“[My BSIT] positioned me to get a lot more other roles that wouldn’t be available to me without a technical degree.” –Michael Simmons, online BS in Industrial Technology graduate
When we spoke with Michael Simmons, the petroleum industry professional had just graduated from The University of Texas Permian Basin’s online Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology program a few months earlier. He’d previously completed a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities degree with UTPB online but needed a technical degree for career advancement. “BP is a very technical company,” he said. Simmons graciously took some time out from his job to explain why UTPB was his choice for a second degree, what professional benefits he’s already enjoyed from enrolling in our BS in industrial technology program, and what he sees as the advantages of earning a degree online.
Online Convenience and Accommodating Professors Led Him Back to UTPB
“I knew what to expect,” Simmons said in explaining his decision to return to UTPB specifically. “A lot of it was the online system. Being able to register and do everything remotely without having to set foot on campus. I’ve attended some other colleges that had online programs and you may have to go to the campus to take a test and have it officially proctored. They had a lot of flexibility at UTPB. They worked around my schedule really well as far as being able to take [classes]. You know, there’s set due dates, something to do every week, but I was able to space that out. I’m married, have two kids, full-time job. Being able to do the work when I had time to do it [was a big factor].”
A Promotion Just for Starting Our Program
Simmons shared an almost immediate advantage he experienced upon starting our BS in industrial technology program: “I got promoted while I was getting the degree. I was able to put on my resume that I was pursuing a degree, and I was currently in the program. So, it helped me get the position I’m in now, which is a team lead position.” A maintenance planner discipline lead, Simmons allocates resources to repairs that need to be done on offshore oil and gas platforms. He’s now the line manager for all BP maintenance planners.
Human Interaction and Networking Opportunities
We asked Simmons if he felt he missed anything by not attending courses in an actual classroom. “In my experience, a lot of the professors try to make up for the lack of human interaction by doing more. So, I think I learned at least as much as I would have if I had been in a classroom, if not more. And they also did a pretty good job of forcing you to interact with the other students taking the class so that you get some of the other experiences [of a campus-based program].
“And one of the good things too with being in an online class is that all the students in the class worked in the industry already, or in a really similar industry. They were all working adults, not straight out of high school. So, I was able to get a lot of industry information from the student base as well. There were some networking opportunities. I ended up taking a class with a guy that lives down the street from me near Houston.”
Easy Access to Answers and Assistance
How did Simmons get academic help when needed? “All [professors] had a discussion forum set up online where students could ask questions publicly. Usually, if I had a question, somebody else had the same question and it would get asked and all I’d have to do is just read the discussion board. But if I did need to get a hold of [faculty], I just sent them an e-mail. I’ve always gotten a response usually within 24 hours. Most of the time if you need help in a traditional classroom setting, you have to do it during office hours, so you end up waiting until the next day to go ask them.”
Encouraging Others to Excel
When we asked Simmons if he planned to recommend our BS in industrial technology program to others, we found out he already had. “Oh yeah. Actually, one of my employees was going to another university for a while online and he stopped. And so, I’ve been talking to him about maybe going back to UTPB to finish his degree out.” Simmons left us with some advice for any potential new students: “Get a week ahead the first week for life’s eventualities.”
You can experience personal attention while earning a degree through the acclaimed University of Texas System in UT Permian Basin’s online BS in industrial technology program—featuring curriculum built on the foundation of our longstanding relationship with the energy industry. Get program details and apply here.