Things I Wish I Knew Before Becoming A Chemical Engineer (What It's Like Being A Chemical Engineer)
TLDRThis video script offers insights into the chemical engineering field, highlighting the differences between chemistry and chemical engineering, the variety of roles chemical engineers can undertake, and the impact of the stock market on job opportunities. It emphasizes the importance of soft skills, the potential for career growth, and the diverse sectors within the chemical industry, from specialty chemicals to environmental engineering. The speaker encourages those interested in the field to explore its various avenues and the potential for cross-industry applications.
Takeaways
- 📚 Chemistry and chemical engineering are distinct fields; chemistry focuses on reactions and discoveries, while chemical engineering optimizes these reactions for reliable, large-scale production.
- 🔧 Chemical engineers often work in mechanical aspects of chemical reactions, bridging the gap between chemistry and mechanical engineering with a strong foundation in chemistry.
- 🏭 Chemical engineers typically work in chemical settings, such as plants, which are often located in areas with cheap real estate and away from populated cities.
- 🎓 A bachelor's degree in chemical engineering can lead to management positions and higher salaries, unlike chemistry, which usually requires a PhD for leadership roles.
- 🌆 Chemical plants are prevalent in regions like the Northeastern United States, Houston, and California due to industrial needs and oil reserves.
- 💰 Chemical engineers are well-compensated but may face demanding work schedules, including nights and weekends, due to the continuous nature of chemical processes.
- 🤝 The role of a chemical engineer involves significant socializing and teamwork, requiring strong soft skills for managing projects, leading teams, and advocating for ideas.
- 📈 Chemical engineers often work for large companies, which are influenced by stock market trends, impacting job opportunities, raises, and potential layoffs.
- 🌐 The chemical industry in America is divided into specialty chemicals, fine chemicals, and commodity chemicals, with the latter facing challenges due to global competition.
- 🔄 Chemical engineers have diverse career paths, including product development, environmental engineering, regulatory roles, and even opportunities in IT and finance.
Q & A
What is the primary difference between chemistry and chemical engineering?
-Chemistry is the study of reactions and the discovery of new reactions, while chemical engineering focuses on optimizing these reactions and scaling them up for reliable and efficient production.
What type of setting can a chemical engineer expect to work in?
-A chemical engineer typically works in a chemical setting, often at chemical plants, focusing more on the mechanical aspects of chemical reactions.
What are some key responsibilities of a chemical engineer?
-Chemical engineers are responsible for optimizing chemical processes, managing the quality of final products, ensuring chemical safety, and sometimes leading project engineering efforts.
How does the location of chemical plants affect chemical engineers?
-Chemical plants are often situated in areas with cheap real estate and away from populated areas due to their size and potential environmental impact. This means chemical engineers may need to live in or be willing to commute to more remote locations.
What are the career growth opportunities for chemical engineers with only a bachelor's degree?
-Chemical engineers can become well-respected professionals and managers of chemical processes with just a bachelor's degree, unlike chemists who often need a PhD to lead teams and earn higher salaries.
How does the stock market influence chemical engineers' job prospects and compensation?
-The stock market's performance, particularly the company's stock value, can affect chemical engineers' raises, opportunities, bonuses, and even job security, especially in large companies listed on the stock exchange.
What are the three sectors in the American chemical industry?
-The three sectors are specialty chemicals, which serve unique purposes and are often patented; fine chemicals, such as pharmaceuticals and small-batch chemicals; and commodity chemicals, which are large-scale, non-patented chemicals produced on a massive scale.
Why is the demand for commodity chemical production within the US considered lower?
-Commodity chemicals made outside of the US are often more efficient and cost-effective, leading to a lower demand for production within the US. This results in fewer plants, less growth opportunities, and reduced career potential in this sector.
What are some exciting areas for chemical engineers to work in outside of process engineering?
-Chemical engineers can work in product development, environmental engineering, regulatory roles, as material scientists and engineers, or even transition into software engineering or data science roles.
