This is what I feared the most. So even with 5 years of working experience prior to your PhD, you found it hard to find a job? Did you eventually find a job then?

That's good spirit there, wanting to do it for yourself. After all, money is just potential, it's useless if not cashed in.

Anyway, what makes you think in petroleum I will get paid loads more than any other scientist? The oil market is down so I think right now it's bad times for us (and perhaps the best opportunity to study). Schlumberger just announced an 11,000 cut to its workforce today.

Caro, thanks for your reply. Regarding my career aspirations, I hope to be able to work in research groups within the industry, focusing on issues regarding oil/gas recovery. Alternatively, I'd like to work in oilfield development groups. For the former, generally a PhD is required. For the latter, most jobs I've seen on the market ask for an MSc or a PhD (different years of experience depending on qualifications).

I don't have intentions to pursue an academic career straight after graduation. The discipline is borne out of the industry and generally, you will find that petroleum engineering professors have perhaps a decade or two of industrial experience.

Personally, the passion for doing research and pursuing a PhD is there. However, there is a constant worry that the opportunity cost while in school and the career that follows may devalue the worth of the PhD.

Did you ever get cold feet prior to starting the PhD? For me, taking up a salary means a >50% drop in my income (salary vs stipend).

Hi all, I'm new to the forum so bear with me if my forum etiquette is a bit off.

I've been struggling with the idea of doing a PhD. One local university in Singapore has recently launched an initiative to start a petroleum engineering programme. I've been in talks with the professor in charge as well as a professor in a university in the UK to work out a joint PhD collaboration between the two schools. So far, this is going well and my application is almost done.

By the time I start the programme, I would have 4.5 years of work experience as a mechanical engineer in the oil industry (take note, not petroleum engineer).

From what I have read in most posts in the forum regarding PhD vs work, I have seen a lot of advice for work. Most of these are based on the premise that the person seeking advice is progressing into PhD right after their undergraduate degree. Some of the problems highlighted with pursuing this track is the inability to secure jobs after graduation due to the lack of work experience.

So I'd like to make a small request for all you veterans to assess the pros and cons my post-PhD continuition of a non-academic career in a different field of work within the same industry (petroleum engineering instead of mechanical engineering).

I'm sure your views will be immensely helpful and I look forward to a healthy discussion.