overviewoverview – preparation – day in the life – earnings – employment – career path...
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Overview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – Resources
Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.
Chemical Engineering
Chemical Engineering
Overview:Chemical engineers work in manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, design and construction, pulp and paper, petrochemicals, food processing, specialty chemicals, polymers, biotechnology, and environmental health and safety industries, among others. Chemical engineers rely on their knowledge of mathematics and science, particularly chemistry, to overcome technical problems. Their expertise is also applied in the area of law, education, publishing, finance, and medicine.
Overview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – Resources
Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.
Overview (continued):Specifically, chemical engineers improve food processing techniques, and methods of producing fertilizers, to increase the quantity and quality of available food. They also construct the synthetic fibers that make our clothes more comfortable and water resistant; they develop methods to mass-produce drugs, making them more affordable; and they create safer, more efficient methods of refining petroleum products, making energy and chemical sources more productive and cost effective.
Overview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – Resources
Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.
Chemical Engineering
Preparation:A bachelor's degree in engineering is required for almost all entry-level engineering jobs. Most engineering programs involve a concentration of study in an engineering specialty, along with courses in both mathematics and science. Most programs include a design course, sometimes accompanied by a computer or laboratory class or both.
Overview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – Resources
Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.
Chemical Engineering
Preparation (continued):Admissions requirements for engineering schools include a background in mathematics (algebra, geometry, trigonometry, calculus) and science (biology, chemistry, physics), and courses in English, social studies, humanities, and computer and information technology. Chemical engineering students are generally required to take 31 credits (approximately 13 courses) of electives. Focus on becoming as well-rounded as possible by taking a variety of humanities courses, and include business and communication courses whenever possible.
Overview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – Resources
Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.
Chemical Engineering
Preparation (continued):Those interested in a career in Chemical Engineering should consider reviewing engineering programs that are accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc. Accreditation is based on an evaluation of an engineering program's student achievement, program improvement, faculty, curricular content, facilities, and institutional commitment. A list of universities offering accredited degrees in Chemical Engineering is available at the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.
Overview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – Resources
Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.
Chemical Engineering
Day in the Life:A variety of industries employ Chemical Engineers, representing a diverse range of products, employers, and services. The specific responsibilities of Chemical Engineers vary among industries.Many Chemical Engineers work a standard 40-hour week. At times, deadlines or design standards may bring extra pressure to a job, sometimes requiring engineers to work longer hours.
Overview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – Resources
Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.
Chemical Engineering
Day in the Life (continued):Teams and CoworkersEngineers should be creative, inquisitive, analytical, and detail-oriented. They should be able to work as part of a team and to communicate well, both orally and in writing. Communication abilities are important because engineers often interact with specialists in a wide range of fields outside engineering.
Overview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – Resources
Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.
Chemical Engineering
Day in the Life (continued):TasksBeginning engineering graduates usually work under the supervision of experienced engineers and, in large companies, also may receive formal classroom or seminar-type training. As new engineers gain knowledge and experience, they are assigned more difficult projects with greater independence to develop designs, solve problems, and make decisions. Engineers may advance to become technical specialists or to supervise a staff or team of engineers and technicians.
Overview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – Resources
Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.
Chemical Engineering
Day in the Life (continued):The WorkplaceAll chemical engineers do not wear hard hats, nor do they work solely in chemical plants. Some work in office settings where they serve as consultants to a law or financial services firm. Others work alongside physicians to develop systems that track critical chemical processes in the body. Chemical Engineers may follow the production cycle of a particular product to ensure it is meeting specification. The workplace is as varied as the different career paths for Chemical Engineers.
Overview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – Resources
Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.
Chemical Engineering
Earnings:According the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median income for chemical engineers is $84,680. The lowest 10% earned $53,730. The highest 10% earned $130,240. According to a July 2009 survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, the average starting salary for chemical engineers who have earned a Bachelor's degree is $64,902.
Overview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – Resources
Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.
Chemical Engineering
Employment:Chemical engineers hold about 31,700 jobs in the United States. Employment opportunities exist in many places because virtually all products require input from chemical engineers. They troubleshoot processes in Texas, write software in California, design cars in Michigan, manage production in New Jersey, analyze financial markets in New York, write documentation in Tennessee, teach in Kansas, and litigate patents in Washington, D.C.A PDF of sample employers is available online.
Overview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – Resources
Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.
Chemical Engineering
Employment (continued):While most U.S. chemical engineering students are employed in the U.S. following graduation, taking advantage of overseas study and employment could enhance your career. Foreign work assignments offer the most practical way to gain international experience, although exchange and study abroad programs do exist for chemical engineering students. There are things to consider before you decide to study or work abroad.
Overview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – Resources
Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.
Chemical Engineering
Career Path Forecast:According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, chemical engineers are expected to have an employment decline of 2 percent from 2008 to 2018. Overall employment in the chemical manufacturing industry is expected to continue to decline, although chemical companies will continue to employ chemical engineers to research and develop new chemicals and more efficient processes to increase output of existing chemicals.
Overview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – Resources
Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.
Chemical Engineering
Career Path Forecast (continued):However, there will be employment growth for chemical engineers in service-providing industries, such as professional, scientific, and technical services, particularly for research in energy and the developing fields of biotechnology and nanotechnology.
Overview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – Resources
Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.
Chemical Engineering
Resources:More information about Chemical Engineering is available at the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center, including employer lists, accredited Chemical Engineering programs, suggestions for precollege students, a free monthly careers newsletter, and a PDF that summarizes the field. Associations: American Institute of Chemical Engineers Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering European Federation of Chemical Engineering Institution of Chemical Engineers
Overview – Preparation – Day in the Life – Earnings – Employment – Career Path Forecast – Resources
Developed by the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center.
Chemical Engineering