How does the script suggest chemical engineers can have an immediate impact on their projects?
-In a manufacturing environment, chemical engineers can often see the success or failure of their projects within hours or days, unlike product development engineers who may not see results for years.
What soft skills are important for chemical engineers in managerial roles?
-Managerial chemical engineers need to hone their networking, leadership, sales, and people management skills to effectively lead teams, sell ideas, and navigate the pressures of their roles.
Outlines
📘 Introduction to Chemical Engineering
This paragraph introduces the viewer to the field of chemical engineering, highlighting the differences between chemistry and chemical engineering. It emphasizes that while chemistry focuses on the study and discovery of reactions, chemical engineering is about optimizing these reactions for reliable, large-scale production. The speaker shares personal insights as a student and professional, suggesting that chemical engineers often work in chemical settings with a focus on the mechanical aspects of chemical reactions. They also mention that chemical engineers can lead teams and manage chemical processes with just a bachelor's degree, unlike chemists who often need a PhD.
🏭 Chemical Engineers' Work Environment and Market Trends
The second paragraph delves into the typical work environment of chemical engineers, often located in chemical plants that require large spaces and are usually situated in areas with cheaper real estate. It dispels the myth that chemical engineers live in remote areas, mentioning that there are plants near major cities like New York, Houston, and in California due to oil reserves. The speaker discusses the demanding nature of the job, including long hours and the need to optimize processes for company profit. They also touch on the excitement of seeing the immediate results of their work, the importance of socializing and teamwork, and the various responsibilities that come with the role, such as managing process efficiency, product quality, and chemical safety. The impact of the stock market on the chemical industry is also discussed, with a focus on the three sectors: specialty chemicals, fine chemicals, and commodity chemicals, and how their performance affects engineers' career growth and opportunities.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡chemical engineering
💡career path
💡chemical plants
💡process optimization
💡shift work
💡socializing and teamwork
💡project management
💡stock market
💡chemical market sectors
💡alternative career paths
Highlights
Chemistry and chemical engineering are two distinct fields, with chemistry focusing on reactions and discoveries, while chemical engineering is about optimizing these reactions for reliable use.
Chemical engineers often work in chemical settings but with a focus on the mechanical aspects of chemical reactions, akin to mechanical engineers well-versed in chemistry.
Chemical engineers can specialize in scaling up chemical processes and are experts in areas like chemical reaction engineering and distillation.
Chemical engineers can become respected professionals and managers with just a bachelor's degree, unlike chemists who often need a PhD to lead teams.
Chemical engineers may work in remote locations at chemical plants due to the need for cheap real estate and the fact that they are not always welcomed by local communities.
Chemical engineers are well-compensated but may face demanding work schedules, including nights and weekends, due to the continuous nature of chemical processes.
The success or failure of a chemical engineer's project can be seen quickly, unlike product development engineers who may wait years to see results.
Chemical engineering involves significant socializing and teamwork, contrary to the belief that it is solely about technical skills and solo problem-solving.
Chemical engineers often take on managerial roles, overseeing process efficiency, product quality, and chemical safety.
Project management in chemical engineering requires strong soft skills, including networking, leadership, salesmanship, and overall management capabilities.
Chemical engineers typically work for large companies due to the high capital required to operate chemical plants.
The stock market's performance can significantly impact chemical engineers' opportunities, raises, and bonuses, especially in large, publicly-traded companies.
The chemical industry in America is divided into three sectors: specialty chemicals, fine chemicals, and commodity chemicals, each with its unique market dynamics and career potential.
Despite the challenges in the commodity chemicals sector, there is significant growth and opportunity in specialty and fine chemicals, such as water treatment and pharmaceuticals.
Chemical engineers have diverse career paths, including product development, environmental engineering, regulatory roles, and even software engineering or data science.
Chemical engineering is a highly respected and versatile field that impacts nearly every industry and offers a variety of career opportunities.
Transcripts
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