Mentor Me - A Request from Nigerian Engineer
Friday, May 01, 2009
This post is an actual conversation between myself and one of my readers from Nigeria in the last 24 hours (Sunday Kanshio emailed first emailed me on the 30th of April 2009). He wanted to seek some advise from me regarding his career in chemical engineering. Honestly, I don't consider myself a very experienced engineer. It just happen to be that I share some information on my experiences, thoughts and knowledge in this blog. I've had his permission to post our conversation which I think maybe useful for junior engineers or final year students reference.
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Dear Sir,
I am a fresh chemical engineering graduate from Nigeria. I am thinking of going for a masters degree in Gas Engineering or Chemical Engineering. I need your advise.
God Bless you.
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Hi,Thanks for writing in. It's good if you want to further your studies. But before that i need to ask you a question. What is your ambition or career target? If you want to practice your engineering knowledge, its better if you get a good job with a good company. If you want to be in the academic line, or research, it's good for you to further studies in your masters or pH.D. I fear if you want to be an engineer but further your masters, you'll lost about 2 years of your seniority. However, if you have a master and/or pH.D and would like to be engineer, company likes shell (and others) are now likely to employ engineers with masters and pH.D So, it all depends on your planning and available opportunity and also the global situation.
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Dear Sir,
I am very grateful for your timely reply.
I want to be an engineer. My career objective is to secure a job with a multinational oil company. However, getting such job in Nigeria is very competitive. So, waiting till such an opportunity will come may amount to time wastage. Also, I am feeling that having MSc will enhance my chances of actualizing my career objective. I am also looking at gas as a good future.
Please, I attached my CVs for necessary advise. I respect every bit of your mentorship sir.
Thanks sir.
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Hi,
If that's the case, then you can continue your post graduate, maybe in masters as quickly possible. I hope you can later get a job in an oil company that recognize your qualification. Sometimes it is difficult to get such position because some of them see you as over qualified. But, sometimes, some company recognize your degree/qualification and award you with good job and good salary. It's totally up to you. It's better for you to do your masters which can lead you to become very good in something. That means you are a specialist to be.
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Dear Sir,
Thanks for your concern.How about my CV? I will appreciate if you can have a look at it for advice. Sir, in your own opinion, which one among Chemical Engineering and Gas Engineering will you advice inline with my career objective looking at future of the oil and gas industry as a whole. I am trying to anchor myself to a more selling niche in the oil and gas industry. I want to specialize in something that will make me more unique.
High Regards
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Generally your cv is good and you have good experiences as well. Both chemical and gas engineering are good. I can't say much because it's you who should decide in which niche you want to establish yourself. Both disciplines allow you to be in the oil and gas industry. Perhaps after joining the industry for a year or two, you can learn and discover which specialization your would like to pursue with. You can also ask other more experience engineers as well.
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Dear sir,
Thank you very much.
I am very much impressed with your pieces of advice.
I wish you good luck in your Ph.D program.
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You're welcome. Please keep in touch and let me know your progress. It's good to have friends around the globe that have similar interest and spirit.
Another thing I forgot to ask you.
I think the emails between us since yesterday is very interesting and I'm thinking of posting our conversation in my blog to be shared with others who might have almost similar situation like you. I think it might help others. Do you mind I post it into my blog?
Thanks.
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Oh! that's very interesting. Sir, you can go ahead a mention my name. It is very big challenge particularly in Nigeria because some graduate do stay without job for several years because of lack of mentoring. I thing is a great thing to be mentored by senior people like you. I am happy about your blog. It's great, your discussion are rich in content.
End of emails.
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That's it. A little discussion on Sunday's career with me. I'm not a career counselor but I'll try and give some comments and ideas if one need. I would like to help because I was once in his position before. I have no idea about my career and what is best for me. After dwelling in the chemical engineering world for about 10 years, I have at least some back ground ideas on some interesting routes to be successful in chemical engineering.
If you want to contact Mr. Sunday Kanshio, here is his email: sunday_kanshio@yahoo.com
For potential employer(s), if you want to see his resume, click here.
Note: The photos above are not related to this post. I just picked them from the net for display. So, that's not Mr. Sunday's photo.
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The Author
I’m Zaki. I used to be a project, process and chemical engineer. Few years ago I successfully became a Chartered Engineer (IChemE) and Professional Engineer (BEM). I'm now employed as a chemical engineering educator/researcher/consultant. Hope you like reading my blog. I welcome any feedback from you. My email: zaki.yz[alias]gmail.com. TQ!
