₦airaland Forum

Ehimenboy: Hi everyone. I asked this question in another thread but didn't receive a satisfactory reply: Can a bsc holder in chemistry with a post-graduate diploma in chemical engineering do a masters in the field (chemical engineering)?

Definitely. There's no doubt about that.

Feex: Having a MSc does not guarantee you for a job that requires ONLY 2 candidates. Let me even assume that you are correct. Look at this hypothetical story -Imagine 1000 applicants apply for a job that requires only 2 people. Let's say 50 out of the 1000 have foreign MSc. What will the remaining 48 get? The incremental advantage of spending a lot of money on Masters abroad is not high.

The op never said you do not need a certification or MSc. he only said that you mustn't have one to get a job. That's the message he is passing.

You are correct sir. That's really what I'm conveying. I have decided to replace the 'need' with 'must have' to reduce the confusion.

MarvellousGod: Those with 2-2 can also improve their employability through a masters degree or certifications as most big coys don't employ 2-2 graduates but may consider when the person has a good masters degree or relevant certifications to back up eg Halliburton etc

Yes, I think I once wrote an article on that. I will always advise a recent graduate with 2.2 or less to augment his / her degree with a masters if possible, especially if he/she doesn't get a job on time. It's always better to get a good grade cos it saves one a lot of stress. Even a 2.1 is not a guarantee any longer. But there is always hope for all of us irrespective of grade. I see grads with 2.2 and 3rd class who are doing excellently well. A relative of mine is a COREN certified civil engineering consultant. He is highly sought after for construction projects. And he made a 3rd class. Same with another relative who made a 2.2 in electrical engineering. He did some programming courses after graduation and he is now a programmer for a respectable firm after staying at home for almost 3 years.

Cheers......

imag5: greetings to all my noble professionals,i like what you doing xfire,keep up the good work sorry to say these i disagree with some point mention here,
first let me make this clear,what work for mr A,will not Work for mr B,the world is fast moving whereby employer does not care wether you are a grad or not,we are in the era of what do you have to offer,what can you bring to the table,certification are important if you have the means of doing it,if you dont have the means then keep looking for graduate job,i will like to tell the house these one of my friend i mentor got a job in a global coy..APM,finished from school no job a graduate of mechanical,but he has the money to run some programs,not too spectacular result from university,i advise him on some course to do to enhance himself,did nebosh igc,after doing it started applying for jobs and he got call for an experience role as vessel planner at APM,today he is a big boy earning good pay in a short period,how abt my friend got a job with nigerdock as autocad designer i told him to learn autocad after everything it he got interview with nigerdock,doing the interview they were ask to design, he was the best,funny enough young grad dont know how to design with simple software...earning 15k per day in nigerdock as graduate cad designer,my brother never did any certification but was pick by IOC,though he made 1.1,so it work for A,and it not might not work for B.
The issue of msc is another area i will like to talk about i do advise young grad if you dont have any job at the moment why not apply for msc and still do job hunting,DONT CREATE A VACCUM,ALWAYS BE BUSY NO MATTER WHAT.
I dont have a msc,but am planning to get one in my field as a geophysicst you start making wave when you have a msc,thats when coys like mobil,total will listen to you and other nice coy in lagos if you want to earn six digit.
Last bullet you have a phone worth 80k as a graduate and you can do simple HSE FOR 35k.....
a mechanical gradaute dont know how to use autocad........
it only God that can judge.
graduate are shouting no jobs....some smart dude are out there making things happen.

It not going to be easy is either you in or out...either you win or loose...life is a choice but I choose to win.

I RISE
IMAG5

great contribution. I like the flavor you have added to this. There must always be a balance and you have provided that effectively.

