The students of Petroleum Engineering Department in Covenant University, were thrown into great relief as they were lectured on how to put their petroleum engineering degree into use in other fields of human endeavor.
The lecture which was delivered by a Guest Speaker, Mrs. Karen Ochie-Nwosu, in the recently held Town and Gown seminar of the department, lamented about the traditional mindset of the society towards career pursuits where you are only expected to practice what you studied in school.
She rather encouraged a more robust career journey, leaning towards personal interests, talents and skills which is focused on people doing what they actually enjoy thereby giving room for increase in productivity, efficiency and success. According to her, “Have an open mind as far as career choice is concerned; as it is usually a stereotype way of thinking for students to work only in their chosen areas of study.”
The program was an eye opener to the students that they can function effectively in other industries where their degree can be useful. She emphasized that even before the students graduate as Petroleum Engineers, they are already thinking as Engineers even as students due to the several courses they have taken over time, which makes them versatile and qualifies them to work in other engineering firms.
Mrs. Ochie-Nwosu, added that for anyone to have graduated successfully from the University, they are teachable, trainable and qualify for employment in any organization.
“Summarily, a Petroleum Engineer can work in any other industry, but has to be intentional about it; having 21st century skills, and being willing to collaborate,” she added
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Head of Department, Petroleum Engineering, Dr. Olabode Oluwaseun, stated that with the advent of renewable energy, and other sources of clean energy, there are so many concerns from parents, as well as students, as to the prospects of getting jobs after graduation from the institution.
He noted that there are various pathways that students can take after they have graduated, as the lecture of the day would show. He commended the importance of the Town and Gown program to the department, noting that it forms one of the major yardsticks to measure the interaction between the industry and the alumni.
In sharing their thoughts, some of the students identified different industries a Petroleum Engineer can work. Triumph, a final year student, in his opinion, believes that there are no other industries a Petroleum Engineer can work apart from the oil and gas industry. In a counter opinion, Light, another student of the department, believes a Petroleum Engineer can work in a fashion industry, stating that a lot of fashion materials are made from petroleum products, such as the button.