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For about a decade, I worked on a PhD to enable myself to have a career that I enjoyed.
O&G would have been the easy route. I would have entered in 2004, right before the peak.
I didn& #39;t have a "hate-on" for O&G. I wanted a job I *wanted* to do, not a job for the sake of a job.
O&G would have been the easy route. I would have entered in 2004, right before the peak.
I didn& #39;t have a "hate-on" for O&G. I wanted a job I *wanted* to do, not a job for the sake of a job.
During that ten year span, research budgets at Universities were slashed. I was paid for about 45% of the ten years. I probably was below the poverty line. I still carry some debt from that stretch.
People that finished undergrad at the same time as me? Rolling in money.
People that finished undergrad at the same time as me? Rolling in money.
Common tidbits of unsolicited advice at this time of my life:
- Why are you doing this? You should do something where you& #39;ll make money!
- You& #39;re wasting your time!
- I& #39;m paying for your education.
- You& #39;re never going to make money doing that!
- You think you& #39;re better than me?
- Why are you doing this? You should do something where you& #39;ll make money!
- You& #39;re wasting your time!
- I& #39;m paying for your education.
- You& #39;re never going to make money doing that!
- You think you& #39;re better than me?
The whole "paying for your education" one.. lol. There was nothing farther from the truth.
The majority of my research work was completed with patients and commercialization grants. Those require product development, investment from industry, and small fraction public money.
The majority of my research work was completed with patients and commercialization grants. Those require product development, investment from industry, and small fraction public money.
The whole time I was working on my PhD, we had friends and family in O&G.
Always the butt of jokes. Always the target of "when will you actually get a job?" comments. Always had to swallow my pride, grit my teeth and just take it.
Always the butt of jokes. Always the target of "when will you actually get a job?" comments. Always had to swallow my pride, grit my teeth and just take it.
When I finally finished the degree and found a job, during the last crash/slowdown, the constant "good natured" ribbing from those people slowly turned to not so "good natured" complaints and some variation of "you& #39;re lucky to have a job!"-type insults.
I understand you lost a job. It& #39;s unfortunate that the industry is going through a tough spell.
I spent a decade working, on average, 60 hours a week to learn the skills I use on a daily basis, while making about 1/10th of what the average wrench-turner did.
I spent a decade working, on average, 60 hours a week to learn the skills I use on a daily basis, while making about 1/10th of what the average wrench-turner did.
I currently work in an industry that serves fundamental physics and medicine research.
It is insulated from O&G swings. It is insulated (mostly) from local events. There are *literally* no ties to my work to O&G.
It is insulated from O&G swings. It is insulated (mostly) from local events. There are *literally* no ties to my work to O&G.
The concept that my financial well being should be gutted, yet again, because an industry that *I have no stake in* is failing is ridiculous.
Oh yeah, don& #39;t forget that I& #39;m not considered to be a "taxpayer", "job creator", or "wealth creator" because I& #39;m not working in O&G.
Forget the fact that our company has had a revenue and workforce growth rate of 25% every year since I joined.
Yup. Not job creators.
Forget the fact that our company has had a revenue and workforce growth rate of 25% every year since I joined.
Yup. Not job creators.
So. In closing. Rather than simply recycling the "advice" given to me several years ago to ex-O&G workers to simply "go work where the money is", I& #39;ll take the increasing risk of going to work tomorrow to keep developing the tools that will help with the current issues.
I learned long time ago that you have to stop blaming others for your own misfortunes and pull yourself up by your bootstraps.
There& #39;s work out there - might not be turning a golden wrench though.
There& #39;s work out there - might not be turning a golden wrench though.
