Should you consider undertaking a STEM PhD?

In what ways might a STEM PhD be the logical next step in your career?

Nowadays, while many organisations are prepared to employ people without a third-level degree, a specialised education can still open doors for you and make the entire process of finding your dream job that much simpler. 

But a PhD, which is often the next step for people looking for success in the wider STEM space, can be a complicated endeavour, as it is time-consuming, financially limiting and comes with significant pressure and expectations. So, why should you consider committing the next couple of years to further education?

Research autonomy

During your college years, while completing an undergraduate degree, you may find that despite being interested in the work, you aren’t being given the opportunity to explore the areas that most appeal to you. When you accept a PhD offer, presumably you will have done your own research. 

That should involve looking into the work that is being carried out in your chosen institution, the credentials and history of the professors, the kind of projects that receive funding and requirements of the job. 

A PhD is the perfect opportunity to expand your own ideas and further develop your concept until you can either prove or disprove your theories. 

While there may be a small degree of autonomy when it comes to exploring and expanding upon ideas that you resonate with during your undergrad, a PhD really does give you far more freedom and can even put your name out there as having made a significant discovery or contribution to the industry. 

That is not to say that a supervisor or mentor won’t make suggestions or lead you in a particular direction, however, there is definitely more room for expressing yourself in terms of your thought-process, the theme and the desired outcome. 

Post-education opportunity

As previously mentioned, a focus on skills and aptitude has resulted in a hiring landscape that often disregards the need for traditional forms of education. However, the route towards a long and prosperous career is shortened with certification from a third-level institution and a PhD will certainly give you more opportunities when you go in search of a job. 

Additionally, research suggests that people who have PhDs are often paid more, have better job titles, have increased access to career opportunities and even develop strong networking, leadership and people skills. 

Though they may be new to the industry, people who have a PhD may find that they are considered for jobs higher up than entry-level and overall, it puts them in a prime position that they may not have experienced as quickly or as easily, otherwise. 

Personal fulfilment

Perhaps one of the best reasons to do a PhD is that it can give you the greatest sense of personal achievement, while also contributing something of real value to the industry and wider world. 

A PhD gives you the opportunity to address the issues that mean something to you and to actually lead the charge in engineering a solution.  

While the process can be long and there will be moments where nothing goes as planned, to come out of it on the other side with a thesis that is a literal representation of your hard work, as well having it peer-reviewed and published, is a career-defining moment, as well as the real beginning of your professional life. 

Even if your career trajectory moves away from your educational background, it is still a great achievement to have completed the programme and emerged with your PhD and a host of skills that can likely be put to use in almost any industry, STEM or otherwise. 

Finding community

Because a PhD takes several years and serious commitment, the people that you work with quickly become your support network, who you can depend on for help and even just a shoulder to cry on if needed (it really is tough). But more than that, it exposes you to a range of highly qualified, skilled and often revered experts, in their own environment. 

After the programme is completed, professionals can leverage their connections to ensure that they find employment in an organisation that aligns with their values as well as their research, to effectively continue what they started, on a broader scale. 

Community is everything and having a PhD certainly puts you in a position where you can build one from the ground up.

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