As a petroleum engineering major, you’ll become an expert at unearthing hard-to-reach resources.
Before you put those skills to work, you need to find something just as valuable: A job.
They’re out there. Even in a future where oil and gas provide a smaller share of the world’s energy, the demand for fossil fuels isn’t going anywhere. The world will rely on gas-powered vehicles for decades to come. And rising demand for cement, steel, plastics and ammonia — a major component of fertilizer, needed to grow more crops for a rising population — also means rising demand for the fossil fuels needed to make those things.
That’s part of the reason why demand for petroleum engineers is expected to climb 3% through 2029. As a student in TU’s McDougall School of Petroleum Engineering, you’ll have a head start on landing one of these lucrative positions. (How lucrative? The typical petroleum engineer makes $137,720 a year.) Here are some of the ways we put you in position to land a job or internship:
Conduct research that matters
When the world’s biggest energy companies need to solve big problems, they know they can count on TU. Aramco, BP, Chevron, ExxonMobil and more than a dozen other companies have established industry-wide projects right here on campus. These nine research consortia cover reservoir, drilling and production — every facet of the industry. Even as an undergraduate, you’ll work with faculty and grad students on this work with industry-wide ramifications.
The work goes beyond oil and gas. Increasingly, techniques mastered by petroleum engineers are finding a home in new applications, such as using geothermal sources to convert steam to electricity and storing hydrogen needed to power fuel cells. At TU, you’ll be on the ground floor of these technologies as they unfold.
Network, network, network
Did you know that students are 16 times as likely to get hired through networking than by sending an application cold? Petroleum Engineering is the largest department on TU’s campus, and there are more than a dozen student groups and chapters of national societies you can join. When you do, you’ll go to conferences and participate in competitions that give you the chance to meet TU alums and other professionals working in the industry — and make valuable connections as you launch your career.
Get your own personal career coach
Nobody is born with the knowledge of how to land a job. What do you put on a résumé when you’re just starting your career? What do you wear to a job interview? What do you say at a job interview?
TU’s Center for Career Development and Professional Engagement is here to help you through those questions, and many more. Whether you’re a student or an alumnus, our coaches will work with you to craft a résumé and cover letter, prepare for an interview and develop personalized job-search strategies. We also offer a series of workshops throughout the year, and can even help you weigh your job offers once you get one in hand.
Tap into Handshake
These days, pounding the pavement for a job or internship means going online. Handshake is our comprehensive online database of internship and job opportunities, some of which are available only to TU students and alumni. (Because we’re here to boost your career no matter where you are in life!)
Employers, both local and national, use Handshake to post openings. You’ll find a lot. As a student, you can search those opportunities, RSVP to career fairs and other events, and sign up for on-campus interviews or career coaching sessions.
Contact us to learn more
As one of the oldest petroleum engineering programs in the world, our track record speaks for itself. Employers agree: The latest figures show 96% of TU’s most recent graduates are employed or in grad school. That’s because they know the experience they get at TU prepares them to get to work right away.