Petro. Engg tech and Petro. Engg Q's

[msommers]

A friend of mine is at SAIT taking the P.E.T. program they have. It's only 2 years. He was bragging to me about how much money he will be making in 2 years, while I will still have more years of study, only to make roughly the same amount (I'm not in eng but getting into geo soon)

Anyways, it got me thinking. Why would a person take 4 years to get their degree(if you were going to major in petro) when it could take 2 years at SAIT? Prestige, ring, bragging rights?

He claimed he would be making upwards of 75k starting. I then proceeded to roll my eyes.

Regardless, my theory of this is that, sure you both start out the same, but the person with the degree in the end may wind up with more control, higher salary, better job. However, it made me wonder too that, if you both had the same job, would it be entirely workplace performance that would reflect your seniority/salary/control etc?

Anyone input would be appreciated. Thanks

[BlackArcher101]

First of all.... he's not in engineering.
Second, a degree with major in petro will still allow you to make more and have better job security.
Third, he won't be making $75K. He probably got scammed into believing SAIT's salary survey numbers. And with the oil industry declining the way it is, good luck to him!

What job is he expecting to get? I don't see how a person with a degree and him can land the exact same job. If they do, either the guy from sait is lucky or the guy with the degree is dumb.

[Aleks]

Originally posted by msommers
A friend of mine is at SAIT taking the P.E.T. program they have. It's only 2 years. He was bragging to me about how much money he will be making in 2 years, while I will still have more years of study, only to make roughly the same amount (I'm not in eng but getting into geo soon)

Anyways, it got me thinking. Why would a person take 4 years to get their degree(if you were going to major in petro) when it could take 2 years at SAIT? Prestige, ring, bragging rights?

He claimed he would be making upwards of 75k starting. I then proceeded to roll my eyes.

Regardless, my theory of this is that, sure you both start out the same, but the person with the degree in the end may wind up with more control, higher salary, better job. However, it made me wonder too that, if you both had the same job, would it be entirely workplace performance that would reflect your seniority/salary/control etc?

Anyone input would be appreciated. Thanks

Glass Ceiling > your friend.

[Weapon_R]

ENG tech = engineer's secretary.

[msommers]

Thanks for the input, it was as I expected it would be. I'll be sure to let him know

[Euro_Trash]

Originally posted by Weapon_R
ENG tech = engineer's secretary.

End Thread

[rc2002]

He's probably not lying about making more than you right out of school though. I know a lot of technologists that make more than engineers for the first few years.

Having an engineering degree gives you more career options when you become more senior.

[Super_Geo]

He will do okay at smaller consulting companies, as they tend to give techs more responsibility than they would get a bigger companies for the reason that they will not run off to a producer, which is a problem for all small engineering consulting companies. They will get a fresh engineer, give him a year or more of experience only to have him jump ship and sign on with a producer for more money, responsibility, etc.

The big producers don't really chase around for techs though... so there isn't the same worry that a tech will jump ship. Therefore, at smaller companies, you will see many techs with equal responsibility as engineers at earlier stages of the career. They also get their CET after 2 years of work experience, as opposed to 4 years for a P.Eng.

However, the CET doesn't allow you to stamp drawings, wherea the P.Eng does. And it would be one hell of a lot harder becoming a big wig at a major producer with a CET as opposed to a P.Eng.



I don't agree with the engineers who think that technologists are second grade employees... a lot of techs I know know their shit pretty well. That being said, nothing is more laughable than techs who think their CET is better than a P.Eng. That's just a major case of degree envy

[rinny]

Originally posted by BlackArcher101

Third, he won't be making $75K. He probably got scammed into believing SAIT's salary survey numbers. And with the oil industry declining the way it is, good luck to him!

Not true. A good friend of mine grad'd from PET at SAIT is making, with bonuses and everything, more than 75k.

And as far as big producers not running around for Techs? I've seen ads from Shell/Petro/BP at SAIT for techs.

From what i've talked to any certified engineers, its all about top end and seniority like was said. Notice a lot of people on board of directors are at minimum, Bachelors, if not usually Masters/PHd. So seniority is the difference.

