Piping Career! help

[Mabooz]

Hello everyone,

So currently I am working in oil and gas client company, in projects handling where we review consultant engineering work on FEED and detail design, from Piping discipline, I joined 4 years ago from college, however it seems this whole department is new, and most of the guys here started from actually doing the work and not reviewing only.

I feel stuck and my progress is slow. further more, I really dont like piping, I got the job offer and had to accept due to lack of opportunities available to us fresh graduates.

what are my options? where do someone can pivot from piping FEED/DD to somewhere else? can I change discipline or it will be waste of time? to cost estimate or cost planning or some other areas

 

[1503-44]

According to the conventional engineer's development plan, by now you should have 4 years of hands-on design experience under a professional engineer's direct supervision. If you are following that plan, you waited far too long already. It may not be easy to get out of that hamster wheel, as you apparently have no direct design experience to offer your potential employers, yet if you sit where you are, you seem to be looking at blue screen. I also think you have already decided what you need to do, When I have been in similar situations, I always took immediate action and looking back, taking action was always my best decision. At least it allowed me to be in control of my life. I think leaving that to others is dangerous. Reevaluate your situation one more time. If you get that same blue screen, don't hesitate any longer. Do whatever YOU need to do to change it.

You should also decide what branch of engineering YOU are interested in. Do not let anybody push you into piping, if you know you do not like it. At least you know that much. Try something else.

--Einstein gave the same test to students every year. When asked why he would do something like that, "Because the answers had changed."

 

[Mabooz]

You are right, maybe a bit late, but knowing the background on oil and gas, and piping doesnt hurt, my company is very big and the best course of action is to move around internally. The issue is that I dont even know where to go, I like math, I thought something like cost related or planning would be of an interest to me rather than hardcore engineering. I find it difficult to grasp the engineering materials. And my lack of interest doesnt help either. In addition, it doesnt seem like I am getting hardcore experience in design, sorta like in the middle, between project management and piping, more like managing the project from the eye of piping engineer.

 

[1503-44]

It helps immensely if you do not have to change companies. That's a good sign.

You should probably try to define what you are interested in first. Start asking other people in the company whom are doing things you think you may have some interest in. Find out what they spend their time doing and what they like about their jobs. If it appeals to you, casually inquire within their department if there are some opportunities that may be open to you. If that goes well, then ask the manager if s/he could support your move into that department. Then both of you should inquire at HR of the best way to handle the remaining details.

--Einstein gave the same test to students every year. When asked why he would do something like that, "Because the answers had changed."

 

[LittleInch]

Oil and gas client company sounds like an oil or gas company to me. But four years doing something you don't see a future in or are interested in doesn't sound good.

What has the company said in your annual or six monthly formal reviews, never mind your other discussions with your managers etc?

Companies like that, unless they are really small, tend to want to look after their new graduates and you often have a structured training and a HR dept etc. How did you end up reviewing piping drawings for 4 years and nothing else?



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