Which types of Western degrees do well in the Thai job market?

[DirtyDan]

Why go the degree route? Simply serve an apprenticeship as a welder / rigger, get qualified as an inspector & job's a good 'un! Then you can earn tons of money working in Singapore, supervising the local tradesman & holiday in LOS between contracts. Only one problem - 50% youth unemployment in the west & there's been no such thing as an apprentice for 20 years, at least in the UK. Tony Blair basically gave the nod to engineering firms that they didn't need to spend money on training indigenous staff, as there was a ready supply of 'qualified' workers from Eastern Europe.

On second thoughts, better to do an engineering degree, be one of the lucky 1% that passes the entrance to a graduate training scheme, graft for 20 years in Africa or worse...then with a bit of luck get a choice posting out here.

Good luck.

"... be one of the lucky hard-working 1% that passes the entrance to a graduate training scheme.... " There, fixed it for you. However, I agree with you on the inspector route. Lot's of apprentice positions in the colonies still (maybe after the next uptick in oil prices at least).

No comparison with the remuneration from engineering project management to hospitality or NGO work. If OP truly has limitless college options (and he'll find out that trying to apply yourself to non-interesting subjects is not that easy) than why mess around with options that are less than the best? Soutpeel quoted some base engineering salaries for comparison - those are inline with Medical specialists and don't require the 10 years of schooling to get there.

Edited July 28, 2015 by DirtyDan

[Briggsy]

To be honest, it is actually quite easy to get a good job in Thailand...

1. Look at the reasons why Thailand is still a developing country.

2. Get a degree in a relevant field. Back up your degree with internships, work experiences, certificates, etc.

3. Apply for jobs with international NGOs or IGOs in Thailand.

4. PROFIT!

For example...

1. Using your brain, deduce that one of the million reasons why Thailand is still a developing country is because of high child mortality.

2. Get a degree in pediatrics. Volunteer in Africa to give antibiotic pills to children, thereby saving them from diarrhea. Publish a report on epidemiology.

3. Apply for a job at UNICEF.

4. Make a nontaxable 200k/month starting.

Unfortunately, the Thai medical profession is ringfenced and protected from the use of foreign workers and that includes nursing.

There are a number of ways to work around this but they are difficult to achieve and implement.

Good idea but I think an engineering degree would be more likely to yield results.

The OP's question has put the cart before the horse. You should choose a degree subject based on your academic interests and aptitude.

[GanDoonToonPet]

Why go the degree route? Simply serve an apprenticeship as a welder / rigger, get qualified as an inspector & job's a good 'un! Then you can earn tons of money working in Singapore, supervising the local tradesman & holiday in LOS between contracts. Only one problem - 50% youth unemployment in the west & there's been no such thing as an apprentice for 20 years, at least in the UK. Tony Blair basically gave the nod to engineering firms that they didn't need to spend money on training indigenous staff, as there was a ready supply of 'qualified' workers from Eastern Europe.

On second thoughts, better to do an engineering degree, be one of the lucky 1% that passes the entrance to a graduate training scheme, graft for 20 years in Africa or worse...then with a bit of luck get a choice posting out here.

Good luck.

"... be one of the lucky hard-working sons / daughters of the boss, mate of the boss, token ethnic minority or be <deleted> the bosses' son / daughter so that you will pass the entrance to a graduate training scheme.... " There, fixed it for you. However, I agree with you on the inspector route. Lot's of apprentice positions in the colonies still (maybe after the next uptick in oil prices at least).

There will be no 'uptick', only a downward spiral. The US is already producing a surplus of oil, due to shale & newly discovered Arctic fields. There is of course an export ban, which excludes Canada, who have been reselling US oil by proxy.

I wonder what will happen in the Middle East, by 2020 by all studies, when the US starts exporting oil & the price per barrel tanks to single digits?

Goodbye blue sky & no money, no honey...

[Soutpeel]

Why go the degree route? Simply serve an apprenticeship as a welder / rigger, get qualified as an inspector & job's a good 'un! Then you can earn tons of money working in Singapore, supervising the local tradesman & holiday in LOS between contracts. Only one problem - 50% youth unemployment in the west & there's been no such thing as an apprentice for 20 years, at least in the UK. Tony Blair basically gave the nod to engineering firms that they didn't need to spend money on training indigenous staff, as there was a ready supply of 'qualified' workers from Eastern Europe.

On second thoughts, better to do an engineering degree, be one of the lucky 1% that passes the entrance to a graduate training scheme, graft for 20 years in Africa or worse...then with a bit of luck get a choice posting out here.

Good luck.

