Industrial Postgraduate Program or Civil sector

[ChewAhSoon]

Hi all, I am new here and would like some advice from the community here. I have just graduated is now faced with a dilemma in choosing my career path.

1) IPP allows me to be employed by a company, while working towards getting a phD by the fourth year. I have done relatively well in my FYP due to my interest in it and taking up this path seems to be a natural path for me. Reading up some advice online seems to discourage me from going into such a specialised field at such a young age.

2) Was offered an engineer position in a stat board, job scope will be a typical engineer. Very likely I would be able to face a broad aspect of current problems that I hope my undergrad course would allow me to solve. I would NOT be (required to/doing) any research.

Salary wise, both are reasonable with the IPP lower by around $300. There will be no increment for the 4 years of study, 1 month of bonus max. No bond required.

I would like to take the opportunity to ask for perhaps advice from anyone whom walked through the 2 paths and let me know the pros/cons to make my decision.

If I am allowed to follow my passion, I would go with the IPP. I admit I am quite an ambitious chap who enjoys challenges and strives for the best. However, the rising living cost in SG led me to believe that I may be at a disadvantage if I were to go that route. I have no interest in getting tenured as a prof, also even if I want most SG phD cant get in SG uni. My ideal job if I were to complete the phD would be in consulting of engineering issues related to the environment. Perhaps taking the second route would eventually get me there as well, as it seems from some of the companies that I have researched on.


Please advise, thank you in advance.

Originally Posted by ChewAhSoon

Hi all, I am new here and would like some advice from the community here. I have just graduated is now faced with a dilemma in choosing my career path.

1) IPP allows me to be employed by a company, while working towards getting a phD by the fourth year. I have done relatively well in my FYP due to my interest in it and taking up this path seems to be a natural path for me. Reading up some advice online seems to discourage me from going into such a specialised field at such a young age.

2) Was offered an engineer position in a stat board, job scope will be a typical engineer. Very likely I would be able to face a broad aspect of current problems that I hope my undergrad course would allow me to solve. I would NOT be (required to/doing) any research.

Salary wise, both are reasonable with the IPP lower by around $300. There will be no increment for the 4 years of study, 1 month of bonus max. No bond required.

I would like to take the opportunity to ask for perhaps advice from anyone whom walked through the 2 paths and let me know the pros/cons to make my decision.

If I am allowed to follow my passion, I would go with the IPP. I admit I am quite an ambitious chap who enjoys challenges and strives for the best. However, the rising living cost in SG led me to believe that I may be at a disadvantage if I were to go that route. I have no interest in getting tenured as a prof, also even if I want most SG phD cant get in SG uni. My ideal job if I were to complete the phD would be in consulting of engineering issues related to the environment. Perhaps taking the second route would eventually get me there as well, as it seems from some of the companies that I have researched on.


Please advise, thank you in advance.

You can go from one to the other but not from the other to the one

[ChewAhSoon]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

You can go from one to the other but not from the other to the one

Yes indeed, for that I am gear towards the second option. Possible to change after trying out different things.

Originally Posted by ChewAhSoon

Yes indeed, for that I am gear towards the second option. Possible to change after trying out different things.

huh? It's precisely because it's much easier to enter the civil service, I'll recommend threadstarter to choose the first choice.

If you choose civil service, and realize that you don't like it, it's much harder to get an opportunity like IPP.

I don't see anything wrong with going into a specialized field after you have graduated from uni. The best paid professionals are always those from very specialized fields.

I'm guessing your field is in environmental engineering? I think the prospects in this field are pretty good (I'm working in environment-related field too), especially so if you are in the private sector.

Please think long term - while the starting pay for civil service may be higher, it stagnates very quickly. Whereas if you complete your PhD and go into consulting, your pay would easily rise past and rise faster than your civil service peers. You've just gotta tough it out for the four years.

It is precisely because of the rising living cost in SG that I would recommend the first option.

[ChewAhSoon]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

huh? It's precisely because it's much easier to enter the civil service, I'll recommend threadstarter to choose the first choice.

If you choose civil service, and realize that you don't like it, it's much harder to get an opportunity like IPP.

I don't see anything wrong with going into a specialized field after you have graduated from uni. The best paid professionals are always those from very specialized fields.

I'm guessing your field is in environmental engineering? I think the prospects in this field are pretty good (I'm working in environment-related field too), especially so if you are in the private sector.

Please think long term - while the starting pay for civil service may be higher, it stagnates very quickly. Whereas if you complete your PhD and go into consulting, your pay would easily rise past and rise faster than your civil service peers. You've just gotta tough it out for the four years.

It is precisely because of the rising living cost in SG that I would recommend the first option.

Thanks alot for your advice. I misunderstood because once I start the phD course I will not be able to quit or have to pay the fees, so its gonna be a big decision. May I know more about your field of work? You can PM me if you prefer.