I am a mechanical engineer and have worked as a maintenance planner, purchase assistant and with some other technical jobs. I consider myself more in Process technology field and hence did a degree on Process Technology Management& Business Management with 2:1 in September 2009 from the University of Warwick.

In my previous role, I worked four yrs as a Process Technician for Shell Refinery in Gothenburg, Sweden to gain further knowledge in fostering highly automated plants and process equipment.

I have received my MSc in Process Technology & Business Management with 2:1 in September 2009 from the University of Warwick. My graduate dissertation involved research on the UK’s capacity to cut CO2 emissions by 80% by the year 2050

My Question: I am confused for what role I should apply for a job? Because there is a huge gap between my last job of a Process technician to the role I wish to apply after doing my MSc.

The skills and qualification are not seem to be compatible for the role I wish to apply and simultaneously I have a confusion for which role to apply.

Some people advised me to apply for a role after my M.Sc. dissertation but that requires experience and the worst is I am in late thirties now. I am enclosing my CV for reference to my query. Please help.

cv
RANA SINGH
Citizenship: EU national, fully eligible to work in the UK

Email: ---@gmail.com
Professional Profile

A seasoned executive with extensive experience in the oil and gas refinery/process industry, seeking an opportunity in business/carbon management solutions. Able to assist in planning and co-ordinating the carbon management projects. Displays strong organisational capacity and possesses exceptional interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to develop and maintain positive relationships at all professional levels on an international scale. Quick to grasp new concepts and have up-to-date knowledge of legislation on energy and environment matters.

Education and Qualifications
University of Warwick, UK (September 2009)
MSc
Process Technology & Business Management – 2:1
Modules – Fundamentals of Process Engineering, Industrial Processes, Business Strategy and Strategic Management, Financial Analysis and Control System, Technology Management, Management of Change
Dissertation – Can the UK achieve the goal of cutting CO2 emissions by 80% by 2050?
• Appraising the government policies and three technologies- CCS, renewable and nuclear in the four major sectors to deliver on the ambitious 2050 target
• Analyzing the 2020 target and make the estimated trajectories of projection for the 2050 target
• Analyzing and estimating the technical potentials of the manufacturing industries for the 2050 target
Gothenburg Technical Institute – Gothenburg, Sweden (2004)
Voc. Qualifications (Planned Preventive Maintenance)
Maintenance & Production Processes, Quality Management, Project Management, Maintenance & Safety Operations

Gothenburg, Sweden (2001)
Swedish Language Course
Full-time Swedish Language Course for highly qualified immigrants with technical background

University of Poona, India (1993)
Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical)
Project Management & Production Engineering – 2:1

Career Summary
Shell Refinery AB, Gothenburg, Sweden (2004 – 2008)
PRODUCTION TECHNICIAN

• Working skilfully within a group of five closely knit teams to stimulate the analytical problems presented to the process panel and practically solve the process issues in the control room as well as out in the refinery
• Participating and working skilfully in Pre-commissioning, commissioning activities and start-up of the plant with a role of operating the minor maintenance of the process and utility plant
• Interfacing at all levels of management
• Plants experience: Refinery distillation, Hydro-cracking processes, Gasoline manufacturing processes, Hydrogen production recovery, Residuum processing, Treating processes, Sulphur recovery unit and Refinery water system. Control room operations on Honeywell Distributed Control System (DCS)
Key achievements:
• Acquiring the responsible position of a Control room Operator in a short span of time on a Turnaround Project and succeeding in it without direct supervision
• Saving the company time and money by eliminating repetitive faults and meeting production targets and maintaining output, quality and controlling statistical process on all products
• Completing all necessary in-process tests and taking necessary step accordingly for remedy for e.g. O2 content in the furnace, revolutions of the compressor etc.

Shell Refinery AB (2002 – 2003)
MAINTENANCE PLANNER
• Accountable for expert preparation of the production schedule, time planning and documentation of the activities list
• Interacting direct with the contractors on work-completion and documenting results directly on activities list to give recent updates to the managers on Turnaround Project

Key achievements:
• With the help of self-made MS excel program on work-progress report on T/A Project, reporting/mailing the updates graphically to the senior managers and hence saving their invaluable time
• Communicating effectively with internal/external parties from international background in person on progress of T/A Project and collating information in the system promptly for stakeholders

Volvo Trucks AB (2001 – 2002)
PURCHASE ASSISTANT
• Successfully completing a valuable internship as an assistant purchaser tasked with sorting orders, prices and agreement corrections
Key achievements:
• Grasping quickly new concepts of Volvo’s Global Purchasing System software and helping Purchasers as well as external parties on it
Lall Sports Italia (1997 – 1999)
PRODUCTION WORKER
• Working in a small scale industry with performing all relevant tasks related to engineering works like welding, machining etc.
Key achievements:
• Learning engineering-work equipments and gaining on-hand experience on engineering works
Doon Rubber Industries Ltd (1994 – 1997)
PRODUCTION PLANNER
• Preparing production schedule and purchasing of material components in accordance with development plan
• Monitoring schedule of production according as per commitment to the clients and following up the suppliers for prompt delivery
Key achievements:
• Making master production schedule on MS excel- instrumental in maintaining critical stock level
• Monitoring production area to see project’s progress, production output, man-hour consumption etc.
Further Skills
Key IT Proficiency: Microsoft Office Suite, MS Project, DCS Honeywell
Languages: Fluent in English, Hindi, Punjabi, Swedish and Basic Italian
Driving Licence: Full EU/UK


Reply By Peter Fisher

Randhir, you don't actually say what job you had in mind after taking your MSc so that should be your starting point. Research into the UK’s capacity to cut CO2 emissions by 80% by the year 2050 is becoming a hot topic on most energy producers' agendas and perhaps you should be identifying what YOU have to offer an organisation that is moving in that direction.

With the business element of your MSc you have created the opportunity to move into a management orientated role and the first place I would look at would be your own organisation. Could you consider doing your boss's job? Or that of your boss's boss?

Looking into the management hierarchy of the business you work for should give you some ideas if not actual vacancies to apply for. If you can take a view on what is possible, then you are on the way to finding what you actually want and a career change relevant to your existing skills and qualifications.