Thread regarding Chevron Corp. layoffs

Still layed off for 1-1/2 years, or should I say checked the EOI box, and don't want a job. Life is good, enjoying my retirement after 31 years with CVX. Best of luck for those looking for work, looks like thing might be picking up.

Chemical or Mechanical. Forget PE master's. Spread your wings.

Plastics, Benjamin, the future is plastics! Beware of false promises. It is always hard to see the path when your down in a valley, I know from experience, but focus on where you want to end up and the rest will workout sooner rather than later! Any engineer has solid marketable skills, you just have to work on selling them!

The advice on here is solid (for the most part). You are really screwing yourself by working as a cashier right now. The unemployment rate is 4%. Go get a job that looks decent on a resume ASAP then get yourself into a top tier B-school. If you really like the technical stuff, then do a masters in chemical or mechanical and you will be employable forever. Forget the oil industry. Your PE skills are eroding every day you work as a cashier and will soon be unemployable even when the boom returns.

Good one -2gnr. I got a kick out of reading your post.

I recommend a degree in robotics engineering/maintenance. That is where the future is. Robots will replace everyone else including engineering/finance/banking but someone has to maintain the robots. I have been in upstream production for 36 years (BSChE/MSPE). When people ask me what I do for a living, I tell them I am an underpaid plumber. Just running pipe to move fluids from one place to another. I would have no issue with becoming a real plumber and start making the big bucks. It all smells about the same and washes off at the end of the day.

2mnm, No, you are wrong, he or she was just stating the truth, not trolling. Sorry that facts offend you. Maybe your plumber troll friend can unstop your head if it's stuck in the toilet, if that's where your mind is. I will sit back and watch and get some popcorn. Bring on the pathetic troll-fest comments.

You are right, 1xxn. It’s not a university degree, but an Associate degree from a trade school and a certification and State License. It’s @1uzd who has his trolling head down the toilet.

I know of electricians in south Louisiana that have their own airplanes. Sounds like a pretty good gig.

Plumbing and electrical trade degrees are a better bet for the time and money invested. Don’t think so? Rethink your answer when the sun has gone down and your lights won’t turn on or your toilets have backed up and your sinks have sprung leaks.

Some folks on here are just spewing junk. I got an MBA, not from a top five school, and got an IB job paying more than I was making as a PE. MBA is only useless to those carrying liberal arts degrees. Quant skills matter.

Lots of good input here

Whatever you do, make sure your skills are rare and above all, marketable. Engineering is almost always marketable (read no MBA)

The cost of doing nothing is high as you aren't gaining engineering experience in a grocery.

How marketable is a Petroleum Engineer with a masters? With a small amount of effort, you can get into many different masters programs (Engineering related)

You could go to law school

Agree with 1amu

I would go towards MS in Mechanical or Structural engineering. That kind of degree with complement your undergraduate studies and not make you look too specialized.

Stay away from MBA. Unless it is a top level business school (i.e. expensive), it is hardly worth the paper the degree is printed on.

Hi,

Sorry to hear about your story. I think it is very admirable for you to work in the grocery store after being laid off. This experience albeit not so great at the moment will hold you in good stead for many years to come.

I too would avoid doing a Masters in Petroleum Engineer, and if you are serious about doing an MBA then do it! Only problem is the cost and is it really worth it? To be honest if your heart is not in Petroleum Engineering I would consider it to be more employable in other areas and industries etc etc. My guess is that you would have a pretty good GPA etc otherwise CVX would not have hired you in the first place. If you have nothing tying you down I herd OMV in Vienna are hiring Petroleum Engs for their Upstream business try them. Pays not like CVX but you might get the opportunity to live abroad if you already havnt with CVX. Best of luck with everything and hope it all works out!

1qka makes an excellent point about plumbers and electricians. Also these trades tend not to have to worry about their jobs being taken over by foreigners. Some very wealthy people i know are plumbers and electricians and also have flexibility in their work schedule.

I guess if you were not smart enough to get a more versatile degree the first time, it makes sense to double down on the stupid decision making.

Get MBA. Then you'll have options for banking, consulting, etc plus engineering. I did. That's what happened.

No, you are wrong -1mxf. I retired from Chevron a few years before people like you started to get your walking papers in 2015. I retired on my own terms after 36 years making all the bucks I need. I’m happy up here in Boston. My grandson went to trade school instead of a 4 year university. Last year he finally accumulated the needed hours and additional training to get his Masters Plumbing License. His work is in high demand and for a kid his age, has been making more money than many get at Chevron. He is looking to bankroll his own plumbing business in another year or two. Smart kid. He too knows what thieves bankers are.

tfw, It is obvious from your post that you are the little butthurt kid. The OP is the ambitious, technical type who is more likely your boss/supervisor and you are the type who does manual labor. The OP didn't go to college for 4 years already and plan on even more education so that he can clean toilets alongside the likes of you.

Please save us the boredom of the tall tales about how successful you are. We've heard them all....

Yawn.......

I agree there are a surplus of engineers in the world today. Plumbing and electrical are where the big bucks are.

Go to trade school and become a master plumber, electrician or welder. These professions will always be in high demand and they pay big bucks. It is a useful trade you can parlay into your own business with a handful of good employees. A place where you are the boss and can a business that will generate good money for as long as you want. Just for kicks, you can charge a rate premium to clients who are in active Chevron management. Good luck kid.

Lots more use with a chemical engineering degree. No matter what alternative energy ends up eatting up a share of the petroleum energy pie, no one can replace plastics and other chemicals. The real question is, are you truly interested in it? You'll need to have good math and science know-how to make it in the chemical engineer world.

Hi! Don’t lose hope, the industry is in a trying time and you are doing great thinking about other options. I would actually suggest not doing a masters in petroleum- you already have work experience in this field which is more valuable than a degree. An MBA is a great way to explore different options/ career paths if you want to transition away from the industry and are unsure what to do. If you want to go down a business path, a masters in finance is also a great option and many ex-oil end up in this field due to their excellent quant skills. If you do want to do a technical masters, do it in a more generic field so you have options in other industries. Mechanical or electrical could be good options. Finally if you are studying go for value for money in terms of career placement, check out employability statistics relative to cost. If you want to live in a certain area choose a college close to there. Don’t give up- if you do want to return to the industry after studying you can see, but set yourself up to have maximum employability options otherwise. You are young and still have many directions that you can go.