About My Career
Different fields of science are becoming more and more relevant as the human race advances. Engineering is definitely one of them. There are many engineering specialties, but chemical engineering is the one I am most interested in.
Chemical engineering closely encounters the science of transformation of materials. Chemical engineers conceive, design and produce the technology involved in transformation and transportation of materials (Stanford Engineering). They conduct lab experiments as well as participate in the full-scale production. They often work in oil, chemical and energy industries, but this career has an increasingly growing potential in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and environmental engineering (Stanford Engineering). Typically, chemical engineers work in manufacturing plants and research laboratories. Their jobs might involve activities both indoors and outdoors, as well as "travelling from one function to the next within a facility" (ACS). They’re usually part of an engineering team.
In the chemical industry, chemical engineers work to create new and improved polymers; in biotechnology, they work to create production facilities that use enzymes and microorganisms to create compounds such as insulin (ACS). Chemical engineers working in the environmental field work to create catalysts and other technologies to minimize production of harmful chemicals (Stanford Engineering).
Other day-to-day responsibilities of a chemical engineer includes ensuring the compliance of products with health, safety and environmental requirements, conducting research. It may involve dangerous chemicals as well (ACS).
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, median pay for chemical engineers is $104 910 per year. Entry level education required is a bachelor’s degree, but higher levels of education are available (BLS). A license is not required. However, obtaining one still encouraged, because it offers different privileges. Having a license will ""set you apart from other candidates when applying for jobs" (ACS). To obtain a license, a bachelor’s degree, 4 years of experience and a variety of tests are needed (ACS). The Employment in the field is growing 8% a year, which is about average. Chemical engineers work full time, but may have to put in additional hours to meet production deadlines. ⅖ chemical engineers had to work more than 40 hours a week in 2016. The same year, number of workers employed in the field was 32 700 (BLS).
Benefits:
There are a variety of jobs available in the field;
- Median pay is $104,910 per year (BLS);
- Chemical engineers are a part of a team;
- The jobs usually do not involve sitting in an office all day;
- It is a dynamic career that involves research and has a great potential to advance in the future;
- Chemical engineers can work in the environmental field to reduce the amount of pollutants released by manufacturing plants (Stanford Engineering);
- The jobs involve experimenting and working in labs;
- This career doesn't require on-the-job training (BLS).
Costs and Drawbacks:
The average annual cost for a Chemical Engineering bachelor program is $45,790 (CollegeCalc)
- According to O-NET, 73% of chemical engineers reported more than 40 hours of work time per week;
- To be able to work in the field, one needs to study applied mathematics (ACS);
- Workers may be exposed to health and safety hazards (BLS);
- 100% of chemical engineers reported having to respond to emails every day (O-NET)
- I would have to move to another country to get a quality education.
Post-Secondary Options
University of Nottingham is located in Nottingham, UK. Their Chemical Engineering program “focuses on developing core scientific knowledge, lab skills, team working and problem-solving skills” (University of Nottingham). The program offers a wide range of scholarships for international/EU students and is a 3-year full-time course. The annual cost is £9250 ($12 000) a year. IB and IELTS tests are required for admission, with minimal scores of 36 and 6.0 respectively. The acceptance rate of the university is 11%. "95% of the program graduates are employed in professional/managerial jobs after 6 months from graduation" (University of Nottingham).
Columbia University is located in the city of New York. Their Chemical Engineering program ensures that students gain skills in applying mathematics, science and engineering knowledge. It also focuses on developing the ability to design a system or a process to meet economic, environmental and other needs (Columbia Engineering). The program offers substantial scholarships to students with family income less that $60 000 a year. It is a 4-year full-time course. The cost of the program is $28 304 per term. SAT or ACT test is required for admission along with an English proficiency test such as IELTS. A teacher’s recommendation is also needed. The acceptance rate of the university is 7% (Columbia Undergraduate Admissions).
Why I want this career:
Science has always been fascinating to me, especially - chemistry. However, chemistry is a very broad field and I felt it would be best if I narrowed it down to something more specific. After some exploring, I decided I wanted to become chemical engineer. The main inspiration for choosing this career is my father who is a mechanical engineer. I have always admired his work ethic and how much passion he has. The most important thing for me about this career is that it combines a few of my interests and passions. Chemical engineering combines chemistry, physics and engineering sciences, all of which I am fascinated by. It also has an increasingly important role in environmental science. There is a prospect that humans will make new discoveries to use resources more efficiently and to save our planet from pollution. By choosing this career, I may be able to be a part of a big change and help make a difference, which is very exciting.
To Enter This Career, I Must:
I must graduate from high school with good grades;
- I must take SAT or ACT test;
- I must take an English proficiency test;
- I must find a college;
- I must apply for scholarships;
- I must graduate from college with good grades.
Sources:
“Cheapest Colleges for Chemical Engineering”. CollegeCalc. 19/04/19.
“Chemical Engineering”. ACS. 14/04/29.
“Chemical Engineering BEng Hons”. University of Nottingham. 14/04/19.
“Chemical Engineers”. BLS. 12/04/19.
“First Year Admissions”. Columbia Undergraduate Admissions. 14/04/19.
“Summary Report for: 17-2041.00 - Chemical Engineers”. O-NET OnLine. 14/04/19.
“Undergraduate Program”. Columbia Engineering. 15/04/19.
“What is Chemical Engineering”. Stanford Engineering. 14/04/19.
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