[Commanderwiggin]

Gotta be careful if your friend said P.E.T. or a Petroleum Eng. Tech...cause there is also Power engineering technology. At sait they call P.E.T.'s Power engineers and the Petroleum guys are something else.

As for making 75k right out of college? They do given the right job.

As for power engineering, I made 50K since graduating and starting work in July and thats without my bonus which i get this or next month. 6 months, 50K right out of college.

[Darkane]

Originally posted by Commanderwiggin
Gotta be careful if your friend said P.E.T. or a Petroleum Eng. Tech...cause there is also Power engineering technology. At sait they call P.E.T.'s Power engineers and the Petroleum guys are something else.

As for making 75k right out of college? They do given the right job.

As for power engineering, I made 50K since graduating and starting work in July and thats without my bonus which i get this or next month. 6 months, 50K right out of college.

Nice dude. Im getting my 4th in july from CPO. Gonna grab my third asap after that make those kind of figures hopefully

[Neil4Speed]

Trust me man, you are in a GREAT program as it is, Geology is really solid, and a very versitile degree. Your possibilities/opportunities are endless.

[msommers]

Originally posted by Neil4Speed
Trust me man, you are in a GREAT program as it is, Geology is really solid, and a very versitile degree. Your possibilities/opportunities are endless.

Excellent to know!! I actually went down to Pengrowth and job-shadowed for the morning. It is entirely different than I expected it to be, and you actually do a variety of things which is really nice. Are you in the program or working as one? If so, where do you work, PM me, I have lots of questions if you are in a geo job!

[Neil4Speed]

Well, unfortunately, I am probably in the same place as you are. I am a second year student. The pay for geologists is excellent right now, higher than Engineers on average (Gears - look at the APPEGA survey).

Allot of people will give you that you are directly tied to Oil and Gas. That is not true, while O&G are important as far as your job prospects look, it is not the be all end all. Keep in mine Geologists deal with allot of enviromental work etc.

Best of luck. Are you at UofC? what year?

[msommers]

Well I sort of screwed myself over a bit as I didn't complete geo 201 and 203 this year so I'm a little behind but at least I'll have a bunch of math, chem, physics and options done. That's the beauty of inrto classes Yeah I'm at U of C.

[stealth]

Originally posted by Commanderwiggin
Gotta be careful if your friend said P.E.T. or a Petroleum Eng. Tech...cause there is also Power engineering technology. At sait they call P.E.T.'s Power engineers and the Petroleum guys are something else.

As for making 75k right out of college? They do given the right job.

As for power engineering, I made 50K since graduating and starting work in July and thats without my bonus which i get this or next month. 6 months, 50K right out of college.

You guys looking for any operators

[Commanderwiggin]

Mabe...gotta be good

[The Cosworth]

Originally posted by BlackArcher101
First of all.... he's not in engineering.
Second, a degree with major in petro will still allow you to make more and have better job security.
Third, he won't be making $75K. He probably got scammed into believing SAIT's salary survey numbers. And with the oil industry declining the way it is, good luck to him!

What job is he expecting to get? I don't see how a person with a degree and him can land the exact same job. If they do, either the guy from sait is lucky or the guy with the degree is dumb.

please do your research before spitting off 'information'

Techs at sait are learning engineering, their background is more practical instead of theoretical, which allows an engineer to be more cutting edge.

Second If you go work for Weatherford/Schlumberger your first year out of school you will be over 75k even close to 100 if you get into the right division and especially if they arnt bottom of the pack. Problem with a tech job like that is that you are never home.

I know for my program (electrical engineering tech) our salary numbers were quite accurate, so where are you getting that they are wrong?


Their will be some people who are limited by their schooling, but not all techs are useless thanks

[khtm]

Originally posted by brendankharris


please do your research before spitting off 'information'

Techs at sait are learning engineering, their background is more practical instead of theoretical, which allows an engineer to be more cutting edge.

