Is a phd in engineering worth it?

[RVtitem]

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I am soon finishing graduate level study from some EU university and I am thinking of either going back to Kenya or try to use a phd as a pathway to a more multicultural environment (canada, australia or usa come into mind). Staying in Europe is not a possibility for a negro.

I also welcome the possibility to ditch studying for a job if anything comes by along the way.

Anyone working in engineering related field out there?

[MOON Ki]

Depends.     Especially if your main idea is that it will help in the immigration process.     Certain countries---such as Australia, Canada, and New Zealand---have a fairly transparent immigration process---a "points" system"--for "skilled migrants".    You can look at the relevant webpages to see how many points you would get if you applied now and what the current "pass mark" is.   Depending on the country, you may get a few more, but not many,  points if you have a PhD.  At any rate, you could find that you already "qualify".

On the other hand, in all these "points systems" you also lose points for getting older; so you should consider that and the cut-off-dates/points for different age-groups before putting in the time to get a PhD.

Another things is that a place like Canada has a system in which application-time to decision-time can be quite long and depends on where you make the application---different times for London, Nairobi, Bogota, etc.  (The times should be available on some website.)   You could well be done with your studies in the interval.  For the other side, Australia will speed things up if you are willing to initially live in one of the "less desirable" states: look for a "regional visa".

If your engineering area is in demand in some place, then you might consider the much faster process of applying for a job  and work permit/visa, with permanent residence to be done later.   

[Bella]

Personally, I think one should do a PhD only if they intend to be an academic. If not, for most fields, the 3-4 years spent writing a thesis would be better spent accumulating experience at a JOB out there in the market. 3-4 years experience with a masters makes you very marketable.

[Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants]

RVtitem,

It might be a superfluous question,  but have you seriously considered going back to work in Kenya?  If not, why not?

[MOON Ki]

Personally, I think one should do a PhD only if they intend to be an academic. If not, for most fields, the 3-4 years spent writing a thesis would be better spent accumulating experience at a JOB out there in the market. 3-4 years experience with a masters makes you very marketable.

I think that depends a great deal on where one wants to end up and in what sort of career.    In some countries, the only "meaningful" thing to do with a PhD is to be an academic.   But there are many places in which a PhD is a good preparation, and frequently a "pre-requisite", for a research career in industry (especially scientific/technological)  or elsewhere (e.g. economist policy-wonks in central banks, think-tanks, all sorts of "research institutes).   

But, yes, as far as just getting a job, even a great job, there are numerous other paths that are even more lucrative.

[veritas]

Which engineer ? You can make ten times more working on the field than doing a PhD and becoming a professor. Average entry engineers are in demand in Australia. They make at least a hundred grand a year which is about the same rate a professor makes. If you ran your own business as an engineer you'd easily make a million bucks or more a year in your 40s so long as you're business savy and learn to network enough to score tenders. If doing a PhD you'd be wallowing in poverty for most of your life.

My suggestion is to do an MBA. Get business skills.

Focus on getting rich.

[Georgesoros]

Go on bro, get it.

[RVtitem]

A phd is in a way a last resort.

I just want to escape the hell hole that is in Europe. I am in the construction/civil engineering industry.

There are some specialties in the construction that a phd would be of high value....off shore work for example, is very complicated.

Veritas, but you got yourself out of australia?

[Bella]

@RVtitem, what's so horrible in Europe?

[RVtitem]

@RVtitem, what's so horrible in Europe?

Its too homogenous for a negro. I will want to work in a more international environment. I also think fundamentalism is very much on the rise and it will not get any better.
The currencies here are much weaker also. So, it means I cannot do much to develop my ideas back at home.