Anybody In Safety?

[Lake Chuck Duck]

Originally Posted by huntin fool

Can't say my dad is one of the ones you've met.
Grew up in the oilfield, sold out our family drilling company when oilfield went south, became an operator and first responder for 14 years at lyondell before that plant shutdown and took a safety position to have a better schedule watching myself and sister in sports.
He's not your text book safety man.

I simply would rather go get a degree in safety and try and work my way up the totem pole vs going and being a PTech . Which I considered going for, but recent talks have changed my mind majorly. But I highly doubt I would be able to work my way up like he did anyways.

Dude just suck it up and get you an engineering degree. You have had several posts on career descisions and pretty much all involve you short cutting college. Whats 4 or 5 more years of school for the next 35 years of working? Get a job and dont like?....change fields. Also if being a safety man is just your absolute dream job you can do that too. Only difference is you can get into safety management quicker. My 2 cents...

[Duck Butter]

Originally Posted by Lake Chuck Duck

Dude just suck it up and get you an engineering degree. You have had several posts on career descisions and pretty much all involve you short cutting college. Whats 4 or 5 more years of school for the next 35 years of working? Get a job and dont like?....change fields. Also if being a safety man is just your absolute dream job you can do that too. Only difference is you can get into safety management quicker. My 2 cents...

my thoughts as well. Fool you sound like a very intelligent person and I hope you aren't making these decisions based on the hunting and fishing - that stuff isn't going anywhere. Its only 4 years and there are long breaks during winter and summer to hunt and fish and when you get out and get a career you can afford to have nice things to hunt and fish with.

[Nickt87]

Originally Posted by huntin fool

Can't say my dad is one of the ones you've met.
Grew up in the oilfield, sold out our family drilling company when oilfield went south, became an operator and first responder for 14 years at lyondell before that plant shutdown and took a safety position to have a better schedule watching myself and sister in sports.
He's not your text book safety man.

I simply would rather go get a degree in safety and try and work my way up the totem pole vs going and being a PTech . Which I considered going for, but recent talks have changed my mind majorly. But I highly doubt I would be able to work my way up like he did anyways.

Fool, in no way shape or form do either. Working your way up, is pretty much over with, either you have that piece of paper or you don't. If you even halfway enjoy school, go to college and get an engineering degree, you obviously do well at school why rush out(its college, it's a frikin blast!). Go get a chemical or mech eng degree and work right along side the safety man or Ptech everyday when you get out, except you'll more than likely have a work schedule and salary thats a little more family friendly. I'm telling you this from experience, I'm only 3 years out of college and have many friends that did the 2 year tech degree and friends that took the engineering route. Don't sell yourself short.

Plus, like I said, ITS COLLEGE, GO HAVE A BLAST, GET AN EDUCATION, MEET SOME GREAT FRIENDS, HUNT AND FISH SOME AWESOME PLACES WITH THEM ON YALLS TIME OFF, YOU WON'T REGRET IT.

[Spunt Drag]

Originally Posted by Lake Chuck Duck

You took my thoughts exactly, especially at our plant!

I hope you were wearing your "spoggles" when you typed this.

[mriguy]

Originally Posted by Nickt87

Fool, in no way shape or form do either. Working your way up, is pretty much over with, either you have that piece of paper or you don't. If you even halfway enjoy school, go to college and get an engineering degree, you obviously do well at school why rush out(its college, it's a frikin blast!). Go get a chemical or mech eng degree and work right along side the safety man or Ptech everyday when you get out, except you'll more than likely have a work schedule and salary thats a little more family friendly. I'm telling you this from experience, I'm only 3 years out of college and have many friends that did the 2 year tech degree and friends that took the engineering route. Don't sell yourself short.

Plus, like I said, ITS COLLEGE, GO HAVE A BLAST, GET AN EDUCATION, MEET SOME GREAT FRIENDS, HUNT AND FISH SOME AWESOME PLACES WITH THEM ON YALLS TIME OFF, YOU WON'T REGRET IT.

X a billion jillion

[Josh C]

Originally Posted by Lake Chuck Duck

Dude just suck it up and get you an engineering degree. You have had several posts on career descisions and pretty much all involve you short cutting college. Whats 4 or 5 more years of school for the next 35 years of working? Get a job and dont like?....change fields. Also if being a safety man is just your absolute dream job you can do that too. Only difference is you can get into safety management quicker. My 2 cents...

