otispunkmeyer
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 15, 2006
- Messages
- 4,829
- Location
- Loughborough UK
- Car(s)
- '03 Skoda Superb (farewell :(), '06 Honda Civic ES
So im still looking for credible ways out of my current situation at my company.
ive been on site out in south africa for the past nearly 2 months, which has been much fun despite spending the majority of my time stuck in a sweaty cabin doing check sheets in excel or being a general secretary. what time i have been on the turbine floor has been either to watch or maybe unpack a box or two. i cant say ive learned too much about how powerstation turbines are built up because ive missed most of the major stuff. disappointing really.
never mind, an avenue has opened up. Whilst the only job i can seem to get my hooks in to with a local consultancy is still on the cards (they just landed a ?1m deal with the Chinese to built a special test rig). They are undecided on whether they need more engineers and i have begun to think PhD. I will keep reminding them that im here and willing to drop everything to come work for them.
I fired off a few mails to lecturers who i know, and who know me, whom i found thoroughly interesting and enjoyable to see if they had any interesting PhD's going. in an amazing coincidence, my favorite IC engines lecturer got back saying he was looking for a good candidate to do one of his PhD's in devising a plasma cleaning device for Diesel Particulate Filter Regeneration.
its gonna involve lots of testing on engines, X-Rays, Laser measurements a healthy dose of physics and a lot of electronics, its a very practical PhD, not a lot of time spent developing theory. physics and electronics are my 2 best strengths! its being done in conjunction with caterpillar and a local company called 3D X-Ray. its sounds very promising and its enticing me to say yes every day.
ill still need to go through interviews though, but as the guys know me already and know what im like, i figure i might have a head start. and they always say they want more "home" students to do the PhD's.
so its 3 years, starts on ?15k tax free rising to 17k tax free by the end of the final year. money wise this appears to be a substantial cut in my income, but a)being tax exempt and b) uni being 3 minutes bike ride away means once the dust is settled with bills and not having to own my car (i can share the wifes,and it is costing me ?250/mo to get to work) ill actually be better off than staying at Alstom for another 3 years. And it may well open up great job prospects with the 2 companies involved.
i need to man up and make a decision, i know myself that i become very indecisive with big decisions. do PhD's do anything for your future career? or will i be playing catch up because i decided to do something interesting for 3 years? should i hold out for a job that might materialise at this consultancy? i do not know!!!! gah!
ive been on site out in south africa for the past nearly 2 months, which has been much fun despite spending the majority of my time stuck in a sweaty cabin doing check sheets in excel or being a general secretary. what time i have been on the turbine floor has been either to watch or maybe unpack a box or two. i cant say ive learned too much about how powerstation turbines are built up because ive missed most of the major stuff. disappointing really.
never mind, an avenue has opened up. Whilst the only job i can seem to get my hooks in to with a local consultancy is still on the cards (they just landed a ?1m deal with the Chinese to built a special test rig). They are undecided on whether they need more engineers and i have begun to think PhD. I will keep reminding them that im here and willing to drop everything to come work for them.
I fired off a few mails to lecturers who i know, and who know me, whom i found thoroughly interesting and enjoyable to see if they had any interesting PhD's going. in an amazing coincidence, my favorite IC engines lecturer got back saying he was looking for a good candidate to do one of his PhD's in devising a plasma cleaning device for Diesel Particulate Filter Regeneration.
its gonna involve lots of testing on engines, X-Rays, Laser measurements a healthy dose of physics and a lot of electronics, its a very practical PhD, not a lot of time spent developing theory. physics and electronics are my 2 best strengths! its being done in conjunction with caterpillar and a local company called 3D X-Ray. its sounds very promising and its enticing me to say yes every day.
ill still need to go through interviews though, but as the guys know me already and know what im like, i figure i might have a head start. and they always say they want more "home" students to do the PhD's.
so its 3 years, starts on ?15k tax free rising to 17k tax free by the end of the final year. money wise this appears to be a substantial cut in my income, but a)being tax exempt and b) uni being 3 minutes bike ride away means once the dust is settled with bills and not having to own my car (i can share the wifes,and it is costing me ?250/mo to get to work) ill actually be better off than staying at Alstom for another 3 years. And it may well open up great job prospects with the 2 companies involved.
i need to man up and make a decision, i know myself that i become very indecisive with big decisions. do PhD's do anything for your future career? or will i be playing catch up because i decided to do something interesting for 3 years? should i hold out for a job that might materialise at this consultancy? i do not know!!!! gah!