Sure certifications, MSc and 'man-know-man' connections can help to secure jobs. But they are not mandatory. Definitely, certifications are necessary for some specialized jobs. Certifications may also be necessary if you intend to make a total career switch. But fresh grads still get jobs and will continue to get many jobs without certifications.
MSc is also a nice-to-have. I might have gone for one if I had graduated at a much younger age. I am not discouraging anyone from going for one. MSc may be needed if you plan to do a career switch e.g. from physics to geophysics. But they need to know that it doesn't give them a significant advantage over others. Few grad jobs require it. Grads can still get meaningful jobs without having one. I plan to get one in the nearest future.
No doubt, people still get jobs through connections and recommendations in Nigeria. But the influence of nepotism and connection is widely exaggerated. Most good jobs are still largely based on merit.
Ultimately, it is your ability to convince the employers that get you the jobs - your employability (not certifications and postgraduate degrees)

Cheers.......

Following my recent write-up in the Nairaland thread ‘'Top 10 Most demanded jobs in the oil and gas industry”, and other posts and articles I have written in the past, I have received several questions that indicate that some fresh graduates still have a few misconceptions about what it takes to compete and succeed in the labour market. I decided to write on 3 misconceptions that some fresh graduates make, and hopefully this will be beneficial to many.

Misconception #1: I must have certifications to get a good job in Nigeria
This is not exactly true. You do not necessarily need certifications to get a job in Nigeria. There are countless number of established and experienced professionals in the manufacturing, banking, construction, oil and gas, and other sectors who do not any certification at all. I personally worked in the FMCG industry before moving to the oil industry. I am on my third job. I do not have any certification whatsoever. Most of my past and current managers do not have any certification. All they have is their wealth of experience and the several trainings they have attended during the course of their career in same company. Maybe I will get some certifications along the way as I progress in my career. Being employable as a fresh grad in Nigeria is not about the number of certifications you gather. I know people with wonderful certifications who are still unemployed or underemployed. I am not entirely ruling out the relevance of certifications. It is important in the IT industry, for instance. Even then, a fresh graduate in an IT related course should be more concerned about his/her grade and ability to scale through various recruitment hurdles. A smart and employable grad in an IT related course will get a good job irrespective of whether he/she has a certification or not. Certification becomes more relevant as you gain experience.

Misconception #2: I must have a Masters degree to have an edge over others
Another misconception some fresh grads make. If you want a career in academics, then furthering your studies is essential, if not mandatory. But if you are looking out for a job, a Masters degree will not necessarily give you a significant leverage over others. If you are still young, you may consider a Masters before going for a job. Who knows? Maybe I would have considered a Masters degree if I had graduated at a much younger age. However, have it at the back of your mind that you will still have to compete with every grad out there to get a good and meaningful job. You do not even need a postgraduate degree to work in the respectable and prestigious oil and gas companies. I can say (with no certainty, just personal observation) that about 75-80 % of those in the oil industry did not have any form of certification or Masters at entry point. I can say (with all certainty) that about 75% of the fresh engineers recently recruited by my employers (a multinational oil firm) are fresh grads from school with no MSc.
You do not even need an MSc to get promotion at work. Promotion in organizations is generally based on your productivity and performance, and not your degrees. In most firms, you will even need to get a leave of absence if you want to embark on a full-time Masters after employment, and your job is not guaranteed on returning.
I am not saying a Masters is not important. I hope to acquire one soon. It may be helpful if I am aiming for a managerial role in another organization, or if I am looking forward to a political appointment sometime in the future. Masters degree is great, but grads need to know that it does not necessarily equate to employability. You may decide to enroll for Masters while you continue your search for a job.

Misconception #3: I must press buttons (know people in high places) before I get a good job in this “corrupt Naija”
Another lie from the pit of hell. No reputable private organization, even in Nigeria will risk placing its future on incompetent or untested employees. Every growing organization knows that its most valuable asset is its employees. Companies are always looking out to hire the best hands. Organizations in Nigeria usually have well-structured recruitment processes that make it difficult even for influential employees to slot in candidates. A few public firms, such as NNPC still recruit largely on merit (I know it will sound incredulous for some but that’s the truth). Nepotism is still a cancer in the Nigerian corporate world, be it public or private. But its influence is widely exaggerated.

