Recently graduated with BE in Materials Engineering. What should I do next?

talal.azam

I recently graduated from NUST, Pakistan completing my Bachelors in Materials Engineering. I've applied to several industries within and outside Pakistan but so far the response has been disappointing.
I've been confused regarding where to start. There are a couple of questions I want to ask:

1) Should I keep on finding a job until I do and then stick to it? I am inclined towards inspection (NDT, corrosion) ?
2) Should I go for Maters, if yes then in which discipline and from where?
3) Should I try getting a job and eventually go for MBA which has a better potential for both jobs and salary?
4) In case I do masters, should I try moving to Middle east?
5) What about training's related to Welding (CSWIP), NDT, API standards?

I personally want to to a job in Oil and Gas sector for 2-3 years and then go for an MBA and eventually settle in the ME. Since this will give me a choice to shift either to Managerial side or either to Technical whenever I want.

I would really appreciate your opinion in this. Looking forward to you response.

Regards,
Talal Azam

ChaseRLewis73

As a chemical engineer I can understand you a bit.

Oil industry will accept you and they pay very well. Out of college you can look at 120k a year wit 150k on your second year but the hours / lifestyle is brutal if you do field work (only way you'll make that kind of cash). Doing something like that into MBA is financially really strong but your going to be sacrificing the 'good years' to make an impact.

That's what I'm doing currently. Make mad cash out the gate but to be honest I'm finding it not very fulfilling and the career path for a field engineer is generally short lived 2-3 years then you either switch companies because you can't move up (get out of the field) or you move up into a coordinator type position which is just checking the work of everyone in the field. But when you are in town you can live like a king and do whatever you want (or you know be responsible and not blow your money).

If your more interested in research
3M or a chip manufacturer is the way to go but unfortunately the way the material / chemical world is evolving it's pretty much PHD or gtfo when it comes to anything but a lab monkey. You can't even be a patent attorney for chemical items without a PHD nowadays because all the chem tech is above what they teach the average undergrad.

I think a master's in materials or chemical is worthless as it doesn't do what a PHD does. But a PHD opens a lot of doors, though I think the overall quality of the job you get isn't better than just going into the workforce before your PHD and getting the extra couple years in.