Master in Chemical Engineering or MBA

College Majors Engineering Majors
1

Hello… newbie here.
I really, really need your advice right now. Please help.

So, I dont have an engineering background actually. I got my B.Sc in Chemistry, 2 years ago. But I’m currently working in an oil & gas engineering company as a Jr.Engineer, 2 years now.

Since the first time, the first month, I got into this company (I was a fresh graduate that time), I’ve been worked on site, they sent me there. We were doing some o&g projects there, and I’m really glad that I can be a part of them, especially because I can learn faster at the field work, that makes me more familiar with those engineering stuff.

I did 2 projects.
Project one, I was doing the Process Engineering work, I helped the Sr. Process Engineer.
Project two, I was doing the Piping/Mechancial Quality Engineering work, I helped the Sr. Piping/Mechanical QC Engineer.

So I was usually familiar with those engineering stuff especially in Process & Piping/Mechanical Engineering. And I loved it! I kept learning and learning. And here, I can ask anything with the seniors, the supervisors, maybe that’s what they called learning by doing. Hahah I just looove it! Especially in Process Engineering. Sometimes I regret why didnt I take the B.Sc in Chem Eng lol. And that’s the time I plan to take the master in engineering, chemical engineering, later in the future, in 2015 or 2016 perhaps.

But 3 months ago, after the projects done, the company sent me into management division. They said I did a great job, I dont know.

So, yeah, for 3 months now, I’m in the management division. It’s not engineering management, but it’s more like the internal company management system, we do meetings with top level management, and also with with the head of engineering management. And the company likes it when I’m in this management division.

And of course, right now I’m not doing any engineering works anymore. I actually have no problem doing the management works, you can say that I’m good both in technical and softskill. I even love communication and public speaking since I was in highschool. But I just miss the engineering works.

So I have this dilemma

I still want to take a master this year, or next year. At first, I really want to do Chemical Engineering. But now, I dont know, some friends said I’m really lucky that I can get into internal management like that, and maybe next time I could jump into another company in the same division like system management, business management, or etc. “you could go into high level management, imagine if you get an MBA too” they said.

That’s my dilemma. Master in Chemical Engineering or MBA. I’ve never thought about MBA before. Like never ever crossed my mind.

So I need your advice right now. I know it’s up to me, I’m the one who has to choose. I just want to know if you were me, what would you do…

The thing is,

  • Which one has the good career path and the good income in the future?
  • I love engineering, especially in process engineering, I'm a fast learner, and I've been falling in love with process engineering since the first time I'm on site work. But I also love communication, business, public speaking, system.. I used to be a coordinator or head of some organizations back at school and college. And I'd love working as an executive or something like that :D
  • I still want to work in oil & gas company in the future, because this is the first experience that I've ever had and I think I dont want to move to another company with different background.
  • I want to get my master this year! or next year. because this year I'll be 25, next year I'll be 26. I'm a girl and thinking of having family when I got 30/31, and I want to work several years, 2 or 3 years, before that. And after married, I think I dont want to go to school anymore. I just want to work, with the good career, of course

They said some people take MBA when they have min. 2 years work experience, and some people take MBA when they’re 28 or 29. Oh I want to be a graduate student in my 28 or 29…

That’s all. Gosh it’s really long.
I really need some advice. Thanks before for your help.

By the way please excuse my English, I’m not from English speaking countries.

2

Sounds like you have a great future ahead of you! My suggestion would be to take some time and sit somewhere quiet and try to envision what your life would be like in each path. What your day to day would look like, who you would work with, the work that you would do and pick the one that is more appealing.

3

Get a M.S. in chemical engineering. Correct me if I’m wrong fellow CCers, but you can always move into management from engineering, but to go from management back into engineering is next to impossible.