[size=14pt]What then makes a graduate employable in Nigeria?[/size]
As competitive as the Nigerian labour market is, the attributes that make a graduate employable are still foundational - Good grades, aptitude test writing skills, interview skills, communication skills, basic computer skills. Get good grades. Ensure you are good and prepared enough to pass aptitude tests. Your communication skills (writing and speaking) should at least be above board. Practice well for all kinds of interview formats. You need not have excellent computer skills – just basic. Believe me, you will get multiple offers within a short period. If you have good grades but have poor test writing and communication skills, you will still struggle to get a job.

TRUE LIFE STORY:
I want to share the story of a particular lady who is 3 sets after me in school in the same engineering department. She is quite brilliant. She graduated with a CGPA of over 4 point out of 5, and also clinched a departmental award on convocation day. She was also the best female student in her set. She finished youth service at a relatively young age of 23 years. However, despite numerous job aptitude tests and interviews, she couldn’t get a job for over a year (1.5 years to be exact). She applied to so many firms but she never got an offer. She became so frustrated, and shared her problems with me. She felt she was not getting offers because she didn’t know anyone. I told her not to develop that mentality, if not, she will resign to fate and be defeated. At a time, she considered going for NEBOSH certification (at a cost of about 350k) but I discouraged her because I knew it wouldn’t add any value to her as a fresh grad. That’s simply a waste of resources. After relating with her, I found out that her test writing skill was just a little above average, while her interview skill was particularly awful. I encouraged her to practice sample job aptitude tests more frequently and to pay particular attention to improving her interview skills. She started working on both. Anytime she had interview, she would call me to review her level of preparations. I always found it a bit frustrating because I would need to spend considerable time to tutoring her on interview etiquettes; how to answer interview questions; what to say and what not to say; what to ask and what to ask; what to do and what not to do, etc. I am happy to say that after all the stress she made me pass through, she now has 3 offers she is considering (2 job offers and one scholarship offer). This made me realize her problem was never lack of intelligence, but basic interview skills.

N.B - I am NOT a professional tutor on interview questions and answers, neither am I planning to be professional career counsellor. The true life story was to further drive down my points and enlighten young grads.

AMZYMAYO: God bless you for the good work you are doing here Mr. Xfire. I really have a problem with the CV guide posted here. Because of the attack, I was unable to get the complete tutorial. I don't know how you may help me on that Sir. Thanks.

How do you want me to help you sir/ma?

misterkay: @xfire, I'm still expecting your response on the "STAR stories."

Check your mail. I really love your dedication towards preparing ahead of time. Good that you have started working on behavioural and personality questions. I was impressed when I saw the set of questions and answers. Kudos.

Okay guys,

My next write-up will be on cover letter writing. Many have asked questions about cover letter. I will treat that in detail. I am sorry that I am yet to drop a new write-up since the Nairaland attack. I have been really engaged. I assure you that when I am bit freer, I will dedicate more time writing for you guys / ladies.

To those that have sent me several pms / mails and I am yet to respond. Please forgive me. I am a bit slow in response because of the volume of mails I receive. But I always place more preference to enquiries or questions made here because the response will benefit all.


Cheers.....

This was my last write-up before the Nairaland attack. It concludes my article on how I personally manage work life balance. It is unedited:

MANAGING WORK AND LIFE ACTIVITIES Cont'd

6. Giving: Giving comes in different ways but I am referring to monetary gifts here. Giving to people in need, family members, friends, societal and religious activities is part of everyday living. I believe everyone should develop the habit of giving irrespective of current financial status. Giving is however a contentious issue. Knowing when to give, who to give and how much to give can be really challenging. This is more so in cases where there are many demands for your limited financial resources. There is no absolute answer to those three questions. Situations vary for each individual and there are certain times we have to say no to some requests. A balance should be consciously made to give to the varying segments in the society both those we know and others we don't have a relationship with. Humans are by nature self-centered and we naturally tend to give to receive in return. The receipt may not necessary be in cash but in kind e.g. people's approval, kindness, allowing shortcuts, obtaining favour, popularity, intimacy, etc. One way or the other, we all practice some level of self-centered giving. But with conscious effort we can give without hoping to receive in return, and we must learn to give altruistically so often that it becomes a habit.

