Hi All,

Please tell me what is your push factor to pursue study at the higher level?

To be frank, I am dilemma to further study or continue with the current job career. I have Master in Engineering when I was doing it part time in 5 years back. I also working with engineering environment more than 10 years already.

Recently, some of my friends told me that better to further study till PHD and complete the education cycle, however looking at our education system and management I don't feel it is a good choice to further. The numbers of jobless and fresh graduate are keep increasing. The salary either Bsc, Msc or PHD are not compatible with the current life where all the price are hikes and sooner will be more high.

Basically what is drive you to study on the higher level?

1) Because to secure the job career
2) Salary factor
3) Satisfaction
4) Migrate to other country
5) or it is own dream to teach people or passion in endless learning curve.

As i know everyone have own dream and desire, so would you like to share your thoughts or opinion.

Thanks

This post has been edited by engrfeez: May 7 2017, 12:58 PM

How about all of them. I was like you, graduated with a master of engineering. Right after i completed the master, everyone around me is telling me to progress into PhD. But at that time, i was really curious about job life, i ended up ignore all of them, even had an argument with my parents, i found a job, and i worked for a year

Now that i realised, working in Malaysia isn't really what i want (even though i'm transferred to Australia later), and master will not get me any further than a bachelor. I dont want an endless and repetitive life working on something i have no passion in a consultant firm. I decided to quit my job on 30th April. Now i am on a holiday, and preparing myself for the PhD, working or researching on a title/ topic that i liked.

So.. yeah. Basically everything you wrote, self-satisfaction, job-prospects, easy PR, family pressure.

This post has been edited by Subang Nuclear Reactor: May 7 2017, 10:39 PM

Thanks bro for the sharing, good to hear that finally u pursue your higher level education. Good luck and all the best

Your friends are correct in the sense that a M.ENG does not make you more attractive than a B.ENG in the context of Malaysia industry.

1) Overall I think when you are going for PhD, you opening the option for academia. If you have 10 years job experience and a PhD, I think many universities would want to hire you. Even better if you are an IR already
2) Quote from a lecturer that I know : "Getting a PhD will not make you rich"
3) Being a lecturer provided me with flexi hour and alot of time for myself and family. Some people may opt for more work to improve career prospect and publications. At the end of the day, it depends on what you want.
4) Not really, my parents and family always come first
5) I m a mentor in heart. =)

I did my phD in Biotechnology Sometimes I also wonder why I opted to further my studies, but to me its definitely worth it
1. As mentioned by less1234, doing a phD will likely and eventually land you a job in academia. No doubt competition is getting stiff nowadays but its not really difficult if you have a good resume and (more importantly) good connections.

2. I admit salary was an important factor for me when I decided to pursue my phD. The pay is considered as above average but if you are really into money, doing business is a much better option.

3. Not everyone is capable of getting a phD, so being able to obtain the "Dr." title would mean alot to some. I myself never think much of the title; the experiences gained during the period were way, way more important.

4. I think that Malaysia is a good place to be in since the bright and brilliant has already left the country Its so easy to shine here Plus I will miss Nasi Lemak and Teh Ice if I ever leave haha

5. I'm very interested in research but as a lecturer I find very little time to do research, which is a shame (not sure how I'm going to fulfill my grants lol). Although I enjoy teaching I think its quite sad that not many appreciate what they're being taught

I am always learning and I hope some day I will be able to commercialize my research, and hopefully learn a bit more about the business side of things, rather than always looking at Science

Thanks less1234 for sharing some inputs, indeed end of the day it is depends on what we want not what others want.

1. Good to hear PF T.J. Surprising academia also need connection. I thought the more intelligent the more you will selected.

2. Above average sound good and acceptable as well

I think we need more people like you those who sincerely teaching rather than thinking about the accreditation or credit. But again being in academia must be a though as the community are always have perception on the intelligence course.