Second If you go work for Weatherford/Schlumberger your first year out of school you will be over 75k even close to 100 if you get into the right division and especially if they arnt bottom of the pack. Problem with a tech job like that is that you are never home.

I know for my program (electrical engineering tech) our salary numbers were quite accurate, so where are you getting that they are wrong?


Their will be some people who are limited by their schooling, but not all techs are useless thanks

Sorry, but no, tech's at SAIT ARE NOT learning Engineering. They're learning Engineering Technology. The main difference is that Engineers are trained to DESIGN, while technologists are trained to IMPLEMENT, TEST, and MAINTAIN what the Engineer designs.

It is illegal for technologists to refer to themselves as "Engineers", as the CCPE (APEGGA) in Canada has a trademark to this term. Only a Professional Engineer can use this title.

Sorry to rant but it really pisses me off hearing Technologists casually leave the term "Technologist" out of their titles. It's insulting to Engineers.

I'm not saying that Technologists aren't important, I just think there is a clear distinction that most try to ignore.

And to the OP, you can check out this 2005 Alberta Salary Survey to see what particular jobs pay. Things have changed in 2 years but it should be fairly consistent.

http://www.alis.gov.ab.ca/wageinfo/

[The Cosworth]

Originally posted by khtm

Sorry, but no, tech's at SAIT ARE NOT learning Engineering. They're learning Engineering Technology. The main difference is that Engineers are trained to DESIGN, while technologists are trained to IMPLEMENT, TEST, and MAINTAIN what the Engineer designs.

It is illegal for technologists to refer to themselves as "Engineers", as the CCPE (APEGGA) in Canada has a trademark to this term. Only a Professional Engineer can use this title.

Sorry to rant but it really pisses me off hearing Technologists casually leave the term "Technologist" out of their titles. It's insulting to Engineers.

I'm not saying that Technologists aren't important, I just think there is a clear distinction that most try to ignore.

And to the OP, you can check out this 2005 Alberta Salary Survey to see what particular jobs pay. Things have changed in 2 years but it should be fairly consistent.

http://www.alis.gov.ab.ca/wageinfo/

I never said we were engineers, but someone said we are not engineers at all. UBC, UVic, University of Lakehead and UofA all count my schooling as the first two years of an engineering degree. Which, to me anyway, says that something we are learning is some form of engineering.

And for someone like myself I am not in the Alberta salary survey as I work for BC Hydro and relocated to Vernon (by the way in my company, engineers and techs are treated the same, except the engineers training period is one year shorter, three years instead of four. But we are all the same coming out.) Where I design, DESIGN, the distribution system for the Okanogan, so yes techs do design.

This BS that techs are less talented than engineers is a bunch of crap. I was majoring in math before i decided to go to sait, and not because of how hard university was. Many techs have gone on and found/run very successful companies (Vice President, Russian Operations, Schlumberger, Tech from SAIT) (Founder of Ber-Mac Electrical, EET from SAIT) (President and Vice President of Sigit Automaiton, EET's SAIT) Those are a few of the contacts I know.

Yes their is the other side of the coin that some companies (shell, Husky) limit the ladder their techs can climb, but most people know that going in. and yes techs are certified by ASET and Engineers by APPEGGA, but I put CET at the end of my name, not P.Eng. I am on the other side of the abuse where engineers think because I am a tech their must be something wrong with me. I also do know of techs who call themselves engineers which I do agree is wrong. But I have also heard from a few engineers I know that it makes them upset sometimes to see a tech, with two years less school, working beside them for the same pay. Which would probably piss me off too, but its not my fault!

For people looking to see what someone like myself makes out of school, the SAIT numbers are probably more accurate than the Alberta one. Alberta numbers would incorporate anyone with a technologist's diploma who has moved here, and are working in a technologist's position. That may not include people like the president of my old company, who is a master electrician and an EET. He would be considered and entrepreneur. A girl in my program now is going down to CRANE in Dallas and working. Friends are going to the states, Sask, out here to BC so the SAIT numbers will differ from the Alberta/ASET numbers. And because probably 60% of us work for utilities (where there is lots of money as well) we relocate all over.