An Engineering degree in Great Britain has a great attraction for students of any level. A Chemical Engineering degree, nonetheless, carries similar weight. Choosing a Chemical Engineering degree allows students to branch into careers based around complex areas of science that are not otherwise accessible without the grounding and principles provided when studying a Chemical Engineering degree. Here are a few reasons why a Chemical Engineering degree, and a career in the field of chemical engineering may be suited for you.

There are several reasons why Engineering degrees in general are so attractive to students in Great Britain:

• All British universities offer a very wide spectrum of engineering courses across an array of disciplines.
• This branch of study comprises a very important part of the British Economy so that engineering professionals are the most in-demand profession in the United Kingdom.

And Chemical Engineering, because it is a specialty that involves a fusion of physical and chemical sciences, as well as natural sciences such as Biochemistry and Biology, is one of the most growing engineering professions.

What can a Chemical Engineer achieve with a Chemical Engineering degree?

• A professional of Chemical Engineering will be prepared to apply knowledge of the sciences, taking advantage of it, to achieve the conversion of materials into products useful to society.
  
• The Chemical Engineer will have capacities and skills to solve the problems that arise in obtaining energy resources.
  
• He will directly intervene in the development of industries dedicated to food, designing, analyzing, developing and inspecting processes for food processing.
  
• Transform and use natural resources in inappropriate ways, controlling negative impacts on the environment
  
• Study the development of chemical processes in the design of equipment and processing plants.
  
• He will exercise direction in the construction and operation of the machinery and equipment that will be used for the transformation of raw materials, making changes in their state, content, and composition.
  
• Its work will be oriented to the profitability of the industry for which it works, striving to minimize environmental impacts.

Different careers to which a Chemical Engineering degree can lead

The professionals of the Chemistry industry are included in the branch of the engineering and the technology world. A degree in Chemical Engineering will help students develop in the following important areas:

• Industry

It’s the broadest field for a chemical engineer.

We can say that worldwide, a very high percentage of industries that are dedicated to manufacturing requires the services of chemical engineers.

The same happens with organizations that farm & extract minerals, hydrocarbons, oil and gas, food factories, textile companies, companies that manufacture cosmetics, polymers, paper, adhesives, and construction chemicals.

The nature and development of the pharmaceutical industry place high demands on chemistry professionals. Industries that are dedicated to consulting and project engineering. And many more whose objectives are technological developments.

• Research

In a research role, a chemical engineer may find a lot of opportunities to advance the field.

With the training they obtain during university studies, Chemical engineering degree students develop sufficient knowledge to establish product combinations and processes, to transform them into the required products.

The high index of their synthesis, analysis and experimentation capacities that they will possess, represent qualities that are highly desired by large industrial laboratories in all branches, as well as by government sectors that need to feed their institutions with suitably trained personnel.

• Teaching

Teaching is the right choice for those who prefer educating and imparting knowledge.

It must be taken into account that this alternative requires a specific vocation, usually completed after the Chemical Engineering degree since it requires the transfer of knowledge, for which it is essential to have some special certification.

It is also important to be clear that in some countries teaching requires the development of teaching components. These are university packages that must be fulfilled in the case of not being a graduate of specialized education careers.

• Environment

When it comes to environmental conservation, chemical engineers have a lot of room for development. There is no place where more chemical changes occur than in the environment. One could say that the environment is a very fertile field for a professional chemist. There must be a sufficient dose of sensitivity to understand that this work in such an essential area for human, animal and plant development must have very positive repercussions.

The chemical engineer who will work in this field of work must orient his research, analysis, processes, and transformations with the premises of non-invasion, non-aggression, non-destruction, and non-modification of the natural processes of the environment.

In conclusion, the harmful action of man in the ecosystems must be reduced to a minimum.

This is a field of work where it is propitious to carry out developments to improve the health of entire communities, improving life in various areas of the planet.

The most attractive part of this work field is the human value that is earned with the sensitivity that these positions demand.

What does a Chemical Engineer do after completing a Chemical Engineering degree?

• You are able to enroll for training at any level of degree in this specialty.
  
• You are able to participate in specialized Conferences, in order to maintain a professional evolution, which is common in all Universities and similar in the world.
  
• Complete standards that are carried out in the fields of fundamental rules that are established for Engineers.
  
• Master’s Degree in Chemical Engineering, complies with the purpose of improving the knowledge of Engineering graduates with more sophisticated learning, about the developed sciences specifically of Chemical Engineering.