I'm afraid connection has a lot to do with everything. Even publications are so much easier when people know you in your field Initially I wanted to "prove myself" and achieve my goals "on my own" and it turned out to be quite a disaster As for the "more intelligent the more you will be selected" part, it only applies if you are a genius haha

Yeah, you are right, academicians (especially primary/secondary school teachers) are often misunderstood by the general mass, which is sadly the result when people put dollars and cents as a priority in life

This post has been edited by [PF] T.J.: May 10 2017, 08:26 PM

Yea, totally agree on the connection part. Academia has their own version of politics also and it is one of the more toxic version of politic.

Lookup Sayre's law. Saw too many academician cared too much about the perceptions of others and finally self imploded.

As for teaching, I can say you can only teach those that are interested and embraced the concept of an empty cup as there is no point in filling a full cup.

This is just my opinion:
1) Because to secure the job career
If you are a fresh graduate a master or PHD degree not necessary secure a job.... nowadays, not much job require a master or phd with 0 working experience.
For the case of those having working experience, Master or Phd also isn't what employer is looking... it is more of the experience and project you handled before

2) Salary factor
A master degree or PHD will have a higher paid certainly... but 3 years and 5 years to get them... it is almost equivalent to the increment of start working after bachelor degree

3) Satisfaction
YES, I think this is the main reason, to realize own dreams

4) Migrate to other country
Again, experience play a bigger part... unless one migrate directly after getting his mater or PHD... but in order to migrate one needs to land a job first... right?

5) or it is own dream to teach people or passion in endless learning curve.
This is some what similar to 3) where it is one's passion to teach or to learn. Satisfaction gain from fulfilling one's passion

From the industry, I switched to academia many years ago.

So, the best way to climb up in academia is by having a PhD. I can say the pay rise is quite sizeable between those with and without a PhD.

Besides that, I also have an interest on doing a research in organisational behaviour.

The Dr title is not my major concern at all. For me, it is not even a reason to do it.

To sum up, my reasons are career development, salary factor, and interest.

Connection and competent are always long debate issue. I do agree if connection can be use once the competent person had been verified. But I couldn't agree if the connection is use more than competencies. I was in working industry where I can see clearly the two chapter between connection and competencies.

Dollar and cent is like a 'King' nowadays. Regardless how good and intelligent you are if don't have money consider stupid as well. How cruel and unbalance the world we are living now?

I still in doubt to switch my careers. The only concern I have to re-consider is my own time

As child has being grow up, I need to spent more time looks up for their development of study and behavior. I am not sure being an academia have independent time or same as my current industry working hours 7am-7pm and also I need to travel and stay long at certain state depending the nature of the project.

When i was in the industry early in my career, I don't have the passion at all. I felt dreaded going to work. Working hours could extend to after midnight as well as Saturdays and Sundays. I don't see the point of doing all those work.

But in the academia, it doesn't mean less work. U still need to read, write, carry out research, prepare notes and slides, prepare exam questions, mark papers, etc. All those work could eat up your time past midnight including Saturdays and Sundays. But the difference is that I like the work involved.

If you asked me, my answer would be because I'm a curious person. I love to discover new things especially for subject I'm interested in. The answer is cliche but it's the truth. Before you further the study in PhD/ Master (Research), ask yourself whether you are motivated and interested enough to do so. You should also love to read new materials and write a lot. If you don't like writing/ reading critically, your PhD journey will suck big time.

I got my undergrad degree in 1996. Been working ever since in the area of my training.

Never cared about furthering my studies after that, despite my dad's constant nagging to get me to do my master's degree. I was too busy enjoying my life, traveling everywhere overseas for salsa throughout my 30s to give a shit.

When I hit the mid 40s, I started to look at myself in the mirror. I got married to this wonderful Teochew girl who got her PhD at age 34. My dad got his PhD at age 43. Me? Age 43 and found myself unable to break thru the glass ceiling at work unless I found a different way to get around it.

So...20 years after graduating with my bachelor's degree, I went back to school to start my master's.

Now I'm thinking whether or not to consider continuing to PhD... I'll be almost 50 by the time I finish. My line of work actually doesn't give a shit abt graduate degrees.. but at least I'll be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with my dad & my wife...