7. Family time: I grew up in a closely knitted African nuclear family. My parents valued the typical African culture of discipline, responsibility, education, respect and hard work. I therefore value the family unit and the support system that comes from that bond. Due to time and distance constraint, I do not get to see my parents, siblings and close relatives as often as I will love to see them. I do not have my own family yet, but I definitely look forward to having one soon. I therefore cannot talk much about managing work and family issues since I am yet to experience it firsthand. I am starting to make adequate room for that anyway. An experienced career wife would better do justice to that as they seem to face such issues more than their complementary counterpart.

8. Societal and community activities: I participate in a few societal activities like wedding and naming ceremonies, birthday parties, outings, launching ceremony, festivals, etc. Those are avenues to relax , have fun and sometimes meet new people. Work and other engagements limit the number of activities I participate in. Besides, engaging in societal activities is not very high in my list of priorities. But I see it as a form of refreshment from constant life pressures once in awhile.

9. Political activities: Though I follow closely the political situations in this country, I am not involved in partisan politics neither am I a member of any civil society or NGO. I am passionate about good governance in Nigeria and will very much like to see Nigeria on the path of peace, sustainable progress and unity. I will strongly consider a civil society or pressure group in the future (if time and belief permit) so that I can play an active role in pursuing the prosperous Nigeria we all dream about. But I doubt if I will ever be involved in partisan politics. I hope not!

10. Relaxation - Sometimes, the best moments in life are the times when you are just indoors relaxing, feeling lazy, sleeping, watching TV series, playing games, surfing the web, listening and dancing to some nice music, watching good football, lawn tennis or WWE wrestling (yes, I am a fan of professional wrestling!). I love being indoors alone or with a few close friends or relatives. I love being on my own; I love that feeling of independence, but I know I will eventually have to give up some of these idiosyncrasies with time.

Completed......

Wow. This is great, Ajanlekoko. Very comprehensive and extensive analysis on career in IT. Though I am not into IT, I have learnt from your posts.

crudedude: Sorry to say but this connect-me-to-a-job-here-is-my-contact posts are quite .......................(insert appropriate adjective here).

Syenite I'm digging your posts. Thank you for taking out time to help with enquiries here. You keep saying just a first degree within accepted entry level age gap is ok to job hunt. While these jobs are not too easy to come by or competition very high. What about those above this 'entry level age'? What's their play?

Fortunately, the oil and industry is one that is very lenient with age requirements compared to industries like banking. I know people that joined oil companies as entry level engineers and geoscientists at ages of between 30 and 33 years. This is because most oil firms still classify graduates with less than 3 years of experience under entry level. That is why you will hardly see age limits in their graduate vacancies. And when it is specified, it is usually quite considerate compared to firms like KPMG and others. However, there are a few firms that set strict age limits but that is not the case generally in the industry.
But most entry level graduate usually join at very young ages (23-25 years) because most of the really smart guys are young. They finish school on time with very excellent grades. I know a guy that had 3 offers (Exxon, Chevron and Shell) at the age of 21 years. However, if you are good enough to compete, you will break in nonetheless. I entered the oil industry at an age over 25 years. As a matter of fact, I was yet to be through with service at 25 years! It's merit driven, not so much age-driven.
Pay or play? Pay is good. Remuneration packages for entry level positions in the O & G industry are generally good. You need not have sleepless night over that.

Amhappy: I am interested in this technical safety engineer. What certifications can help one fit in this role?