The large companies and industries of the chemical branch perceive the index of the level that the engineers reach with these masters, so the graduate engineers must have it clear to expand their knowledge in a profitable and effective way.

Companies within the Chemical Engineering industry strive for development. This is reflected in the different disciplines in which further qualifications can be earned. This is important to maintain a dynamic and profitable industry. Some examples of the various disciplines consist of the following:

• Masters in Chemical Finance – Having knowledge in finance within the field of Chemical Engineering provides a more meaningful appreciation of the profession, by obtaining tools to evaluate stages and deepen processes to increase profitability and ensure that the research conducted is done at a sustainable rate.
• Doctorates in Chemistry – A Doctorate in Chemistry is the highest level of qualification in this industry. A Doctorate, which requires having traveled a path of learning and obtaining objective knowledge, helps individuals discover an analytical and investigative maturity that maintains an optimal level in the mastery of this branch of science.

Salary of a Chemical Engineer

Additionally, you may be entitled to attractive employment benefits such as:

• Pension Plan
• Health Insurance
• Vocational training courses
• Career Plans

To qualify for these jobs you require:

• A Chemical Engineering degree obtained at University
• Compulsory Computer Literacy
• Approved probationary period at your prospective place of employment
• Above mentioned is the effect on salary of accumulating more experience which can also lead to other perks
• The more experience is accrued, the higher your average salary may be, and this could also mean you are entitled to more perks.

The best Universities to study Chemical Engineering

University of Oxford

It has a Special Engineering Department.

The first two years are basic engineering and in the third and fourth years, the specialization in chemistry is done.

University of Cambridge

Here students are trained through research on interfaces with Chemistry, Physics, and Biology.

This research is carried out with the collaboration and funding of the University’s industrial partners.

University College London

After Oxford and Cambridge, it is the third-oldest university in England and is considered the fourth in the world.

Queen Mary University Of London

This university has trained 8 Nobel Prize winners in its classrooms and is one of the most diverse higher education institutions in the world.

What is studied in the Chemical Engineering degree?

A very wide range of skills, abilities, and capabilities are obtained during the study of a Chemical Engineering degree.

Students acquire knowledge about physical-chemical processes at a molecular level and also at an industrial level, applying knowledge to human advancements.

The learning is very focused on scientific subjects that for many other specialties are often filters.

In this way, technological subjects such as Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology, are the backbone of the career.

However, they are complemented by subjects such as design and project development, finance and computer science. These disciplines work hand in hand to come up with new solutions to the problems that arise in everyday life.

Additionally, research laboratories are studied, with sophisticated scientific experiments.

Uses of large scale test plants.

Why Study Chemical Engineering

The main reason for this is that chemical engineering is a huge key that opens a very large number of doors.

Chemistry has become a driving force behind the economy in many nations, serving as the basis for the wide variety of industries that dominate the markets today.

The technological advances achieved today in electronics, medicine, food, agriculture, and mining would not have been possible without the intervention of a chemical engineer in the development of processes to obtain the best results.

• The acquisition and training of analytical skills, management knowledge, problem-solving skills, during study at university combined with mastery in the handling and administration of tools provide great advantages when addressing different areas.

• Graduates in a Chemical Engineering degree are in high demand in the job market in small, medium and large multinational organisations.

• In countries such as England, Germany, Italy and the United States, chemical engineering is one of the best-paid professions, earning higher incomes than graduates of other specialties.

• Chemical Engineers work to make today’s societies live better lives.

• Chemical engineers make a major contribution to reducing malnutrition in the world by creating and improving fertilizers to increase agricultural production.

• They work hard on reducing emissions to avoid the greenhouse effect.

Studying a chemical engineering degree can bring you many rewards and you will be at peace knowing that you produce so much well-being for yourself, your family, your community and the whole world.

Final Word

If you have a big interest in mathematics and chemistry, Chemical Engineering is definitely a suitable career path for you. It will stimulate you if you’re looking for a job that will challenge you – but also compensates this with a good pay.

The book “Balancing Act: The Young Person’s Guide to a Career in Chemical Engineering” is perfect to read if you need a definitive answer to whether you should purse the subject at university and as a career.

If you are a bit more certain that you want to pursue chemical engineering and want to read some examples of the different types of calculations that are performed by chemical engineers – we would recommend “Introduction to Chemical Engineering: Tools for Today and Tomorrow“.

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