Why you should consider a career in Chemical Engineering April 23, 2018

Why you should consider a career in Chemical Engineering

Chemical Engineering is a sector which involves the production and transformation of chemicals for commercial purposes, often in the process of manufacturing.

From energy and mechanics to biology and computer science, engineering is one of the most diverse industries in the world. For the right person engineering has a lot to offer such as, a stable job and income, creativity and career progression.

Chemical engineers are usually educated to Bachelor’s degree level and have an understanding of mathematics, physics, biology and chemistry. Areas of study may include thermodynamics, energy transfer, chemical reactions, reaction design and process design.

Here are some great reasons to consider chemical engineering as a career:

A growing global profession

In some countries membership of professional bodies are in decline but this is not the case for chemical engineers. The Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) has 42,000 members and growing which is mirrored by other institutions around the world, indicating a thriving and like-minded global profession.

There are lots of routes you can go down

Chemical engineers play a key role in lots of different industries. This means that there are many ways in which you can pursue this kind of career. For example, after training or studying for your degree, you could go on to work in analytical chemistry, manufacturing, or even mining.

Because you’ll develop such a versatile skillset as a chemical engineer, it gives you plenty of freedom to choose a job in a field you’re passionate about. So, if you would like to pursue a career that you can truly mould to suit your interests, becoming a chemical engineer could be a great way to do this.

Money

Whether a graduate or established down the career path, chemical engineers generally feature at the top end of high earners. Graduates give dentists and doctors a run for their money with starting salaries in the UK of around £30,000. Median salaries for Chartered Chemical Engineers reach around £70,000, and are even higher for those working in oil and gas. All this leads to a great quality of life.

Travel and lifestyle

Chemical engineering provides some great opportunities to travel and work in different countries, facilitated by the high proportion of globalised multinational companies operating in the sector. So if you need a work passport, choose chemical engineering – if you’re like our members (who are spread across 120 different countries), you’ll have plenty of chance to work in several different continents and nations throughout your career.

Career progression

With so many large employers in the sector, there is an endless opportunity to progress your career as a chemical engineer. Even if you prefer to work for a smaller company, or on your own as a consultant, there is always an opportunity to choose your own career path. The China National Petroleum Corporation reportedly employs 1.6m people. In food, the Compass Group employs over 420,000 people. Even McDonald's, with its chemically-engineered food, employs 1.7m people. The result is a world of opportunity to move up the rungs of a very long ladder.

The future of the industry is very bright

While there is already a high demand for alternative energy sources, new medicines and the like, this is only going to increase in the coming years. It’s a very exciting time in the chemical engineering industry – changes are happening across the globe and groundbreaking projects are being worked on all of the time. If you’re interested in working within an exciting industry that truly has the power to change and improve the way that the world works, studying chemical engineering could lead you on the right path.

Want to study engineering courses? Browse through our chemical engineering courses and kick start your career with our chemical courses.