People mostly start with the wrong question - Asking about certifications! Being a technical safety / loss prevention engineer is not about certifications. It is more about experience. One needs to have indepth understanding of oil / gas processes and facilities, design and safety engineering philosophies. It takes years of experience to acquire, and it involves a lot of personal studies and diligence. Like I said, don't feel overwhelmed. The easiest way to kick start your career in that line is to start first as a facilities, I & E, process or machinery engineering. With a good engineering degree, you can get entry level positions in the fields. Sometimes, you can be lucky to be employed directly as a trainee safety engineer.
Some universities abroad offer safety engineering, though it is preferably for one to first gain basic engineering experience (not necessarily as a safety engineer) in the oil and gas before going for such an MSc in safety engineering.
There are certifications along the way but it will be meaningless to you without basic engineering experience. And certifications are not compulsory anyway. Companies generally value experience over certifications. Read this comment below on the thread:

Insanity: Do you know what it means to be a welding engineer for IOCs? Do you know the work of safety engineers not HSE? They are not what you learn just through certifications. If you lucky to get involved in an EPCIC project in the upstream sector, you won't say you' re qualified again. That's where you see engineering in its purest form. you are on the right track though. It's not about certifications, there are soo many materials online you can read on steel construction fabrication in the and gas industry. Develop yourself everyday.

chukwuma101: @ xfire Your article was copied and referenced by Toscany academy. toscanyacademy.com/blog/career-in-nigeria/top-10-demanded-jobs-oil-gas-industry

Yea, many blogs reproduce my articles. I don't mind if bloggers copy my articles as far as it is referenced. Unfortunately, many refuse to add the reference. But for now, I write exclusively for jarushub.
Thanks bro for the information. It is an encouragement.

harry: @Xfire and other O&G expert plz help... What are the chances n opportunities that I have as a graduate of Biochemistry with HSE Certifications from ISPON as I really want to go into safety in O/G industry. Or what other advice can u give me in terms of career path in oil n gas with my above qualification?

NNPC recruits biochemists as HSE officers and lab analysts in the refineries. They recruited many in their last successful recruitment exercise. Biochemists also work as environmental scientists. Biochemists were also selected in the current NLNG recruitment. I know 2 biochemists that have made it pass the 2nd stage and are awaiting interview.

MissJennifer: Hello everyone, please I need clarifications to this issue. Recently, i've been hearing,if you want to go into the academics, get a masters. If you want to go into the coporate world,get certifications n a job first then decide whether to go back to school or not later.I want to know how true this is cos am a fresh graduate of economics and I intend going in for masters in the next academic session. I have no experience whatsoever n I don't intend going into the academics

Thank you in advance!

Definitely, you should further your studies if you intend to build a career in academics. Further education is not compulsory if you want to gain work/industry experience. For instance, I only have a BSc and I have worked for 3 firms so far. I have also rejected an offer once for a better one. But if you are still young and /or you won a PG scholarship, you may consider going for your MSc first before searching for a job. You may also decide to enroll for MSc while job hunting. The choice is yours.

A good BSc is enough to fetch you a good job even without Masters. Just work on your aptitude test and interview skills. And watch out for vacancies and apply. Depending on what you want for a career, you can also consider certifications, but it is also not mandatory. I never had certifications before getting my first 2 jobs.

Cheers....

Tiimmy: Definately... As a matter of fact about 95% of Instrumentation & Control Engineers in the oil & gas industry are Elect-Elect graduates. Others have background in Physics & Electronics, Systems/Computer Engineering or Science, even Mechanical Engineering.

@OP in shell shocked you made no mention of Instrumentation & Control Engineers in your list. They are (in my opinion) one of the most sought-after and highly paid Engineers in the oil & Gas industry.

BTW im a Piping & Mechanical Static Engineer.... so im not being biased in my assertions.

See link below to know more about Instrumentation & Control Engineering.

