industrial physics and geophysics are 2 different disciplines.

Reading through your post, I will advise you to pursue your PhD dream. Seems money is not your consideration. You want to be fulfilled too.
But why limit yourself to Nigerian universities? If you did fairly well in your B.Eng and MSc programs, you will get scholarships and grants abroad, notably in US and Canada. Most PhD programmes in US universities are on done on scholarship. And with a PhD in engineering from a fairly standard university in US, your chances of getting a job there is high. Even if you decide to come back to Nigeria, you can still get a lecturing job, as many universities offer elect/elect. Either way, you don't lose. Besides, the time you will spend to acquire one will be shorter - 4 years.
I have a few friends currently pursuing their PhD programs on scholarship over there. It's good that you earn well in the bank. That money can helpful in sorting out your application processes.

This is going to be my last thread on oil and gas industry. This is because of my strong belief and knowledge that fulfillment in life and career can be achieved in any industry or field of our liking. Other areas of interests are careers in other industries, education, family and investment.
However, my mail box is still inundated with questions regarding the oil and gas industry. I wrote an article on basic answers to questions regarding the oil and gas industry on Jarushub.com a few months back. With the permission of the blog owner, I will repost it here. I sincerely hope other professionals in other industries (such as banking, construction, health, food and beverages, audit, etc) will do the same and share on Nairaland for benefit of all. Maybe I will do something similar for the FCMG industry. Here is the excerpt from the article:

1. What are the various aspects of the oil and gas industry in Nigeria?

The oil industry is made up of three 'sub-industries' – upstream, midstream and downstream industries. Most times, both the midstream and downstream are jointly referred to as downstream. For simplicity sake, I will stick to the 2 major groupings – upstream and downstream. The upstream industry deals with exploration, production and sale of hydrocarbon (oil, natural gas, and condensate). Downstream industry deals with the processing (refining and purification) of hydrocarbon into final refined products; and the distribution, marketing and sales of these final products to end consumers.
Traditionally, people prefer to work in the upstream industry as it is more financially rewarding. The upstream industry is roughly divided into the oil producing companies and the oil servicing companies. The oil producing firms in Nigeria include but are not limited to Shell, Total, ExxonMobil, Agip, Chevron and recently Addax, Sahara Energy Field Limited, First Hydrocarbon and Seven Energy. Oil servicing firms provide technical services to oil producing firms. Several oil servicing companies, both foreign and indigenous, offer variety of services to the producing firms, depending on the availability of technical resources, capabilities, required expertise and complexity involved. Some reputable ones include but are not limited to Halliburton, Schlumberger, Baker Hughes, Ariosh, Rockson Engineering and DeltaAfrik.
Many firms have stakes in the downstream sector in Nigeria. However, NNPC is the only major firm that deals with refining of crude oil in Nigeria, and owns 4 refineries. There are numerous lube blending plants in Nigeria owned by Oando, Total, Mobil, Eterna, MRS, Ibeto, Lubcon and a host of others. Companies like MRS, NNPC, Oando, Mobil, Total, Conoil, etc are involved in the marketing and sales of finished petroleum products (cooking gas, petrol, diesel, engine oil, etc.). Recently, Chevron commissioned a gas-to-liquid (GTL) plant in Nigeria which is designed to convert gas into liquid petroleum products such as diesel, kerosene, naphtha and LPG

2. Do all oil companies pay well?
Oil companies generally provide attractive remunerations and other incentives but not all oil firms pay as much as expected. It depends on the nature of the company. It may also depend on each individual’s perception of what a good income is. Many indigenous oil servicing companies pay comparatively lower than other players in the industry but offer hands-on experience. Most reputable indigenous oil producing companies pay relatively well but generally not as well as international oil firms. Employees of multinational oil servicing firms generally earn well. Pay may also vary depending one’s experience, expertise and the risk associated with the particular job (e.g. offshore workers earn offshore allowances in addition to their regular pay due to the greater risk involved working over waters. Same with divers and access rope technicians who earn on work -time basis).