"... be one of the lucky hard-working sons / daughters of the boss, mate of the boss, token ethnic minority or be <deleted> the bosses' son / daughter so that you will pass the entrance to a graduate training scheme.... " There, fixed it for you. However, I agree with you on the inspector route. Lot's of apprentice positions in the colonies still (maybe after the next uptick in oil prices at least).

There will be no 'uptick', only a downward spiral. The US is already producing a surplus of oil, due to shale & newly discovered Arctic fields. There is of course an export ban, which excludes Canada, who have been reselling US oil by proxy.

I wonder what will happen in the Middle East, by 2020 by all studies, when the US starts exporting oil & the price per barrel tanks to single digits?

Goodbye blue sky & no money, no honey...

Yeah right we will see LOL, who puts US politians in power ? Big oil, who doesnt like their profit margins cut ? Big oil

As much as your waving flag the oil companies in the US, same as those in OPEC dont like people f ukcing with their profit margins

[DirtyDan]

The longer people keep telling themselves that only the lucky get ahead, the longer those same people can continue to find a reason they themselves are not ahead. It's called being in the lower-loop (the victim's mentality to make excuses) and allows a weak person to continually find ways to accept why they're not fixing their problems themselves: it's easier for a person blame luck than to actually look within to correct their own problems.

Newly discovered Arctic fields? Newsflash - we were drilling in the high Arctic 60 years ago. The test oil that was pulled from the wells was so clean it looked like honey and was burnt straight into our boilers (no way of transporting it to market and no disposal sites up there on the ice). The problem has never been a supply of oil - it's the price of developing and transporting remote oil that's the limit. I can't see oil hitting single digits again as even the "easy" oil in the US costs $15-18 per barrel to produce and most shale oil can cost 3x as much to fracture and pump. If you know a place that can produce single digit oil, let me know as I'll buy in at the ground floor!

OP - Engineering or even physical sciences if you have the disposition for graduate studies - but you won't make near what construction, manufacturing, or energy engineers make. Full stop. And money may be the motivator to get you through an undergrad program, but good luck 5 years into your career if you hate what you do.

Edited July 28, 2015 by DirtyDan

[Seann]

High paying was a poor choice of words since that might mean different things to different people. I would like to be able to get a job in Thailand that pays similar to what I would expect to be paid coming out of school in the West. For example, after four years of school in the West I would expect to be making ~150,000 baht a month. Is that unreasonable? If I were to have a four year degree out of the West in engineering what type of salary should I expect to make in Thailand?

As some who actually works in Engineering in Thailand and is sometimes involved in recruiting people as well here is my interview question to you

Why should i hire you over a Thai national who has also completed studies at a Western University ? given you need a work permit to work here and you have absolutely no experience so why should i pay you 150k/m when i can hire a western educationed Thai graduate at the same zero experience level for 60 to 80k month and dont have to get a WP

I understand that out of university the company has no idea if you are capable and that experience is what really matters in any profession. Perhaps the Thai national recieved some scholarship to study in the West, otherwise he spent probably at least 3m baht on a degree so that he can make 60 to 80k baht a month?

Is it a situation where those who cannot handle the heat are quickly axed and salaries rise quickly from the starting point? Or is a slow steedy uptick to earning a living wage?

It just seems like peanuts.

[Soutpeel]

Wow you got a lot learning to do my friend and dont mean a 4 year degree either, you seem fixated with the how much can earn side of things rather than doing something you enjoy doing / interested in,

yes making money to support your life is important but shouldnt be the sole motivator which it seems to be in your case, therefore would suggest dont get involved with engineering then if money is your sole motivator, rather forget university and start flogging condo's or dodgy financial investments

BTW you failed your interview question

Edited July 28, 2015 by Soutpeel

[Linzz]

Why go the degree route? Simply serve an apprenticeship as a welder / rigger, get qualified as an inspector & job's a good 'un! Then you can earn tons of money working in Singapore, supervising the local tradesman & holiday in LOS between contracts. Only one problem - 50% youth unemployment in the west & there's been no such thing as an apprentice for 20 years, at least in the UK. Tony Blair basically gave the nod to engineering firms that they didn't need to spend money on training indigenous staff, as there was a ready supply of 'qualified' workers from Eastern Europe.

On second thoughts, better to do an engineering degree, be one of the lucky 1% that passes the entrance to a graduate training scheme, graft for 20 years in Africa or worse...then with a bit of luck get a choice posting out here.

Good luck.

"... be one of the lucky hard-working sons / daughters of the boss, mate of the boss, token ethnic minority or be <deleted> the bosses' son / daughter so that you will pass the entrance to a graduate training scheme.... " There, fixed it for you. However, I agree with you on the inspector route. Lot's of apprentice positions in the colonies still (maybe after the next uptick in oil prices at least).

