Need advice for Scholarship/Career Choice in Energy Industry

[CaiusKing]

Hi all,

I am a NUS EE Student under the Global Engineering Programme which means I graduate with a Master at the end of my 3 years. (Poly Batch) I was the gold medalist from my polytechnic and is currently holding a NUS Scholarship.

I am looking at applying for scholarship (Keppel, Sembcorp, Singapore Power, Tuas Power) in the power/energy industry but at the same time wish to work in a company that is able to provide opportunities not limited to Singapore.

I am hoping to seek guidance from the experts here on companies that pays well and have good career progression.

Any thoughts?

[Xyresic]

elite spotted

Originally Posted by CaiusKing

Hi all,

I am a NUS EE Student under the Global Engineering Programme which means I graduate with a Master at the end of my 3 years. (Poly Batch) I was the gold medalist from my polytechnic and is currently holding a NUS Scholarship.

I am looking at applying for scholarship (Keppel, Sembcorp, Singapore Power, Tuas Power) in the power/energy industry but at the same time wish to work in a company that is able to provide opportunities not limited to Singapore.

I am hoping to seek guidance from the experts here on companies that pays well and have good career progression.

Any thoughts?

You've got to be realistic over here. Scholarships by these GLCs are more company bonds then real scholarship per se. The good thing is if you take them up you generally start off in a better footing compared to other farmers in GLCs though this is not guaranteed. These GLCs pay decent, but certainly not top paying.

But if you really want plenty of global opportunities, exposure to world class engineering practices and top paying companies like Exxon, Shell etc. then you've got to make it through their ACs or various avenues and work from scratch. The competition will be much fiercer and you might not be able to start off in a privilege position within the company.

In addition, I do not think they pay or view fresh Masters anymore favorably compared to normal degrees. GLCs on the other hand offer a higher starting for academics.

It's all about whether you want to be a big fish in a small pond or ikan bilis in the ocean. GLCs put you right on track in the sense they already have a rough career track for you as a Masters and "scholar" whereas the global MNCs treat you more like normal fresh hires, but of course the long term pay and prospects is way higher. Each has its merits.

Originally Posted by Xyresic

elite spotted

Elite from poly?

[megalomaniac]

As far as I know, there aren't any MNCs in the energy sector providing scholarships to local undergrads.

I work in an oil & gas supermajor and I can say they don't really care about paper qualifications once you have anything above a bachelors with second lower.

Salary wise, the starting pay is decent but it's not particularly fantastic overall.

It is thus important for employers to adopt a more holistic approach towards managing their workforce. Instead of judging an employee’s abilities based on their tenure or age, employers should be focussing more on skills and competencies such as learning potential and leadership qualities. Having robust learning and development programmes can also help build a highly-skilled workforce, which in turn will increase an employer’s attractiveness in the market. Read more: .randstad.com.sg/workforce-insights/talent-management/how-to-attract-and-retain-millennials/

Thanks. I needed that information.