Hi all. I had worked as a research assistant while doing a PhD for 5 years but unfortunately things did not go well. The main reason was that our project was based on a previous work and the supervisor was not accepting any new ideas and demotivating me in most discussion. Of course I take most of the blame because I was not strong enough to self motivate myself. The other major problem that I do not work very well without short deadlines and guidance and we did not have meetings to discuss PhD progress until I was already 4 years into PhD.
Now I started a job in industry and I am happy about it. I just want to know your opinions about pursuing a part time PhD while I do a full time job. First question. Why do I "may" want to do a PhD? I want to be honest. I do not plan to go to academia. If I have time for professional technical development, there are a lot to learn in my field so PhD is not really going to help me much in my career. I am a passionate person and getting a PhD has been a dream to me. I know this sounds crazy because when I worked full time paid in my PhD I was not able to do it in 5 years. So how can I do it unpaid part time? I know also that my motivation looks silly but I want to be honest to myself first and to you. My brain and logic rejects the idea but my heart wants it. Anyway I am not going to take any action before a few months from now. Please tell me your honest opinion about what I think.

I think you should do it. Try get funding and go for it. You know exactly what doing a PhD entails, and you want to do one. Surely those are the two most important things apart from having the ability.

Getting funding should not be a big problem because here there is no tuition fees. I may need some software licenses with a few hundreds every year. The question is how to convince a supervisor ( and myself) that working at evening or weekends will lead to a PhD in a reasonable time frame while many full time students do not accomplish their target in 4 or 5 years?
Some part of me believes PhD does not really require 40 hours a week for 4 years. But is it possible with 5- 10 hours a week? I have a family who deserve even this little time.

Please dont do your PhD unpaid. Do try to get a scholarship.

Just a thought, is it possible to get your company to sponsor your PhD? My friend terminated his PhD when he was in his twenties because his PhD supervisor left the country and his new primary PhD was a former rival and in dispute with his former primary supervisor. Currently in his fourties, he has been working in a company and is being sponsored to study his master part time and later perhaps his PhD. I wonder if you too can ask your employer to sponsor. The topic can be a real world one applicable to your current industry, maybe even to solve your company's problem. Most supervisor will not reject a sponsored student who comes with a topic and relations to the industry.

A part time PhD usually takes 6-8 years. It is doable but it does take a lot of discipline. Are you committed enough to do this?

Hi tru. I am also in the beginning of my fourties so this is one reason that holds me back. I think it is difficult for me because I am new to the company and they have their own focus. What is possible is to work less hours and dedicate the rest of the time to the PhD but this means also less salary.
About being committted, honestly I am not sure. This is also an important reason holding me back.

Could you ask the company after working there a bit longer? And if you are not sure if you are committed, it might be better to delay this decision a bit longer until you are sure.

You are right. I would probably wait for one year and assess the situation again.