3. How important are certifications in the oil and gas industry?
The significance of certification varies widely depending on the type of job, level of experience required and/or organization. There is no one-size-fits-all answer to that question. But I will limit my answer to entry level positions. Generally, certifications are not very important for entry level graduate technical roles. A good degree (and possibly but not compulsorily, a Masters degree) is more important than certifications. For middle level manpower and specialized skills such as NDT and rope access work, certifications are necessary.
Certifications become more important for non-technical roles such as accounting, HR, security, IT, safety, etc. Even then, it is not compulsory.
However, the oil industry worldwide generally places more emphasis on experience than certifications, especially in core technical roles. Nevertheless, I always advise oil and gas professionals to enroll for trainings and short term courses as they build their careers in order to further enhance their skills and competencies, and make them globally competitive

4. Why don’t oil companies in Nigeria recruit so often as compared to banks?
It is funny but I am asked this question a lot of time. Oil companies recruit on as-need basis. They are in for business and do not recruit only for PR considerations. Many oil firms, especially the indigenous ones are not even patient enough to recruit fresh graduates. This is because it is quite costly and time consuming to train people. They prefer experienced professionals who will hit the ground running.
Many multinational oil firms have structured graduate recruitment programmes but there is currently a lull in the Nigerian oil and gas industry as most international oil companies (IOC) and their associated oil servicing firms are putting planned investments on hold due to the uncertainty surrounding the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) and the state of insecurity in the N/Delta. Oil companies spend a lot of money ensuring the security of personnel and their assets, money that could be spent in investment. Lesser investment means fewer job creation.
In addition, there is low labour turnover in most oil and gas companies as their employees hardly quit their jobs until they retire. Most of them spend their entire career working for a particular company. This invariably means that there are fewer vacancies.

5. What course or certification can I acquire that will guarantee me an oil job?
Answer is simple. There are no guarantees. However, there are some courses and certifications that place you at a better advantage than others. I will discuss that later.

6. I have often heard that oil firms, especially the IOC’s do not pay pensions. Instead, they pay off their retiring employees. How true?
This is far from the truth. That’s one of the ‘myths’ associated with IOC’s which I heard long time ago. Reputable oil and gas firms in Nigeria have a well-structured, comprehensive and robust pension system in line with Nigeria Pension Reform Act 2004 (now 2014).

7. What are the most sought after disciplines in the oil industry?
The oil and gas industry is a very vast and requires a wide range of disciplines. Almost all the major disciplines are required in the sector. Disciplines related to humanities, medicine and occupational health, social sciences, sciences, safety, IT, engineering, biological sciences and arts are required in various ways. But the industry is largely technology driven. Thus STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) courses tend to be higher demand, specifically engineering, and to a significant extent, geosciences. Mid level workers such as operators, technicians, roustabouts, crane operators, etc. are also required. Major engineering fields such as petroleum, electrical, mechanical and chemical can easily fit into almost all the engineering positions in the industry. Other fairly demanded disciplines include safety, social sciences and IT (Read my article on Top 10 Most Demanded Jobs in the Oil and Gas Industry on jarushub.com).

8. What are my chances with a 2.2?
Jobs in the industry are generally very competitive. Even those with very good grades still find it hard to break in. There are really no guarantees and it always takes an element of 'luck' to break into the industry. With a 2.2, the chances are much lower, especially with reputable and established oil producing/servicing firms. The most practicable way to go around this is to aim for smaller oil firms and/or get some relevant specialized certifications. Getting additional degree may help as one acquires some experience in the sector. Networking can also be very helpful in securing a job.

http://www.jarushub.com/common-questions-and-answers-on-oil-and-gas-careers/
http://www.jarushub.com/common-questions-answers-on-oil-gas-careers-ii/

MarvellousGod:
who dey like my post??

I liked your post It's funny but true. All I can say is WELCOME TO LAGOS . Sorry for the stress jare. You will soon get adjust to Lagos life, hopefully.
I really wish I could help but I don't live in that area. I'm not even always in Lagos.

Course of study matters but its influence can be withered down with good grades, professional certifications or work experience.
It matters most when dealing with professional courses like engineering, medicine, architecture, law, etc. Some courses are still more marketable than others, even in Nigeria. But its influence gradually diminishes for non-professional courses.
It also depends one's priority. Some people just want to earn a decent living and make good money without any preference for a particular profession. For such category of people, there is no need to attach too much importance to course of study.
I quite agree that students should make optimum use of whatever opportunities they have at present.