There will be no 'uptick', only a downward spiral. The US is already producing a surplus of oil, due to shale & newly discovered Arctic fields. There is of course an export ban, which excludes Canada, who have been reselling US oil by proxy.

I wonder what will happen in the Middle East, by 2020 by all studies, when the US starts exporting oil & the price per barrel tanks to single digits?

Goodbye blue sky & no money, no honey...

Yeah right we will see LOL, who puts US politians in power ? Big oil, who doesnt like their profit margins cut ? Big oil

As much as your waving flag the oil companies in the US, same as those in OPEC dont like people f ukcing with their profit margins

Really? Big oil doesn't "like" their margins cut? So somehow they're OK with oil in free fall from $115 one year ago to $53 today? Their profit margins are already getting fukced don't you think

[Soutpeel]

Why go the degree route? Simply serve an apprenticeship as a welder / rigger, get qualified as an inspector & job's a good 'un! Then you can earn tons of money working in Singapore, supervising the local tradesman & holiday in LOS between contracts. Only one problem - 50% youth unemployment in the west & there's been no such thing as an apprentice for 20 years, at least in the UK. Tony Blair basically gave the nod to engineering firms that they didn't need to spend money on training indigenous staff, as there was a ready supply of 'qualified' workers from Eastern Europe.

On second thoughts, better to do an engineering degree, be one of the lucky 1% that passes the entrance to a graduate training scheme, graft for 20 years in Africa or worse...then with a bit of luck get a choice posting out here.

Good luck.

"... be one of the lucky hard-working sons / daughters of the boss, mate of the boss, token ethnic minority or be <deleted> the bosses' son / daughter so that you will pass the entrance to a graduate training scheme.... " There, fixed it for you. However, I agree with you on the inspector route. Lot's of apprentice positions in the colonies still (maybe after the next uptick in oil prices at least).

There will be no 'uptick', only a downward spiral. The US is already producing a surplus of oil, due to shale & newly discovered Arctic fields. There is of course an export ban, which excludes Canada, who have been reselling US oil by proxy.

I wonder what will happen in the Middle East, by 2020 by all studies, when the US starts exporting oil & the price per barrel tanks to single digits?

Goodbye blue sky & no money, no honey...

Yeah right we will see LOL, who puts US politians in power ? Big oil, who doesnt like their profit margins cut ? Big oil

As much as your waving flag the oil companies in the US, same as those in OPEC dont like people f ukcing with their profit margins

Really? Big oil doesn't "like" their margins cut? So somehow they're OK with oil in free fall from $115 one year ago to $53 today? Their profit margins are already getting fukced don't you think

Are they ?

[lionmeetstiger]

Are there many 'commercial' roles available to experienced foreigners in the Thai engineering industry, Cost Engineers, Quantity Surveyors, Contracts Managers etc?

[suzannegoh]

Why go the degree route? Simply serve an apprenticeship as a welder / rigger, get qualified as an inspector & job's a good 'un! Then you can earn tons of money working in Singapore, supervising the local tradesman & holiday in LOS between contracts. Only one problem - 50% youth unemployment in the west & there's been no such thing as an apprentice for 20 years, at least in the UK. Tony Blair basically gave the nod to engineering firms that they didn't need to spend money on training indigenous staff, as there was a ready supply of 'qualified' workers from Eastern Europe.

On second thoughts, better to do an engineering degree, be one of the lucky 1% that passes the entrance to a graduate training scheme, graft for 20 years in Africa or worse...then with a bit of luck get a choice posting out here.

Good luck.

"... be one of the lucky hard-working sons / daughters of the boss, mate of the boss, token ethnic minority or be <deleted> the bosses' son / daughter so that you will pass the entrance to a graduate training scheme.... " There, fixed it for you. However, I agree with you on the inspector route. Lot's of apprentice positions in the colonies still (maybe after the next uptick in oil prices at least).

There will be no 'uptick', only a downward spiral. The US is already producing a surplus of oil, due to shale & newly discovered Arctic fields. There is of course an export ban, which excludes Canada, who have been reselling US oil by proxy.

I wonder what will happen in the Middle East, by 2020 by all studies, when the US starts exporting oil & the price per barrel tanks to single digits?

Goodbye blue sky & no money, no honey...

Yeah right we will see LOL, who puts US politians in power ? Big oil, who doesnt like their profit margins cut ? Big oil

As much as your waving flag the oil companies in the US, same as those in OPEC dont like people f ukcing with their profit margins

Agreed. Once we defeat those global warming communists, oil prices will go back to the levels that God intended.

