More education, better job opportunities?

[curryrice]

Hi, I graduated with a local NTU degree in Electrical/Electronics engineering 4 years ago. There are many foreigners from China and India in my company.

I was wondering if getting a Masters degree (in engineering) would help to provide an "edge" for my career?

Opportunities for advancement are mostly provided to these guys, while locally born-and-bred guys like me are given supporting roles.

Not too sure if a Masters would help... I asking here 'cos I not too sure if it would be time and money well-spent on a Masters degree (in engineering).

Your advices would be very much appreciated.

[dellysunny]

Degree and Masters does not make much difference in the engineering line. What I suggest is to spend sometime figuring out the difference between those guys and yourself. In order to perform, you need either to be strong in your technical stuff or strong in handling people if you are not strong in both at the same time.

Originally Posted by dellysunny

Degree and Masters does not make much difference in the engineering line.

Not only does it not make much difference, the returns from getting a Masters are negative.

You are effectively telling your prospective employers that you are prepared to waste time getting something which does not make much difference.

How can an employer trust someone who doesn't have a sense of opportunity costs?

[curryrice]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Not only does it not make much difference, the returns from getting a Masters are negative.

You are effectively telling your prospective employers that you are prepared to waste time getting something which does not make much difference.

How can an employer trust someone who doesn't have a sense of opportunity costs?

If a Masters is useless, then what may be useful?

Originally Posted by curryrice

If a Masters is useless, then what may be useful?

In the engineering field, the elites would not go for Master in Engineering. Most of them who probably be a First Class in their Bachelors and already a PE (Professional Engineer), would go for an accelerated PhD. After which, they would probably be joining the research teams, lecturing somewhere, working as consultants, or be their own boss. Cheers.

In short, Master in Engineering is a masturbation for the 2nd-tier and below.
Wake up. Get a career switch unless you enjoy filling the void left by others.

Dont listen to these morons. Clearly, if you not smart, no degree will help you beyond a point. The real reason why these people think that a masters will not help is bcus of the jobs available in Singapore. Most jobs dont require extra knowledge. A BS is enough and more the experience, better off you are.

However, a Masters can be helpful if you can find a job which requires a little more knowledge or specialization. This is the typical attitude why people get laid off for cheaper labour and why jobs are moving to India n China. Simply, bcus people dont upgrade knowledge and skills. They just think experience in one job will retain them for life.

And yet u will see, that the skilled labor earns well and is safe. So, if you are gonna do a Master and look for jobs which need a BS, then ur screwed. But, if u think u can do a master and find a more challenging job, u will be better off.

And lastly, if you pay for ur Masters, do a few extra courses, learn nothing , then its useless. So remenber, a degree wont save u, only u will

And since ur considering a master, why not do it in a area which is in demand in Singapore like business or finance or something like that. No point studying something which the industry does not want. Industry is very mean. They dont care for knowledge, they care for business n money. So dont study something which has no demand.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Dont listen to these morons. Clearly, if you not smart, no degree will help you beyond a point. The real reason why these people think that a masters will not help is bcus of the jobs available in Singapore. Most jobs dont require extra knowledge. A BS is enough and more the experience, better off you are.

However, a Masters can be helpful if you can find a job which requires a little more knowledge or specialization. This is the typical attitude why people get laid off for cheaper labour and why jobs are moving to India n China. Simply, bcus people dont upgrade knowledge and skills. They just think experience in one job will retain them for life.

And yet u will see, that the skilled labor earns well and is safe. So, if you are gonna do a Master and look for jobs which need a BS, then ur screwed. But, if u think u can do a master and find a more challenging job, u will be better off.

And lastly, if you pay for ur Masters, do a few extra courses, learn nothing , then its useless. So remenber, a degree wont save u, only u will

And since ur considering a master, why not do it in a area which is in demand in Singapore like business or finance or something like that. No point studying something which the industry does not want. Industry is very mean. They dont care for knowledge, they care for business n money. So dont study something which has no demand.

Hi manners-lacking Moron, before you start labelling others as your specie, please read the original thread more thoroughly. This poor chap is stuck as an engineer and he is enquiring about the prospect of getting a Master in Engineering. Not Master in Finance, MBA or MPA.
Then again, I wish there are more Singaporeans thinking the same way as you - underestimating everyone, thinking you are the only one who can see what others do not.

Find me one more person who thinks like this :
>> In short, Master in Engineering is a masturbation for the 2nd-tier and below.

Look at your post. It reeks of arrogance n lack of manners. I just responded in the langauge you will understand.

You are basically ridiculing the idea of Masters. I am not judging the OP. All I am saying is that masters will help him if he has potential, otherwise not. So he should decide.

I also said it is better to study something which has demand. Just bcus he has an engineering background, does not mean he has to do Masters in the same area. Maybe he does not know that.

Atleast I am showing him the various options. You are clearly blasting Masters . And ya, the way you have written about a fast track PHD and what happens after Phd, you have no idea that Phd is not a fast track option. If he is struggling, then Phd is not for him.