Reporter
Deeper financial losses, additional layoff announcements, and talk of continued retreat from the oilfields is on the rise in the state of California.
Are CSU Bakersfield students majoring in petroleum engineering and geology, thinking twice about their educational decisions?
Philip Price, a petroleum-engineering student at CSUB said he and most of his colleagues are not concerned about the price of oil or the job market.
“I’ve seen some improvement. Hopefully, there will be more before I graduate. I stick to my studies and hope for the best” said Price.
Price said that he has always wanted to get into petroleum engineering and this is his chance. He follows the market, watches the news and tries not to worry about jobs.
Rick Fewtrell, geology major at CSUB, originally wanted to seek out the opportunities of the oil industry, but for personal reasons changed his career path.
“Many of my classmates have changed their career plans in response to it because it is much harder to get hired now. They do not have internships or preparatory programs like they used to” said Fewttell.
He advised future students seeking a career in the oil industry to have a back up plan and that they do everything and anything to be involved with the industry to increase their chances of getting hired.
Geology professor Robert Negrini gave his input on the oil industry and the career paths of CSUB students. He said the reason for the fall in oil prices is complicated.
“Oversupply is part of it, fracking in the United States for example has produced a lot more hydrocarbons than before, possibly Iran coming onto the world market again, because of the agreement they affect supplies. Most of what I have heard is that in a couple of years the prices will go up again, but we will see,” said Negrini.
Negrini highlighted that geology majors specifically are required to take calculus, physics, and chemistry for their degree. He said that their very broad education helps them find a job. It is a wait-and-see for CSUB students majoring in petroleum engineering and geology. The rise and fall of oil prices worries some students, but others are quite optimistic in the future oil industry.
Negrini advised students seeking employment in the oil industry to “look to the many other places of employment, that their qualification makes them suitable for.”
