Accountancy vs Chemical engineering.
 

hi guys, the university application is around the corner and i need help deciding between these two courses. Im applying for the course that has the best prospect. If i were to apply for NTU accountancy, i would most probably be working for a big 4 auditing firm with a starting pay of 2.7k, but from what i heard, the salary progression is pretty fast and i would most probably be able to hit 5k after 4 years to 5 years. But if i choose to go to NUS chemical engineering instead, i would be aiming for big O&G companies like shell and exxon. I do know Shell and Exxon have a higher starting salary of 3.4k-3.6k with at least 3 months bonus, but i am unsure of their salary progression 3 or 4 years down the road. Can someone please give me any advice?

it would be naive to think you can get into o&g. you need to make sure you can get the gpa. if you don't, you're farked. there is only so much o&g companies in sg. on the other hand, with an accounting degree you're much employable anywhere.

but i've read online, people with third class honours in the forums getting into O&G like Exxon... im not sure if this is true or not..

Not true. Accountancy would have more stability, employment would not be hard to find. While trying to work in O&G is very different. Your employment is swayed by market rates, all of a sudden, your company can come out and say that they are cutting headcount by 20% because oil prices are down like they are now. My cousin works in a small local subsidiary of Schlumberger and their headcount was just cut by that much. They announced it on Monday and by wednesday, most of them were out the door. I'd say accountancy would be much more stable.

Accountants are a dime a dozen. And many companies are moving their finance hubs or COEs out of Singapore. Go with chemical engineering. You won't regret it in the longer term.

First of all, the chances of getting into Shell/Exxon is very very slim unless you are a top scorer in uni and can outshine a lot of other ivy leauers, dean's list, FCH etc. during AC. They seldom hire fresh executives w/o going through the super hard MAP.

Secondly your starting pay and bonus market intel on Shell/Exxon is not accurate. More importantly, Shell/Exxon MAP progress so fast there is no way a typical big4 auditor can even match half the pay of a Shell/Exxon MAP graduate after 5 years. A typical big4 auditor draws 5k on a 14 month package after 5 years while a Shell/Exxon MAP draws 9-10k on a 20 month annual package for the same time. My good friend is Exxon MAP so I know how fast their pay can increase (~20% every 6 months during the MAP duration)

I suggest if you are just average student, it is better to make decision based on big4 accounting/auditing career vs fresh executive in other smaller O&G players. That way you have a more realistic apple to apple comparison.

Hahaha where got ppl compare Exxon or Shell with Big 4 audit one?

If you can make it to any of the oil big boys, your other options to consider will be MBB management consultancies or global bulge bracket banks. Even grads who get offered those local bank graduate program will drop a Big 4 offer in a heartbeat.

Exxon doesn't have an AC. Neither do they have a MAP. Get your facts right.

I think they have, but its not call MAP (call something else cant remember). But iirc the program is recruiting globally, not Singapore specific, so not sure how many position in SG open each year.

take accountancy, then use your spare time to take a math minor, if you can find such program. Then get some certificates such as CFA during school years. Then aim banking.

forget about chemical engineering. the only engineering still has some future in Singapore is computer engineering.