Fool,

I couldn't agree more. I was that kid 10 yrs ago not knowing what I wanted to do. I love to hunt and fish and when I was talking to my guidance consular at school, she said what else do you like. I said math, she said go be an engineer so you can afford to hunt and fish when you want to. She couldn't have been more right. Right now, I'm a Petroleum Engineer for a small oil company in Lafayette and get to hunt and fish as much as I like and can afford to do it. You will never regret getting an engineering degree.

Josh

[Ragin_Cajun]

This definately is entertaining reading dur to the fact i own a safety company. When i first started talking to hunting fool, i did not know his age. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND getting a college degree. You can work your way up to CSP as you work.

Unlike most of the feelings on this board about safety, I personally have groomed individuals that have not had a lick of safety background into some of the best, well rounded professional safety professionals. I have also payed for their education and continuing education.

As for hunting fool, I will have to pay more for your services with the college degree but you can NEVER teach OJT field work & experience. Pick the field you most like (civil, construction, petroleum etc....) and get the 4 yr degree.

As far as the "chest out" safety man, they don't last long with me.

RC

[Matt G]

If I could do it all over again, I would have gone to school for engineering. When I gradusted form UL, all of the career fairs were stacked with companies looking for engineers. The guys I know that got jobs right out of school had starting salaries that doubled what mine was with 2 business degrees. And everry single one of them absolutely loves their jobs. If you can make the grades, go for it. 4 years of college is nothing. I did 8 and it wasn't that bad. Good luck with whatever you chose though.

[Nickt87]

Originally Posted by Matt G

If I could do it all over again, I would have gone to school for engineering. When I gradusted form UL, all of the career fairs were stacked with companies looking for engineers. The guys I know that got jobs right out of school had starting salaries that doubled what mine was with 2 business degrees. And everry single one of them absolutely loves their jobs. If you can make the grades, go for it. 4 years of college is nothing. I did 8 and it wasn't that bad. Good luck with whatever you chose though.

Don't know when you graduated but all those companies still are!!! Shoot, you can snag up a part time engineering internship and make what some people I know that have other degrees make in a year.

I have a business degree and about 40 hours in mechanical engineering, but didnt finish the engr because of a job opportunity. I lucked out with my business degree and got into a career that many engineers choose as well.

[Josh C]

[QUOTE=Nickt87;650736]Don't know when you graduated but all those companies still are!!! Shoot, you can snag up a part time engineering internship and make what some people I know that have other degrees make in a year.


Nick is correct. As an intern for a company in Houston my senior year in petroleum engineering, I made more per hr then most people made 5-10 yrs out of college with other degrees! If you like to hunt and fish, get an engineering degree that will afford you the opportunity to do it!

Josh

[Matt G]

Originally Posted by Nickt87

Don't know when you graduated but all those companies still are!!! Shoot, you can snag up a part time engineering internship and make what some people I know that have other degrees make in a year.

I have a business degree and about 40 hours in mechanical engineering, but didnt finish the engr because of a job opportunity. I lucked out with my business degree and got into a career that many engineers choose as well.

I graduated in 2010 and in 2012. I had a job offer with a local oilfield company that was looking for people with a degree and a head on them that they could train. It didn't matter what your degree was in. Me being the idiot that I am turned it down to finish up my other degree. Now I sit at my desk all day long kicking myself in the @$$ for passing that up. Hardly any time to hunt and fish, and the pay ain't jack. Live and learn I guess!

[huntin fool]

Thanks for all the responses. Even though it just brings me to more confusion, I do appreciate it all.
I've brought myself to realize I need to go the 4 year route. No worries there.
I don't see myself enjoying engineering though. Maybe it's just what little knowledge I have on engineering that causes me to not want to go that route, but even with buddy's in engineering now they aren't too fond of it. These are kids who have never had any physical labor in their life, and have stayed buried in books most of their years.
All of my deadlines are coming up for colleges and scholarships so yea I'm kind of stressing on it all.

Hunting and fishing play no role in my decision either. Can't say I've touched a fishing rod in Lord knows how long. Work keeps me away from doing that. Hunting is only a couple months out of the year and we live in Louisiana. I can find a place to hunt wherever I go.

[Nickt87]

Originally Posted by huntin fool

Thanks for all the responses. Even though it just brings me to more confusion, I do appreciate it all.
I've brought myself to realize I need to go the 4 year route. No worries there.
I don't see myself enjoying engineering though. Maybe it's just what little knowledge I have on engineering that causes me to not want to go that route, but even with buddy's in engineering now they aren't too fond of it. These are kids who have never had any physical labor in their life, and have stayed buried in books most of their years.
All of my deadlines are coming up for colleges and scholarships so yea I'm kind of stressing on it all.

