<p>I'm at a crossroads with where I want to go with my degree and my life. My whole life I have wanted to be a Petroleum Engineer, however for a total of about 6 months I have been working at a land surveying and civil consulting firm as a draftsman and the occasional field hand. They have told me that they would help me get both my SIT and my EIT and later on a license for both. This has kind of swayed me towared considering getting my degree in civil engineering because after 2 years of work from graduating I could have my RPLS and be close to my PE. Was just hoping someone could throw some opinions out there for me to consider. Good and bad about both fields and so on. I live in the oil capitol of America, Midland/Odessa, Texas so finding a job in petroleum engineering would be VERY easy to do. Not only that but also because I have a cousin who is a senior drilling engineer for Apache and a grandfather who worked as a senior drilling engineer for Chevron for MANY years. Guess you could say it runs in my blood to an extent. Anyway, let me hears some of you guys thoughts on my situation.</p>
<p>Oil aka black gold will rule the world…well not really but there is plenty of jobs in oil and gas industry, domestic and overseas. So, you have to think about LONG TERM…if you think that the prospects of working as civil engineering are good for your career five to seven years then you choose that route. However, if you have any slightest doubts then choose O-and-G industry.</p>
<p>Very true with the long term of O and G I have been reading trying to make up my mind what I want to do before I go back to school next semester and I read that the unemployment rate for civil engineers was at 18%. Would really suck to work that hard and get nothing from it. But, how does being a RPLS stack up with that as far as; pay, job availability, and job security. I have not been able to find that ANYWHERE, the one thing I do know…EVERY drilling engineer needs a RPLS not every RPLS needs a drilling engineer.</p>
<p>In looking for a job as a PetE how would a mechanical engineering degree stack up vs Petroleum degree. I have been thinking that I would do that and keep my options open. But don’t know how that would actually stack up. BTW I have finished my basics and about to get my associates degree my work experience for my age is pretty extensive I have done surveying for going on 6 months and have a steady job there to work through college. I also have worked in plant construction estimating as well as weld mapping on 3 separate pipelines. If this affects anything which work experience usually does.</p>