Hi all,
I’ve been working in an industry closely related to my engineering masters for the last 18 months. However, due to the nature of our next generation products my role is moving me away from the job profile I originally applied for. Given the current business needs of my employer and the economic down turn, I’m in a very weak position to try and argue the case necessary to move my career back on course and into an area that holds my interest, so I started to look elsewhere for employment as I am currently extremely dissatisfied with the role and future prospects.
I’m open to the suggestion that I’m over reacting, but I applied to and have been accepted for a PhD position. My industry experience has given me a key insight into current knowledge gaps preventing more advanced product development and this PhD has the potential to assist in plugging one of those gaps as it is specifically tailored to the needs of industry. It’s in an area that I’m keenly interested in developing my skills but actually working in the area will be as new to me as I think most phd topics will be to their new students.
The factors influencing my final decision are these,
Financial –
- 25% cut in take home pay, suspension/end of pension contributions
- End of death in service benefits
- Having to restart career progression on a return to industry
- I’ll be 29 on graduation with no significant savings/investments

Security in a recession –
- My job is relatively secure through union agreements
- There is no guarantee of a job at the end of the phd
- There is no guarantee that the phd will be successful, no matter how hard I work at it

Two years ago, there would have been excellent prospects at the end of this research, and it would have been worth taking the risk that for what ever reason things don’t work out, I ‘d be able to get a job with my Masters. Now the future is harder to predict. So I’d really appreciate advice on weighing the potential risks with obvious gains.
Cheers,
RJ

Hi there,

it sounds like you have taken a very level headed approach to this and considered the most important issues which is good. One thing I would ask though is your job really secure? I would of thought job security is rare in most profession unless for in a profession like teaching or healthcare ( where im headed soon)

Industry experience will put you in a very good position do do PhD in many respects as you have an indication of the important gaps in the feild

and it sounds like you know what you are interested in researching which is a good start. keeping motivated throughout your PhD will be greatly faciliated if you are working in an area that really interested you and fits in with your career ambitions. A lot of people sign on to PhDs without really knowing anything at all about the topic they are about to research. Not a very good idea if you ask me!!

Also consider how different the culture in academia can be from what you may be used to and whether this is something you will take to or not. You may well end up spending a lot of time working on your own, driving your own research with potentially very little input or back-up from your peers or supervisor. this can be very demotivating and can drive self confidence into the ground. Do you know the supervisor well? what is their reputation like with students. what do they offer, is this a person you think you would work well with?.....

Sounds like you may have a good deal going on there, you will just have to weight up the pros and cons and maybe take that chance. It might not work out but then again there is every chance it will work out!!!.

It just depends on how much of a betting person you are

good luck

(up)

I also think that job security is not so sound now - even teachers are finding it hard, unless it is in a subject where there is a shortage. On the other hand, have you checked to see nobody is researching in the same area as yourself? Have you thought about approaching your employer to see if they will allow you to do your PhD part time - although this may be spread over 6 years, it doesn't have to take that long, and it doesn't actually have to be done in work time - I have a full time job, and work some evenings and weekends, although working in a school means I get chunks of time off, although not the same breaks as teachers, so you could do it in your own time and keep your present job, at least for a few years with maybe a more concentrated effort when you get nearer to the end if you though it was necessary.