Optometry or Materials Science and Engineering/Chemistry? (1 Viewer)

[pockykid]

Hello everyone,
I wasn't exactly sure to post this, but I think here is okay?

I like both B Optom and B Materials Sc/Chem (well, I guess chemistry is slightly more appealing), but my parents are saying that I should probably put Optom first since the job that you can get at the end is more stable, secure in the future, easier hours and whatnot.
I don't really have an issue with the pay (although they are paid quite well ^^) nor with the actual study of the course or getting in, since I'm a hard-worker sort of person.

So my questions are,
Are chemical companies likely to close down any time? how secure is the job? And how secure is the industry in general, because you often hear of engineers being outsourced to other countries, especially since countries like China invest a lot in science and engineering compared with the government in Australia. Lacking language skills, I would be unable to go overseas for work where they don't speak english.
Also, from studying industrial chem at school, are all the companies are stationed on the coast because they need large amounts of water? (travel time to work is also a small issue)? There also seems to be some overtime...

So, what do you think??
Thank you for your responses

p.s. Would a UMAT of 63 (93rd percentile) and ATAR of 98+(awaiting results) be enough to get me into optom for sure? Just thought I'd double check since I'm already posting up something. Thanks again.

 

[LoveHateSchool]

They are pretty different courses...what attracts you to be looking at both? (Disregarding the parent factor completely)

 

[Dylanamali]

They are pretty different courses...what attracts you to be looking at both? (Disregarding the parent factor completely)

Defs enough for entry into UNSW Optom.

With that UMAT and estimated ATAR why not medicine?

 

[pockykid]

As for why I like Optom, I'm strong in biology, the eye is very intricate and interesting to study to me the job at the end seems nice as well, since you get to chat to people a little everyday, helping them out and stuff. As for Chemical Engineering, chem is my favourite subject even though there are quite a number of people better than me I suppose; also the prospect of making something new that helps in a small way is very appealing, e.g. not the same field, but those people who edit potato genes so that they turn brown slower (thus less food waste), seemed to have a pretty interesting job.

Why i didn't do med? Well... I think that having to study all those years was too daunting. I know that I would have gotten an interview, but the subject itself didn't really interest me; I analysed my thoughts, and realised I was really thinking of prestige only. The helping people part is great, but then dealing with potential death...
So, I figured if I do some other sort of health care job, I wouldn't have all that extra responsibility and stress?? Thinking on it, I could probably handle it, but I didn't put in the online form for UNSW med, so yeah, I am now thinking of doing optometry. who knows though? maybe in some alternate universe I would be a doctor LOL

But any idea on the job stability of chemical engineers in the long term anyone??

Thanks.

 

[Obvious]

Chemical engineering will give you solid job prospects (from what I've heard), but the actual subject doesn't have a lot in common with chemistry.

It's more to do with thermodynamics, fluid dynamics and other physical processes involved in stuff like fractionating oil, distillation processes etc. Not a lot of chemistry involved from what I've seen.

 

[LoveHateSchool]

I think you might like Optom. You definitely have the UMAT and results for it. Optometrists have nice working hours and good job opportunity. As long as you like Bio, but it has some physics in it too!

Chemical engineering has solid job prospects, but is it actually the area of chemistry you like? If you do it with engineering, you'll be more in physics than chem really. If you really love chem, you could look at a more chemistry immersed degree.