Thanks for your contribution. And I quite agree that experienced instrumentation & control engineers are in high demand, as well as corrosion engineers and facilities engineers. but this is a listing of the most demanded fields in the industry worldwide. I will not list I & C engineering in the top 10 based on current trends in the industry.

johnshatty: What's the hope of the HND holders?

HND holders usually start as technicians, operators and sometimes field supervisors (for the experienced ones) in the sector.

bollify: Bros, I can't thank you enough for this great enlightement. You have really opened my eyes to a lot of opportunities. God bless you sir. However, I need your proffesional advice, please if you can advice me because I have almost stoped believing in myself. I am currently in 400 level, mechanical engineering FUTA student, I am doing internship in a coy co-owned by a relative hence the oportunity I have to do an internship here. My greatest problem is that as my result stand now, I can only graduate with a 2:2, this is not because I wasn't serious in school, in fact, I do read like all my life depend on books but finnacial contraints( as I sponsor my education myself) and unforseen circumstances just didn't help things. My second problem is age, I ll b graduateing at d age of 29. All these make me loose faith in myself. The advantage I now have is that I can always come back to this company to work( although the pay is very low) but they deal majorly with instrumentation( presure safety valve caliberation) and they mostly work with oil company. I was considering working with them ( plus doing oda menia busines) to raise money and do masters in mechatronic at IIT(india). But after reading your post, I am a bit confuse as I'm really dieing to work in an o&g industry. Please your advice sir will be most welcome. God bless you sir.

Great bro. Calibration of Pressure safety valves (PSV's) is a regular maintenance activity in the oil industry. I&E engineers supervise that. With a 2.2, experience is more valuable for you than an immediate pursuit of an MSc. If you desire to work in the industry. I will advise you to return to the company to gain a few more years of experience. Then you can go for a MSc in instrumentation & controls engineering. Don't worry about your mechanical background. You will still be admitted for an MSc programme in I & C engineering, given the fact that you have some experience in instrumentation. But I must add that you need to be patient and disciplined.

Mcslize: xfire,
thanks for this thread, I want to know those related courses one can do for master's degree for someone that had a Bsc degree in chemical Engineering.
Like the above mentioned areas like Subsea Engineering and Drilling Engineering which is more suitable for a graduate of Chemical Engineering who wants to proceed to a master level?

TheCode: xfire, any other O&G expert (esp engineering), pls advice

A BSc in chemical engineering is enough to get you into the oil industry. I have only a BSc in engineering, and I have worked in 2 oil firms. There are many BSc holders (without MSc) in the oil and gas industry.

However, it is sometimes good to go for MSc before gaining work experience especially if you are still young (< or = 23 years) and it is on scholarship. It is harder when you get the 'dream' job as a BSc holder to think of obtaining an MSc except if you try online programmes. In addition, MSc can help provide more guidance in your career path. Some oil firms also prefer fresh MSc holders in some fields e.g. most entry level positions in reservoir engineering, subsea engineering, geoscience and even drilling engineering are filled by MSc graduates in some notable oil firms in lieu of experience. But like I said, it is not compulsory to have a masters degree.

Syenite: Great thread.
God bless u xfire. It is threads like this that I like to see and not threads that will make fresh graduates and undergraduates feel the only thing u need to get a job is connection.

I am also an Oil and Gas expert. I have worked both in a servicing firm and currently with an E & P. Your are 99% right abt the top 10 specialised skills you mentioned.

Zeroing in on the ratio of Geoscientists to Engineers, it is only normal to have a ratio of 1:5, 6 or7. Geosciences is made of just two fields: Geology (80% of Geoscientists) and Geophysics. But Engineering is made up of multiple desciplines:Electrical, Mechanical, Petroleum, Civil, Chemical, Metallurgical, Production etc
In addition only mayb 1 or 2 Polytechnics offer Geology but almost all Polytechnics offer most of the engineering courses. This has there4 created a situation where we have a far less no. of Geoscientists compared to engineers in d market.