[Briggsy]

Are there many 'commercial' roles available to experienced foreigners in the Thai engineering industry, Cost Engineers, Quantity Surveyors, Contracts Managers etc?

From friends: these roles in Thailand pay a fraction of what you would expect overseas if you are taken as an employee. It is better to set up your own company and accept contract work.

[lionmeetstiger]

Are there many 'commercial' roles available to experienced foreigners in the Thai engineering industry, Cost Engineers, Quantity Surveyors, Contracts Managers etc?

From friends: these roles in Thailand pay a fraction of what you would expect overseas if you are taken as an employee. It is better to set up your own company and accept contract work.

Thanks. I wouldn't expect to get paid as much in Thailand as I could elsewhere whether as an employee or on contract work, I was just wondering if there is much of that type of work available. When I'm browsing for jobs I see quite a few vacancies for experienced engineers but not a lot for commercial people. I thought that a good amount of the jobs that are available are probably filled via word of mouth among networks of professionals already based in Thailand, before they are advertised to the public. Or it could just be that there isn't that much work in that area open to foreigners.

[DirtyDan]

The issue when you start moving into commercial roles is that you really need to have your finger on the pulse of the culture, and that includes language abilities. I recall a project in Hong Kong where the contractors went in thinking they're all hot sh*t and encountered roadblock after roadblock regarding contracts and permitting. The engineering was sound, but they couldn't get anybody to do anything due to cultural differences or not signing the 7th copy of the contract with a red pen, as per custom (it was something that ridiculous).

These are the same issues you'd run into trying to do business in other countries. ie.: Australia - "What do you mean you need equipment today? It's Friday, mate. We'll show up Monday morning." - a non-local engineer wouldn't know about these potential issues and wouldn't plan for them in cost budgeting...

[Briggsy]

Are there many 'commercial' roles available to experienced foreigners in the Thai engineering industry, Cost Engineers, Quantity Surveyors, Contracts Managers etc?

From friends: these roles in Thailand pay a fraction of what you would expect overseas if you are taken as an employee. It is better to set up your own company and accept contract work.

Thanks. I wouldn't expect to get paid as much in Thailand as I could elsewhere whether as an employee or on contract work, I was just wondering if there is much of that type of work available. When I'm browsing for jobs I see quite a few vacancies for experienced engineers but not a lot for commercial people. I thought that a good amount of the jobs that are available are probably filled via word of mouth among networks of professionals already based in Thailand, before they are advertised to the public. Or it could just be that there isn't that much work in that area open to foreigners.

I will give you some numbers.

QS, British, experienced, took 2 jobs here with Bangkok companies. First job, site-based, 40,000 Baht / month. Second job, office-based (Asoke) 30,000 B / month.

Whaddyathink?

As another poster pointed out, English may be needed by the employer, lack of understanding of Thai language, lack of contacts in the Thai networks and not comprehending how business works here will work against foreigners being successful in these roles.

Edited July 31, 2015 by Briggsy

[geriatrickid]

To be honest, it is actually quite easy to get a good job in Thailand...

1. Look at the reasons why Thailand is still a developing country.

2. Get a degree in a relevant field. Back up your degree with internships, work experiences, certificates, etc.

3. Apply for jobs with international NGOs or IGOs in Thailand.

4. PROFIT!

For example...

1. Using your brain, deduce that one of the million reasons why Thailand is still a developing country is because of high child mortality.

2. Get a degree in pediatrics. Volunteer in Africa to give antibiotic pills to children, thereby saving them from diarrhea. Publish a report on epidemiology.

3. Apply for a job at UNICEF.

4. Make a nontaxable 200k/month starting.

The term clueless comes to mind when I read your post.

It is not easy for a foreign national to get a good job in Thailand . Those jobs have been in decline for the past decade.

International NGOs do not pay exorbitant salaries. The only foreign entity which pays bloated wages and benefits is the UN and the Asian Development Bank. Most of the lucrative job positions are protected positions reserved for Thai nationals. The best paying jobs are either with owner/ operator/entrepreneurs or foreign multinational executive office postings. I can count the number of foreigners on one hand at some of the large multinationals. The jobs are drying up fast.

Your example is what riles me, because you are wrong. On what basis do you make the claim that that Thailand has a high rate of child mortality? Are you aware that Thailand has one of the better rates, a rate that ranks it as one of the more advanced nations when it comes to child mortality? Thailand comes in at a rate close to that of the Bahamas and better than Barbados and Jamaica. Thailand is closer to Mississippi or Washington, DC, than the US is closer to Denmark or Norway. .Are you aware that the mortality rate for Afro American children is higher than that of "backward" Thailand?

Edited August 6, 2015 by geriatrickid