Process Technology at SOWELA
 

My stepson has completed his automotive technology degree, but is now thinking about entering the Process Technology program at SOWELA. I know there are a few new plants opening up in Lake Charles, would this degree be a good start for him?

Do graduates of this program also work offshore - he seems to have a keen interest in working offshore.

Thanks!

Yes should be job openings in the plants soon. Also I know a few people that went to work offshore with this degree. Good Luck to him!

If he wants a better shot at the plants get the degree. It is harder to move up these days just my starting off as a laborer and then moving up to operator. Without schooling, may be better to start offshore then after enough experience move to the plants. My 2 cents.

There will be plenty of openings for the next several years. Should be a great field to be in.

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Thanks

start applying as soon as he starts school because theres a good chance he will have a job before finishing and then possibly get a plant to pay for him to finish if he wants to stay in school

Kind of in the same predicament now. Not to hi jack his thread. Really considering going to Sowela for PTech to hurry and finish school and be done. But with a 4.0 it doesn't seen practical to not attend a university to some..
Would it benefit me job wise if just going as in operator to attend a 4 year school vs 2?

I know with the new plants many opportunities will be arising

For an operator job there is no benefit to the 4 year degree. If you would like to get into supervision someday the yes, the 4 year degree would be a big plus.

Fool,

Congrats on the 4.0. Here is my advice, and I have been around a long time - don't waste brain power. Not many folks make a 4.0; you obviously are a smart fella, so don't waste that. Not only will you hurt your income potential, you will eventually get frustrated because you will be stuck in jobs and you will know you are smart enough to have the better ones. Guys don't rise up to the top from the bottom as much any more as they did back in the early days; they tend to go a certain distance and then get limited by not having the right degree (four year versus two and type of degree too).

I know you want to start making real money so you can buy all the cool huntin and fishng stuff that you love, but just try to be level-headed. In the long run, you will be happier having finished a more difficult degree.

FYI, Nichols has some really neat degrees that are geared for the offshore industry and they allow you to work offshore and then go to school on alternating week back on dry ground.

Fool my cousin has a 2 year degree from Copiah-Lincoln in some kind of Pertroleum related field. He's now a company man for BP making some serious jack. He started offshore with Blake Drilling and on his 14 days off went to school. He's still working 14-14

Hunting fool,

I am is same delima with my youngest son (3.8 gpa) and trying to give him advice. I work shift work at a plant and I am very happy with my lifestyle ( I hunt and fish a lot) and make an above average income. My youngest son is just like me, loves to hunt and fish. So I can see him being happy with a career as an operator. Plenty of people in my position that make over $100,000 with overtime! I would hate to see my son"waste" his income potential with only a two year degree but might be the best way for him to become a operator at a plant. We actually went to Sowela last night for the open house to tour the new process technology building and it was very nice. I also know of a kid that was a average student in high school and could not make it at Sowela in P. T. classes. Someone does not have to make MEGA $ to be rich in life it just depends on the individual. Just to confuse you more, my wife has her masters degree, makes half of what I make, and HATES going to work every day. :confused:

If you have a 4.0, forget p-tech and get into an engineering program. You can go right in to plant supervision right out of college. Now if you are chosing to be an operator for the purpose of hunting and fishing more thats your business. But for god sake, dont sell yourself short by taking a 2 year degree program just so you can "hurry and finish school", you'll regret it the rest of your life.

There are no easy answers to this question. But there is one fact. A college degree will give you options. I have 2 degrees and I'm very seriously considering my MBA. These "pieces of paper" as many who don't own them might call them allow you to make choices in life and not have to accept what you can get.

I've worked in the oil industry for over 20 years and have seen many good men blocked/passed over for positions that should have been theirs because they did not have a degree. It's not fair but nobody ever said life was. If you want to be in the oilfield get an Engineering degree and then a MBA. This is the same advice I've given my own children.

Fool, you might want to look into chemical engineering.

I've been looking hard at this. It's basically what I want, just have a few uncertainties of it. I don't want to attend college and not be able to work a decent job while attending school at the same time.
Anybody familiar with Nichols program?

With a 4.0 you need to be applying for every scholarship at every school you can think of. Do it for your parents' sake lol.

Like others have said, plant operators do make decent money, but, 4 year degree in engineering gives you unlimited options. Chemical, Electrical, Mechanical will put a person into any field starting at a good salary.

Its called the ole college grind... everyone has to prioritize their life. you wont find too many jobs that will adapt to your schedule with the little qualifications you have. Comes a time in a man's life where hunting/fishing/wants go on the backburner to prepare yourself for the future. Better get used to living without money. BC not too many college kids have any at all... Ramen noodles and natural light are all you need lol.

A 4 year degree is what you make it... taking the bare minimum makes it 4 years.. you can complete in less time.

Take that 4.0 apply for scholarships.. attend a decent school and if you dont like it after your first semester then quit. simple. With TOPS and a scholarship you are pretty much going for free... PLUS i thought you wanted to fish for ULL???

For real, the way you talk about the women and the partying I figured you couldnt wait to get to college.

This is a fun thread. Take a look at it money-wise.

If you went offshore right out of high school and went to Nicholls on your days home, how much money would you make in 4 years? I have no clue what a roustabout makes, but I am going to guess about $50k for offshore work. So lets say $200k over 4 years. This is assuming you that program is set up to allow you to finish the degree in 4 years.

http://www.nicholls.edu/doas/degree-...leum-services/

The degree you end up with is Petroleum Services. I guess that will work if you want to be an operator.

On the other hand, if you went to UL, for example, in pretty much any engineering discipline, but especially Petroleum, Mechanical, Chemical, or Electrical, you would have a great shot at getting on with a service company as a MWD Field Engineer. So in 4 years you could have an engineering degree, and a job with 1st year earnings of $80k+ and second year of $100k+. You can stay in M/LWD and make $150k+ working about 250 days a year. Or you could become a DD making say $200k+ but working even more days. HOWEVER the real deal is parlaying that field experience and your engineering degree into an office job making $150k+ working normal hours in your A/C office in town.

Bottom line is your potential earnings as an engineer far outpace the earnings of an operator, plus you don't have to put in the OT that the operators have to put in just to make that money.

btw I was an LWD hand for 5 years, now working in the office. I have a B.S. in History but now I am going back to school for engineering. Still can't decide between Mechanical or Petroleum. It's what I should have done when I was your age!