On the issue of having d necessary experiencee,here is how I got my first job as a trainee: The advert was for people with 2-5yrs experience in the field of Biostratigraphy (a branch of geology). I had zero experience bt still applied. I was called for test and interview and I got d job. I later learnt dat they could not get people of 2-5 yrs experience cos dey were already gainfully employed elsewhere so dey decided to take fresh graduates & den train dem to do d job.

Last bullet to d undergraduates ; academic excellence is the key to the Oil industry. First class or 2:1 in any of d Engineering or Geosciences field and u have a good chance.

Great contribution. You are absolutely right about the ratio thing.
Just to add to what you have said and already know: to all undergraduates - it is not only engineering or geosciences that have the opportunity to work in the oil and gas industry. There are many non-technical options too (logistics, administrative work, procurement, IT specialist, real estate / facilities management, HR, procurement, logistics, accounting / audit, etc....)

ignis: Does 5 years experience fall from heaven?
How do one get the 5 years experience without a job?

You need experience to get job, and you need job to get experience. .. Very pathetic.

It's an irony but that's somewhat true, especially in the industry. But people do get entry level jobs in the industry, though it's very competitive. I started in the industry as entry level graduate though I had previous experience in a notable non-oil firm so I was a bit 'shortchanged'. Money wasn't my major consideration then. It was just to get the required oil and gas experience. But I later moved to an IOC as a 'semi-entry level' staff. Most non-technical graduates can acquire the experience elsewhere though.
Don't be discouraged. Once you start acquiring the experience, you become less dispensable.

uyplus: Xfire.. I'm a graduate of pharmacy, preparing for a certification in supply chain (APICS CSCP) and an M.ba in SAP ERP.. can ds fetch me an O/G job even witout an engineering background?

Of course it can. Many members of APICS are employees of respectable oil firms. Besides, many oil firms are use the SAP software. You don't need to have an engineering background to work in an oil company. There are many, many non-engineers in the industry. Just try to get experience, even if it is in another industry at first. You are good to go

TheCode: Alright bro. One luv @ gudrated
Thanks @ xfire. Pls another thing is, for a graduate with no 'real' work experience but with internship and nysc experience, is a 1.5- or 2-page cv frowned upon? Must it be restricted to one page?

No. It is not frowned upon. A 1.5 - 2 pages CV is very okay.

edwardjr: OP wat r d prospects of environmental engr. in the oil and gas industry as u've nt mentiond it amongst ur ratings?

I did mention environmental specialist, though it does not fall under the top 10 count.

bluish: @xfire

Sir,petroleum engineers should be on high demand too.

Wats ur take on dat?

Most of the disciplines listed are specialized fields under petroleum engineering. But in the industry, any engineer can work as a petroleum engineer. Chemical, electrical, mechanical and even civil engineers work as petroleum engineers. So it's thrown open to all.

DrFunmi: @OP
Tanks 4 highlighting some of top courses in the oil industry, though u left out occupational health as HSE is very essential 2 oil companies. I believe dat there is a demand for occupational health /industrial health workers in d industry, especially offshore health workers. Am currently considering dat option since I am in d medical line. Wat do u tink?

Well...This is definitely not a list of all the career fields in the oil and gas industry. This is just a list of the most demanded ones. Oil companies employ occupational / industrial health workers. But would I say that they are in high demand in the oil industry? No, I wouldn't put them as one of the most demanded fields in the industry.
That option is cool. There are a good number of opportunities for industrial health workers, even outside the oil industry.

Tundex4real: sorry ma big bros and siss for derailing a bt i want u peeps 2 ansa ma qst...wat does cover letter means and wat is it used for??.Am a JAMBITE wanting 2 knw abt it..God bless ya all...

Bro, as a JAMBITE, you should be more concerned with your studies.... Just joking anyway
Yea, nice that you asked. Kunle106 has given you a brief but accurate response. I plan talking comprehensively on cover letters in the next few weeks as a lot of people have asked me questions about it. Stay tuned.
[quote author=nabsprada][/quote]Nabs, thanks for reminding me once again.