[size=14pt]4th CV[/size]

Background:
She has a bachelors in Economics from UI. She didn't get a job immediately after NYSC so she decides to further her education in UK. She has no previous work experience. Her desire to join a reputable oil firm as stated in her career objective. A few comments:

1. A career objective does not have to be long. It can be a sentence, especially if your CV is rich.

2. MSc holders with zero experience may include some of the key course modules to further highlight their areas of strength and knowledge. It is absolutely not necessary for BSc holders to write out course modules.

3. Notice that she decided to write skills acquired during his NYSC work experience rather than achievements. That's another alternative if you can't think of any notable achievement in a particular work/volunteer experience.

4. She won a couple of academic scholarships and included them clearly on her CV. She also emphasized that she graduated in the top 2% of her postgraduate class.

5. Though she doesn't currently have a job, she decided to engage herself in blogging and writing articles relating to her field. What a wonderful way to utilize her time and keep herself current in her chosen field. Furthermore, she joined relevant professional bodies.

6. To save space, she merged skills and hobbies together, thus maintaining a 2-page CV.

7. She wants to be a financial analyst, hence her NYSC experience in the bank will be useful. That prompted her to give a detailed description of her role as an administrative assistant.

[size=14pt]3rd CV[/size]

Background:
Here is a 2.2. Accounting graduate looking forward to working as an accountant in a corporate firm. She has started writing ICAN exams. She knows that her 2.2 may be a little setback for her, thus she has made effort to gain skills in all her work / volunteer experiences which she can leverage on. She currently teaches in a secondary school. Here are a few highlights:

1. She gave a well detailed personal information about herself. Notice that she includes her place of birth which is in US. Thus, she has dual citizenship. She must have included it because she feels it will give her an edge. She included her date of birth because she's still quite young and that can give her an edge in the labour market.

2. She finished with a 2.2 but deliberately left her grade as a second class honours.

3. Though not compulsory, she includes her primary school education. I never included my primary school education in my CV and no employer has ever asked me for it. If you have a long CV, and you are looking for contents to delete, that should be one of them. I hear that it should be compulsory for civil service in the past, but I doubt if it is still applicable

4. Never overlook any achievement. Achievement can be as simple as receiving a certificate of satisfactory service. Many will overlook it. Add it. She taught in a primary school during her NYSC, thus she doesn't see any need to give a detailed description of that experience.

5. She included past volunteer / leadership experiences. They include her activities from her days as an undergraduate and a corps member.

[size=14pt]2nd CV[/size]

Background:
The CV below is that of a third class industrial physics graduate wanting to make a career switch. His goal is to become an IT specialist, particularly in programming. He therefore seeks to gain experience in an IT/software company. A few insights below:

1. He added a personal profile because he is seeking a job in an area that is not related to his course of study. It is therefore necessary that he writes a profile that reflects his current strengths, skills and ambition.

2. You will observe that he omitted his grade. This is because he graduated with a 3rd class and doesn't want that to affect his chances. Besides, he is not aiming to work as an industrial physicist. He included that so that prospective employers will be aware that he is a graduate.

3. He included the professional IT courses taken by him and IT related experiences. Though he isn't currently employed, he does freelance jobs and has included that on his CV. The CV is also achievement driven as he highlighted his key achievements in each of his individual work experience. In particular, notice that he included an achievement related to IT/computer in the NYSC experience. He also added specific computer skills in addition to general soft skills like communication and leadership skills.

4. It is acceptable to just write 'Available upon request'. However, he decided to add 3 referees. Those 3 referees are people he has worked with in the past. Referees are meant to be senior professionals you have been associated with in past work or academic activities e.g. clients, former boss, past lecturer, past project supervisor, etc. They are the people who can vouch for you.

[size=14pt]1st CV [/size]

Background:
This is a CV of an HND holder in mechanical engineering, whose intention is to practice in his field of study. Notice the following in the CV:

1. A career objective or personal profile was not included. It's not mandatory for a graduate to include one, especially when applying for well publicized vacancies. It will be beneficial to include one for an unsolicited application.

2. He included his date of birth, though it is usually optional. I did include my date of birth in some of my CV's but left it out in others.

3. He graduated with a high CGPA in his HND programme though it capped at an Upper Credit. The CGPA was therefore included to capture that. Looking further, it can be seen that he finished with distinction in his OND programme but the CGPA wasn't included. Probably his CGPA fell at the lower on the range for distinction.

