Hello and Happy New Year.
I have a B.S. Chemical Engineering degree from one of the best engineering universities in the US. But since I was an international student in the US, It was impossible finding an employee to sponsor me for work after I graduate.
Luckily, I was able to enter Canada in September as a PR (long story. you can view my past forum posts to find out). Before coming to Canada, I assumed I would be able to get a job in Alberta or BC because of the so called "demand" for engineers in the oil & gas industry. To my surprise, it has been SOOO HARD to find a job.
I reside in BC with my parents and I have been to career fairs, informational sessions and networking events in Calgary & Vancouver and I have not been successful
In the career fairs, none of the companies accept resumes handed to them. 99% of them tell you to apply online. I got interviews with 2 big construction companies in BC (1 really liked me as a candidate, but she said that my Chemical Engineering background did not fit within the construction industry and the other company seemed to use me for an experiment )
Most jobs I find online are asking for ridiculous years of experience. Very few jobs are for graduates and they are usually very competitive. As a backup plan, I have applied to a Petroleum Engineering program at SAIT for the Fall of this year. I decided to go for this program instead of a Masters in Petroleum Engineering because the SAIT program includes a mandatory 1 yr work practicum. With a Masters degree, I will not be guaranteed a job or an internship. Is this a good idea?
Can someone advise me on what to do? Why am I having such a hard time getting a job in a industry that is booming? Why is it soo hard for extremely qualified graduates to find jobs in Canada? I've met so many graduates like me who are still unemployed. Mind you, I have oil and gas internship experience (in Africa).
I am soo hopeless right now :'(
I have a B.S. Chemical Engineering degree from one of the best engineering universities in the US. But since I was an international student in the US, It was impossible finding an employee to sponsor me for work after I graduate.
Luckily, I was able to enter Canada in September as a PR (long story. you can view my past forum posts to find out). Before coming to Canada, I assumed I would be able to get a job in Alberta or BC because of the so called "demand" for engineers in the oil & gas industry. To my surprise, it has been SOOO HARD to find a job.
I reside in BC with my parents and I have been to career fairs, informational sessions and networking events in Calgary & Vancouver and I have not been successful
In the career fairs, none of the companies accept resumes handed to them. 99% of them tell you to apply online. I got interviews with 2 big construction companies in BC (1 really liked me as a candidate, but she said that my Chemical Engineering background did not fit within the construction industry and the other company seemed to use me for an experiment ) Most jobs I find online are asking for ridiculous years of experience. Very few jobs are for graduates and they are usually very competitive. As a backup plan, I have applied to a Petroleum Engineering program at SAIT for the Fall of this year. I decided to go for this program instead of a Masters in Petroleum Engineering because the SAIT program includes a mandatory 1 yr work practicum. With a Masters degree, I will not be guaranteed a job or an internship. Is this a good idea?
Can someone advise me on what to do? Why am I having such a hard time getting a job in a industry that is booming? Why is it soo hard for extremely qualified graduates to find jobs in Canada? I've met so many graduates like me who are still unemployed. Mind you, I have oil and gas internship experience (in Africa).
I am soo hopeless right now :'(
