Really that bad for engineers?

under the current circumstances, be glad you even have a job and hope that you can keep it!

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Just as it's never meaningful to speak of top salaries, it's also never meaningful to speak of median salaries without looking at the difficulty of getting into a particular career.

An engineering graduate finding an engineering job is almost a certainty whereas a finance graduate finding a finance job (particularly one in front office) is not.

The battlefield is littered with bodies of finance graduates languishing in front desk (not front office) receptionist/ telemarketer-type dead end jobs.

Unlike the myriad engineers here who can like claim "if I had studied finance ...", these unfortunate finance grads can't do the same.

Hence one advantage of studying engineering is that one can always claim "if I had studied finance ..." and add whatever number of zeros to your salary.

fair point

Originally Posted by Unregistered

under the current circumstances, be glad you even have a job and hope that you can keep it!

Normally words from an engineering boss. All SME engineering based company bosses please look here:
Be glad your useless company still survives because I can see one day you will even lose out to budget Indian or China company. Time to close that useless company of yours.

I'm offered a job at Sembawang Shipyard as engineer with those 1 yr bond, lump sum kinda scholarship.
I need to wake up at 5am to go work everyday as I live damn far away.

I'm really lost as to whether I should go down this path.
Any people out there care to advise about this?
I feel like I'm missing out if I don't take, but I don't have a good feeling about this, those kinda feeling like go BMT kind.

Btw, I'm an engine undergrad and like the millions of engine undergrads out there, am passive abt engineering.

Please help.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I'm offered a job at Sembawang Shipyard as engineer with those 1 yr bond, lump sum kinda scholarship.
I need to wake up at 5am to go work everyday as I live damn far away.

I'm really lost as to whether I should go down this path.
Any people out there care to advise about this?
I feel like I'm missing out if I don't take, but I don't have a good feeling about this, those kinda feeling like go BMT kind.

Btw, I'm an engine undergrad and like the millions of engine undergrads out there, am passive abt engineering.

Please help.

Sounds tough. Do you have other job offers?

I'm only starting year 4, 2nd lower.

What do you all think?

Damn lost.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I'm only starting year 4, 2nd lower.

What do you all think?

Damn lost.

I don't think it's a good idea to tie yourself when you are arleady in year 4... cos the perks that you had is not even comparable to a full scholar at the start of uni.. but the bond is only a year.. My take is not to sign and get yourself bonded at this stage..

But 2nd lower might have a slight difficulty finding a job.. not that you cant get one.. but need a bit of effort as compared to people with 1st class/2nd upper...

Semb marine pay is not fantastic.. if i am not wrong, they are paying 2800+.. but they compensate you with high bonus... 7-9mths..

Thanks for the advice.

Yea, high bonus, I was tempted by that, but the gut feeling to accept this or not just isn't positive.

That's why as of now, still undecided.
I have till Monday.

Is the job market really bad?

I worked in Sembawang Shipyard as an engineer for a couple of years after I graduated. Some facts:
1. Be ready to work on most of the Sundays and Saturdays because the refitting schedule is round the clock to maximize the berth/dock capacity. You can claim overtime but it is capped.

2. It is a physically demanding because ships are so big. You have to climb up that staircase aka gangway from the ground to the ship, and also down to cargo tanks that are five to six storey high. Not to mention toiling under the hot sun.

3. The turnover rate is high due to the work nature. Go search in jobsdb and you know what I mean.

4. But it is a good place to learn and toughen yourself. There is a saying that "If you can survive in the shipyard, you can survive anywhere"

So if you are a family person who enjoy sitting in air-con room, this job is not for you. But if you want to stretch yourself and Learn the most in the shortest time....go for it.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I'm offered a job at Sembawang Shipyard as engineer with those 1 yr bond, lump sum kinda scholarship.
I need to wake up at 5am to go work everyday as I live damn far away.

I'm really lost as to whether I should go down this path.
Any people out there care to advise about this?
I feel like I'm missing out if I don't take, but I don't have a good feeling about this, those kinda feeling like go BMT kind.

Btw, I'm an engine undergrad and like the millions of engine undergrads out there, am passive abt engineering.

Please help.

Travelling time is a huge factor. Nearly all my classmates including me who has to travel far to our workplace had changed jobs within 2 years. After 1.5yrs I could not bear to waste 3hrs+ just to travel to and from work. It is really eating into my time after adding the long working hours. Remember that engineers cannot escape from doing OT ever so often.