Another Pat wanting to live the american dream.
Feb 13th 2010, 5:03 am
#61
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 2003
Location: Nevada b4 California b4 Colorado b4 Valley of plastic and sand, b4 London
Posts: 2,025
Re: Another Pat wanting to live the american dream.
Please IM me, I maybe able to point you in the correct direction.
Ok at the moment I'm still at university, so this thread is for the future. I've always wanted to move over to the USA since I was younger. I know it's hard to get a green card unless you are married to an American or invest a lot of cash, but I'm looking at the skilled worker route.
I'm currently studying Chemical Engineering and have 2 more years to go. that's got to count as a skilled worker right? I'm looking at specialising in Pharmaceuticals, but if it will make it easier to find a job i would consider going into food, or even defence if there are such openings for say munitions development. So for people who don't know what Chem Eng is, it's the process of turning raw and less valuable materials (Oil, Chemicals, ....) into more valuable and useful ones (Petrol, fuels, Foods, Pharmaceuticals). I'm guessing the fuels market would be more towards Texas and southern oil drilling states.
I'm looking at living up north, Cali or Fl if possible, and firstly was wondering if anyone knows of either of these states having an abundance of this type of work? Also what are the salary's like? (in England after graduation I would start on around £30k, after about 5 years I could get chartered and my salary rises to around £45-50k and then increases with experience). And the one asked right at the start, is this type of skill sought after in the us and will it make getting a green card easier? If the Engineering jobs just aren't there, my degree would also let me move into math related careers such as finance since our course is highly math based and a lot of graduates take this route instead of the engineering route.
Thank you all for your replies and any information is welcomed.
I'm currently studying Chemical Engineering and have 2 more years to go. that's got to count as a skilled worker right? I'm looking at specialising in Pharmaceuticals, but if it will make it easier to find a job i would consider going into food, or even defence if there are such openings for say munitions development. So for people who don't know what Chem Eng is, it's the process of turning raw and less valuable materials (Oil, Chemicals, ....) into more valuable and useful ones (Petrol, fuels, Foods, Pharmaceuticals). I'm guessing the fuels market would be more towards Texas and southern oil drilling states.
I'm looking at living up north, Cali or Fl if possible, and firstly was wondering if anyone knows of either of these states having an abundance of this type of work? Also what are the salary's like? (in England after graduation I would start on around £30k, after about 5 years I could get chartered and my salary rises to around £45-50k and then increases with experience). And the one asked right at the start, is this type of skill sought after in the us and will it make getting a green card easier? If the Engineering jobs just aren't there, my degree would also let me move into math related careers such as finance since our course is highly math based and a lot of graduates take this route instead of the engineering route.
Thank you all for your replies and any information is welcomed.
Feb 13th 2010, 5:06 am
#62
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 2003
Location: Nevada b4 California b4 Colorado b4 Valley of plastic and sand, b4 London
Posts: 2,025
Re: Another Pat wanting to live the american dream.
I could not have said this better, you are so right on this one. These things do happen, doors do open, even the ones you were not expecting.
Hi,
I wish you good luck and do not give up even though it is difficult. I always wanted to live in the US - (this was in the back of my mind) even though I lived most of my life in England (born in London) which was fine. Make the most of opportunities in England particularly higher education which I can see are an essential part of your plan going forward. Sometimes opportunities open up in different ways. If you told me 12 years ago i would be living in california within next five years i would have said no no really - i came through the work route and now have a green card. The US has many faces and it is not so wonderful as we are led to believe - i have grown in so many ways professionally and personally and you need to know that goals can be realised keep an open mind.
Julia
Los Angeles California
I wish you good luck and do not give up even though it is difficult. I always wanted to live in the US - (this was in the back of my mind) even though I lived most of my life in England (born in London) which was fine. Make the most of opportunities in England particularly higher education which I can see are an essential part of your plan going forward. Sometimes opportunities open up in different ways. If you told me 12 years ago i would be living in california within next five years i would have said no no really - i came through the work route and now have a green card. The US has many faces and it is not so wonderful as we are led to believe - i have grown in so many ways professionally and personally and you need to know that goals can be realised keep an open mind.
Julia
Los Angeles California
Feb 13th 2010, 4:33 pm
#63
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 49
Re: Another Pat wanting to live the american dream.
Hi
perhaps someone on the board can assist in terms of your area of work and career plans. by aware the american dream is that a dream but hey it is good have dreams we couldn't live without them. As i am sitting here the weather is beautiful live is wonderful as Merele Streep said everymorning i get up and i am thankful i am still fking alive!!!
Julia
Los Angeles California
perhaps someone on the board can assist in terms of your area of work and career plans. by aware the american dream is that a dream but hey it is good have dreams we couldn't live without them. As i am sitting here the weather is beautiful live is wonderful as Merele Streep said everymorning i get up and i am thankful i am still fking alive!!!
Julia
Los Angeles California
Feb 15th 2010, 11:59 pm
#64
Just Joined
Joined: Nov 2009
Location: Richland, WA from Abingdon, UK
Posts: 9
Re: Another Pat wanting to live the american dream.
Just to break the banter 
A message to the OP:
Good luck! Chem Eng (or Chem-E as it is this side) is a good start, and from Manchester Uni
! (Graduated from Manchester, UMIST, with PhD just over ten years ago)
If you need to know anything from my experience, I never seriously considered living and working in the US until I was asked nine months ago (although I'd always wanted to do some long term work abroad). I've been here now for 3 months on an L1B "tech specialist" visa and I'm not regretting it.
Basically, get a job with a multinational company when you graduate (some fellow students were transferred to US within a few years of graduating) and state your willingness for overseas assignments or get a UK PhD first and let things take their course. You might not be offered US, but as other posters have said, keep your options open: if you are successful in other overseas assignments you may be offered the chance!
Best of luck and be patient!
P.S. feel free to PM me (when I've posted enough to qualify for this
)
A message to the OP:
Good luck! Chem Eng (or Chem-E as it is this side) is a good start, and from Manchester Uni
! (Graduated from Manchester, UMIST, with PhD just over ten years ago)If you need to know anything from my experience, I never seriously considered living and working in the US until I was asked nine months ago (although I'd always wanted to do some long term work abroad). I've been here now for 3 months on an L1B "tech specialist" visa and I'm not regretting it.
Basically, get a job with a multinational company when you graduate (some fellow students were transferred to US within a few years of graduating) and state your willingness for overseas assignments or get a UK PhD first and let things take their course. You might not be offered US, but as other posters have said, keep your options open: if you are successful in other overseas assignments you may be offered the chance!
Best of luck and be patient!
P.S. feel free to PM me (when I've posted enough to qualify for this
)