4. He intends to work in an engineering company. Thus it is necessary that he includes his past internship experiences. He also added his NYSC experience.

5. His CV is achievement driven. Note that an achievement may be as simple as learning new skills or gaining competence in a particular endeavour. It doesn't necessarily have to be extraordinary.

6. The personal qualities are specific, with some examples to back up some of them. Many times, graduates prefer to just use generic qualities like 'hardworking', 'team player', ' self-motivated', 'ability to work under pressure', etc. Be more specific.

As promised, I will post all 4 graduate CV samples today. They are meant to be used for illustrative purposes only. The intention is not to use them as templates.

Key notes:

1. I varied the templates for each of them to further emphasize the fact that any good template can be used so far as it is simple and neat.

2. I am not a professional in the fields I have chosen for the sake of writing the CV's. It is therefore advisable that more attention be paid on the organization and presentation of the contents on the CV rather than on the accuracy of the contents itself.

3. I have tried as much as possible to vary the career aspirations, circumstances, purpose and background associated with each of the CV's and this reflects in the differences in the content and style. This is to demonstrate that CV writing is an art and should be flexible and adjustable.

4. You don't have to lie on your CV. You just need to include accomplishment that you often overlook.

5. If possible, try not to include all your achievements or skills on your CV. Save one or 2 for the interview. This is just an advice.

6. It is good to use bullet points for better presentation and emphasis.

7. Contributions, comments and questions are welcome.

8. Hopefully, This will address the several mails I get requesting for a CV review.


Cheers....

Geniuz:
Pls sir xfire I am a jambite, aspiring for EEE but because of some little problems in jamb n ssce I am left with the option of studing stats in a poly. Sir I want to knw is it gud that I go for stats then divert at Msc or shd I wait till the next yr? Tanx

There is little or no correlation between statistics and elect/elect engineering (EEE). It will be practically infeasible to divert to EEE at MSc, moreso that you will be attending a polytechnic.
You have to decide now whether to stick with statistics or rewrite UTME next year. My own advice is to register for statistics in the polytechnic. Then rewrite your UTME and SSCE the following year. If you pass, you make the switch. That will depend on the size of your pocket though.

Tiimmy:
Spot on @xfire..

For the Masters degree you mentioned with respect to Engineering field, the degree would preferable be from a foreign uni. MSc from a Nigerian Uni might no really give the person an edge.

Also fresh graduates must also consider whats obtainable at that very moment. ie A fresh graduate who wishes to go for a masters degree in a foreign university but has little or no money to do so; while applying for scholarships or trying to raise funds, twill be wise to really consider taking a professional course in a related field.

Just my opinion though..

http://timmsvillee..com/

Very true, preferably in US or Canada. All my former coursemates and friends that did their MSc in engineering in the US are all gainfully employed over there. With the recent boom in the US oil industry, the demand for engineers can only stay upwards.

britnex:
Pls wat skills can one go for to improve marketability.

You have given too little detail for you to get a comprehensive answer. Computer skills, communication skills, leadership experiences, postgraduate degree, relevant certifications, internship experiences, etc. can improve marketability.
It's not enough to have these skills. You also have to network and search for jobs that require any specific skill you possess.

mrarranger:
Please xfire i need your help
I just finished my ND programme but i got admitted to the university this year.I will like to work part time as a teacher in a secondary school and combine it with my academics.My question is;is it advisable to write unsolicited application to schools

With an OND, you are not qualified to teach in secondary schools. However, this is Nigeria and such anomaly is commonplace. Most definitely, you can write unsolicited applications to any company / firm / institution of your choice. That's why it is unsolicited. Submit and follow up. If they need your services, they will get back to you.

kfrosh:
I wonder how best to move.forward with my career after a disappointing third class degree (2.37) in Mechanical Engineering. I would appreciate any useful advise or tips from my fellow nairalanders.

Hmm...all hope isn't lost.
What are your options? Do you still want to continue with engineering or do something else? Do you still think you can still cope with engineering? Do you mind a career switch? Or are you weighing all the available options? Answer these and I may chip in one or 2 tips.

petengine:
hello xfire et al

please can this email bassey_essien@yahoo.com be used on a CV? am asking this because of the underscore sign.
thanks

Yea. It's cool though I personally avoid the use of underscores to prevent typing errors. Nothing wrong with it anyway.