Hunting and fishing play no role in my decision either. Can't say I've touched a fishing rod in Lord knows how long. Work keeps me away from doing that. Hunting is only a couple months out of the year and we live in Louisiana. I can find a place to hunt wherever I go.

There is a long list of different career paths that you could take with the engr degree. All the way from getting your Professional Engineer License and design all types of stuff(structures, industrial plants, waterways, piping, etc) or just work as a process supervisor at a plant and be all the Ptechs lead or even be a safety man. I gurantee you wouldnt be the first safety man with an engineering degree. Get the degree, don't doubt it man.

Go to McNeese and talk to the dept head, I'm sure they have a pamphlet about what you can do with the degree.

[CajunSteelsetter]

Been there fool. I never was very good at math, so engineering was out of the question unfortunately. I'm about to graduate in "hunting and fishing" for all practical purposes, and guess what I'm going to do right out of school? Go get some hands on experience in a trade field and then go back to school to get a technical degree so I can actually make a living! haha I'd mostly suggest finding something that you will be interested in, and that you have a natural ability for. If you're good with numbers, then go ahead and pursue engineering if it sparks your fancy. You can pretty much get a job in any field with an engineering degree. Just pick a school where the environment will be one you enjoy and the education is up to par. Good luck on with the whole decision making process, I know its tough.

[jlincecum]

engineering these days = big money... you could be a turd engineer and BP will hire you and make you and overnight expert. Safety is a big part of the oilfield and will only get bigger (especially here in GOM). Whether thye know what they are doing or not they will always be there. Next big thing is the third party safety consultants. Havent met one yet that could find their azz with both hands but I'm sure there are a few good ones. My favorite thing to hear from our own safety guy is when the "consultant" asks him "who are those guys and why won't they talk to me?" You just dont need to make this decision with a short term money mind set. Look at the bigger picture down the road and do what you think will make you happy. and you know i will help you out how ever I can short friend

[2ndamendment]

Originally Posted by huntin fool

Thanks for all the responses. Even though it just brings me to more confusion, I do appreciate it all.
I've brought myself to realize I need to go the 4 year route. No worries there.
I don't see myself enjoying engineering though. Maybe it's just what little knowledge I have on engineering that causes me to not want to go that route, but even with buddy's in engineering now they aren't too fond of it. These are kids who have never had any physical labor in their life, and have stayed buried in books most of their years.
All of my deadlines are coming up for colleges and scholarships so yea I'm kind of stressing on it all.

Hunting and fishing play no role in my decision either. Can't say I've touched a fishing rod in Lord knows how long. Work keeps me away from doing that. Hunting is only a couple months out of the year and we live in Louisiana. I can find a place to hunt wherever I go.

Fool it is not necessary to have a chiseled in stone major at this time. Your freshman year will be basically all basic courses. If you are wanting to have a major declared now, then pick something your interested in. No one on this site nor anywhere else can say what is best for YOU. Each of us has the right and freedom to choose what we do in life for a profession. Your freshman year and even into your sophomore year you can be researching and collecting information as to what sparks your fancy as a major. You can change your major at anytime.
There are far more 17 yr olds that do not know what college major to choose, than those who do know. Also, far more college freshman and sophomores change majors than those who enter college and stick with their initial declared major.

[Lake Chuck Duck]

Originally Posted by huntin fool

Thanks for all the responses. Even though it just brings me to more confusion, I do appreciate it all.
I've brought myself to realize I need to go the 4 year route. No worries there.
I don't see myself enjoying engineering though. Maybe it's just what little knowledge I have on engineering that causes me to not want to go that route, but even with buddy's in engineering now they aren't too fond of it. These are kids who have never had any physical labor in their life, and have stayed buried in books most of their years.
All of my deadlines are coming up for colleges and scholarships so yea I'm kind of stressing on it all.

Hunting and fishing play no role in my decision either. Can't say I've touched a fishing rod in Lord knows how long. Work keeps me away from doing that. Hunting is only a couple months out of the year and we live in Louisiana. I can find a place to hunt wherever I go.

I spent 5 years in engineering program at MSU. Never changed my major and never dropped a class. Yes, engineering classes suck. No, noone is fond of engineering while in school. Lots of math and it sucks. However, what you learn in school has nothing to do with what you will be doing in a career. There is sooo many different paths and specializations you can do that you wont know until get a job. I was so lost when I started a "real" job. I still got alot to learn but I tell, you what....I have no problem coming to work every morning and I sure dont go home and ***** when I get off. Besides, I get to play with all kinds of cool stuff.