Feex: I currently work in the food and beverages industry. I earn a decent income though won't mind to earn more.
I have always dreamt of moving to the oil industry but I am a bot weary of job security. I think that oil and gas industry is cyclical. When oil prices are high, many jobs are created but when oil prices are low, thousands of jobs are lost and oil firms start embarking on job losses. Though high oil prices have been sustained for quite a well.

Though I will like to move, I wonder if my years of experience as a process/production engineer will count when applying for jobs. I don't want to start from entry level or earn pays commiserate with entry level. Is the engineering experience in food/beverage industry (maintenance of boilers, steam pipes, pumps, chillers, process vessels, etc.) useful in the oil industry?

And how about job security in the oil industry?

Thanks
-xfire, gudrated and others, kindly assist

very industry has its up and down. The oil industry is not exempted. Generally speaking, there is job stability in the sector. In most cases, technology evolves in the sector, and one has to be adaptable to change. In addition, many simply move from one company to another within the sector.

Industries have different engineering needs and concepts. Even reputable firms (Total, BP, Exxon, Shell, Baker Hughes, Petrobas, etc) have their unique systems, processes, structures and even technologies. So you will still need to learn a lot if you move across industries or within the same industry.
I have never heard of an experienced engineer (5+ years) moving from another industry to the oil industry, except for a change of career. I have heard and seen experienced accountants, safety officers, HR practitioners, security experts, IT experts, etc. but not engineers. I am sure there are, and they will definitely not start at entry level.

TheCode: xfire back with another great thread... the world is becoming a better place. pls advice: I'm torn between petroleum engineering and petroleum geoscience for my M.Sc and I want the one that would make me much more indispensable in the Oil and Gas industry. I am presently a graduate of Chemical Engineering.

I wouldn't advise you to go for an MSc in petroleum geoscience for the following
1) It will be hard to sell yourself to any employer with a BSc in chemical engineering and MSc in petroleum geoscience. This doesn't not have anything to do with your intelligence. Most employers will be more disposed to candidates with BSc and MSc in geosciences.
2) There are more job opportunities in the industry for engineers than for geoscientists. Go to an average oil exploration and producing firm, the ratio of engineers to geoscientists may be like 5 or 6 to 1, or even more.
3) The combination is far apart. You will hardly see a reputable institution which will willing to offer you an MSc in petroleum geoscience with a degree in chemical engineering. Only schools of low repute (even in UK) who are more interested in your money will do that. The differences between the 2 courses are much. so, having a BSc in chemical engineering + MSc in petroleum geoscience from a lowly rated school = bad sell

profem1: how does mathematics fit in here??

Oil and gas industry is big. Cuts across so many disciplines. Just that some disciplines are much higher in demand than others.
A postgraduate degree in a more relevant course will give you a better chance of 'fitting in' there.
Good luck

By the way, mathematics is a great course

addictiv: inspiring thread op. i am a graduate of gas engineering currently planning on going for Msc in the US but am having difficulties in picking between Drilling, Subsea and Production engineering. i want to engage myself in facing the challenges in the industry as well as fix myself in an area that guarantees job security globally and attractive remuneration . i dont intend to spend more than 15 yrs in the industry before retiring to set up an O&G firm back home. advice pls

All three guarantee job security and attractive pay package. Drilling and subsea are particularly great.
There are various services offered in the oil industry. Except for consulting and a few other services, it's capital intensive to set up an O & G firm except you do it with other partners that are willing to provide required funds. What type of O & G firm do you intend to set up?

Geniuz: Sir xfire, can someone who studied Electrical/Electronics Engineering and did instrumentation and control in his finals work as an Instrumentation and control engineer in an oil and gas company?

of course. You don't even need to do a final year project in I & C to be employed for an I & C engineering role. There are many elect/elect engineers working as I & C engineers in the oil industry.