Is it stupid to attempt postgraduate purely for the satisfaction of it?

need opinion here..currently now im felt in delima, i wanted to cont master but i got option which one better for long term my career,

1. master at UTM (MJIT) course in management of technology innovation
2.master at UM course in project management.

anyone can share their thought or opinion ?

already working in IT comp around 5 years working experience..

tq

UM ranking is the highest in Malaysia.
I would choose UM.

Both programme are tough, so I would choose UM.

I will vote for MJIT, u will get Japanese syllabus and study trip to Japan, and once u grad, all the Japanese company will want to hired MJIT student because u also need to learn a bit Japanese for graduation

This post has been edited by rara_ana: Jul 1 2018, 05:02 PM

i see..do u also graduate from MJIT? master? tq rara

No, but I know about MJIT as I have friends from there

1) Because to secure the job career [sounds good but MBA from top univ is still preferable for breakthrough to senior mgmt, partly due to networking obtained during the course of study]
2) Salary factor [depends on which technical field you plan to specialise in. As you are already a engineer, next may be to set up own firm, or to tender for project? All these requires networking. If for satisfaction, it is entirely plausible to go for it]
3) Satisfaction [The latter point 2]
4) Migrate to other country [It opens door to big corporation, score some cekap migration scores, but then again, it depends on what you are pursuing in life (settle down here, or becoming a global citizen].
5) or it is own dream to teach people or passion in endless learning curve. [IMO, this would be the best of all the options listed]

As i know everyone have own dream and desire, so would you like to share your thoughts or opinion.

Studying up to PhD is a passion more than a commitment to fulfill esoteric need or to cover physiological needs (money, fame, migration and other hygienic factors).
Not only it will take up a chunk of your time (3 years to beyond) but it is a particular drain on one's finances too. Consider the need to take care of worldly needs (family, spouse, children, chasing for financial independence, etc) before embarking.
Ultimately learning does not stop when one hits PhD. Plenty of stuffs to be discovered post doctoral.

This post has been edited by SevenTwentyOne: Apr 8 2019, 09:30 AM

Why would study for PhD a drain in one's finance? I tot normally one will get paid, sponsored or provided grant at this stage.

For me, I studied master degree for satisfaction

I pick master degree because I have interest in the syllabus which similar to my current career. Working and study I guess it's bonus for me

I got masters degree because I was offered conditional offer at UiTM. Passed with bretty gud CGPA compared to my degree.

Then I worked for 2 months, then fedup with the micromanage (which I dont care honestly, but the supervisor is inefficient as hell and it hinders progress of my work), blatant gaslighting, and basically piss poor HR. But got like 2K during first month (for a fresh grad), a raise to 3k+ the next, but simply cannot tahan the cancer environment. I did great work, everyone noticed it, but the stress simply shave away any sanity I have left.

Then I say screw it, leave with 24hr notice (with complimentary fight with boss why Im leaving) then straight to draft my PhD proposal. Met with my masters lecturer for a supervisor role, then she basically willing to cooperate with new tools, grants, funding etc. Now she even offered me paid training program, before I even began my PhD.

One thing I must say, you MUST try to build connections during Postgrad. Postgrad isn't just something you attend for a scroll of achievement. Its about the journey when you build your network with academicians, make them notice you before you even want them to. Show dilligence and most importantly, enthusiasm in your field. This is where you show off your skills during group work, and that team member of yours might already worked at somewhere else. I'd say its much more controlled environment to make friends, without the industry/corporate shenanigans.

This post has been edited by cend: Jul 16 2019, 07:30 PM

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For me, i continue master because it was too boring after work, go back home, got nothing to do (homework).
doing part time study.

For me, i continue master because it was too boring after work, go back home, got nothing to do (homework).
doing part time study.

Hmm.. All of the above. But also because my workplace is offering bursary and staff discount for a course that i'm quite interested.

So why not ?

I have a master since 2014, but not in mood to pursue to PHD.

I dont know what passion to do PHD after reading everyhwere the highest rank education such as PHd also is jobless nowdays.

So what make it all of you to pursue then?