MBA Meng Petroleum Meng Project Management cant decide!
MBA Meng Petroleum Meng Project Management cant decide!
(OP)
Im looking for some advice.
Im a young engineer (24) and have done pretty well so far in my career responsibility wise. I currently have several million + dollar upstream projects under my full control from design through to execution. I work in a relatively small oil company and therefore get a very wide array of experience. Field development planning, equipment design, high value purchasing, etc..
Ive spoken with quite a few people and get pretty varied input on what to do with my career. Im currently taking some time to just enjoy work and the experiences and learn, but I find myself wanting to further my education (and future career) with an online or part time degree of sorts.
I love business so originally thought of going down the MBA route and management, but when speaking with my GM he strongly suggested I get a masters of petroleum engineering. Which did get me thinking...although I love projects, I have found the drilling/completions/exploration side fairly interesting, I would love to learn more in that area. Although at the end of the day my interest in more in projects, business development (economics, finance side). I could see a Meng in petroleum engineering helping that path but at 3-4 years per part time degree, I don't see myself doing two.
Ive recently started looking into a masters in project management, which could help me leap into larger projects, and give me more credibility down the road, especially since I want to continue to work in various countries around the world.
Would love some input from some people with more years of experience, thoughts, or even personal experiences. I basically want to head down the path that will give me the most worldwide mobility.
Im a young engineer (24) and have done pretty well so far in my career responsibility wise. I currently have several million + dollar upstream projects under my full control from design through to execution. I work in a relatively small oil company and therefore get a very wide array of experience. Field development planning, equipment design, high value purchasing, etc..
Ive spoken with quite a few people and get pretty varied input on what to do with my career. Im currently taking some time to just enjoy work and the experiences and learn, but I find myself wanting to further my education (and future career) with an online or part time degree of sorts.
I love business so originally thought of going down the MBA route and management, but when speaking with my GM he strongly suggested I get a masters of petroleum engineering. Which did get me thinking...although I love projects, I have found the drilling/completions/exploration side fairly interesting, I would love to learn more in that area. Although at the end of the day my interest in more in projects, business development (economics, finance side). I could see a Meng in petroleum engineering helping that path but at 3-4 years per part time degree, I don't see myself doing two.
Ive recently started looking into a masters in project management, which could help me leap into larger projects, and give me more credibility down the road, especially since I want to continue to work in various countries around the world.
Would love some input from some people with more years of experience, thoughts, or even personal experiences. I basically want to head down the path that will give me the most worldwide mobility.





RE: MBA Meng Petroleum Meng Project Management cant decide!
You're young. You can redirect a couple of times over the next 10 years....keeping in mind that most any experience you get, whether technical or managerial can be built upon and used as you progress in your career.
RE: MBA Meng Petroleum Meng Project Management cant decide!
---
Take your GM's advice.
Take his money, too, to pay for tuition and books.
If he's really serious about it, you might be able to go to school full time on his nickel. Ask about it.
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: MBA Meng Petroleum Meng Project Management cant decide!
RE: MBA Meng Petroleum Meng Project Management cant decide!
As Mike said if your GM suggested this maybe they can sponsor you. If this is the case then grab it. These opportunities are "once in a lifetime".
RE: MBA Meng Petroleum Meng Project Management cant decide!
Meng Project Management - Ive heard some mixed reviews, but it seems that the general consensus is it doesnt provide the value the other two options do
Meng Petroleum - I think there is obvious benefits, it can really help bring my upstream knowledge up to a level that the other engineers with petroleum degrees have across various disciplines (and more importantly a general understanding of the entire company)
MBA - There is obvious benefits, but I dont see many of them at this point in my career, no one is making me GM or otherwise at this age (and level of experience)
I think I have by far the most to gain from a Meng in petroleum
Thanks for all the input....unfortunately it wont be paid for by the company, fortunately I was given a substantial pay rise to move from a contracted employee to a salaried employee that would easily cover the costs.
RE: MBA Meng Petroleum Meng Project Management cant decide!
RE: MBA Meng Petroleum Meng Project Management cant decide!
One of my friends really wanted to push into the management side of things and received her MBA in her mid-20s. However, when looking for work, most employers wouldn't even give her resume a second look, because they couldn't see her previous experience justifying the level of responsibility and pay scale normally reserved for an individual with an MBA. As a result, she is in a really tough spot career-wise. It's hard to find jobs with her previous degree because all that people see is the MBA, and it's hard to get a job based on her MBA degree because she doesn't have the experience to back it up. She's now been unemployed for ~6 months, which is creating a hole in her resume, making her job hunt even more difficult!
I don't have any personal experience or knowledge about the Meng Petroleum degree, but I wouldn't expect these same difficulties.
Just a few thoughts...
RE: MBA Meng Petroleum Meng Project Management cant decide!
Maui
www.EngineeringMetallurgy.com
RE: MBA Meng Petroleum Meng Project Management cant decide!
David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering
"Belief" is the acceptance of an hypotheses in the absence of data.
"Prejudice" is having an opinion not supported by the preponderance of the data.
"Knowledge" is only found through the accumulation and analysis of data.
The plural of anecdote is not "data"
RE: MBA Meng Petroleum Meng Project Management cant decide!
One of the degrees under consideration produces people with no brains.
So, choose the other one.
RE: MBA Meng Petroleum Meng Project Management cant decide!