Zachary Hutchison - Reservoir Engineer at Chevron
|
EDUCATION:
|
I can't say that I have a "favorite memory" of college specifically relating to my education. To be honest, the memories I have relating to education do not necessarily elicit positive emotions. But don't get me wrong--if I had to do things over, I would not change anything. The late nights spent doing homework, the seemingly impossible tests, and the hours upon hours spent studying in the library before exams may not be "favorite" memories, but they are memories I will forever have and would not change, because in the end, I am incredibly proud of the degree I earned. I would not have that degree if not for the hard work that was put into it. I joined Chevron in Bakersfield, CA right after graduating from Texas A&M in 2012. I am currently in my second position, working as a Reservoir Engineer for the Kern River Field. In my first assignment, I was a Production Engineer for the diatomite formation in the Cymric Field, an operationally challenging formation located to the west of Bakersfield. Undeniably, college is stressful. There was always a deadline looming or an exam on the horizon, and I was always stressed about something. Receiving the SPE scholarship helped to lessen the stress of how I was going to pay for college. I was extremely fortunate that I did not have to take out student loans to pay for any of my college, in part thanks to the SPE scholarship. Not graduating with student debt meant I could buy a new car right after I graduated and purchase my own house just one year after graduation. I would not have been able to accomplish either of these if not for the SPE scholarship. My advice to students is that "Past performance is not indicative of future results." While commonly seen in literature relating to investing, this phrase is applicable to many facets of life, and, particularly right now, the hiring market for engineering and other oil and gas related jobs. While the job prospect right now is bleak, things constantly change in the oil and gas industry--for better and for worse. If you're 2 or more years away from graduating, you should not be concerned...yet. Study as hard as possible and perform to the best of your abilities. Even if by the time your graduation comes around the industry has not yet recovered, companies will only be hiring the best of the best, so you need to make sure you're one of them. If you are close to graduating, do not be above any job. Look for positions that support the oil industry, especially in environmental work or water disposal. Find a job that will give you experience that you can later apply to a job in the oil and gas industry. Remember, the job you take now does not have to be the job in which you retire. Getting a couple years of experience in a job that can be applied to an oil and gas industry position will give you a leg up when the job market recovers. Contact me at zhutchison@chevron.com.