Is it worth it to become a chemical engineer ?
Chemical engineering is a very old and diverse branch of engineering. This engineering branch talks about design and improvement in chemical processes. Chemical engineers use their scientific knowledge in the production, transformation, and utilization of chemicals, materials, and biotechnology.
Chemical engineering is a very good and evergreen career option where one can show their skill and creativity to grow and excel in this field. Some of the fields where Chemical engineers can work are oil and gas, petrochemicals, fertilizers, drugs, food and drinks, biotechnology, environmental engineering, nanotechnology, and many more. Once become more experienced & with higher education in any specific area like biochemical engineering, biomedical engineering, polymer engineering, etc., they can also do research in these areas.
The future of Chemical engineers in India is very bright, as the demand for Chemical products within India and exports from India is increasing. We use chemicals in every aspect of life such as Medicines, cosmetics, stationary, paint, and so on. This industry provides about 2 million jobs ( directly and indirectly) in India. The government wants more exports and fewer imports of chemical products under the Make in India & Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives. This industry contributes 3.4 % of the GDP.
As per the NASSCOM study, chemical engineering is going to become one of the most demanding fields in 2024 with a growth rate of 8%. The demand for biotechnologists, chemical engineers, color technologists, petroleum engineers, etc. will increase.
Big companies like Reliance Industries, Essar Oil Limited, Gujarat Gas Company Limited, Larsen & Toubro (L&T), Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), GAIL (India) Limited hires Chemical engineers. These companies give good payout and growth.
Some of the big companies that hire chemical engineers in India are Reliance Industries, Essar Oil Limited, Gujarat Gas Company Limited, Larsen & Toubro (L&T), Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), GAIL (India) Limited, and so on.
What does chemical engineer actually do ?
Since Chemical engineering is a branch of science, engineers need to study chemistry, physics, math, and biology in the curriculum. All this knowledge is required in real-world work environments to make, and improve, processes and systems.
Scope for Chemical engineering jobs is in many fields like pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, energy, plastics, oil and petroleum, paint, and many more in research and development, process design, plant operation and management, safety and environmental protection, quality control, and assurance, consulting, and teaching.
Some of the things that a chemical engineer in India does are:
- Design new and better processes for making chemicals, fuels, foods, medicines, etc
- Tests, research, and experiments on processes and products to check how good, safe, and effective they are.
- Understand & resolve issues related to processes and equipment and make changes if & when needed.
- To make sure that the team is following the rules and best practices related to processes, and equipment.
- Managing & guiding team in managing plant operations and other resources.
- Project planning and organizing the team and resources to meet deadlines and budgets.
Below are some Job categories and related industries:-
.
Process Engineer: This job involves making and improving chemical processes
Industry:-
- Chemicals: Plastics, paints, and fertilizers.
- Oil and Gas: Refining oil and gas.
- Drug & Pharmaceuticals: Medicines and other health products.
- Food and Beverage: Food and drink products.
- Pulp and Paper: Paper and pulp.
- Water Treatment: Clean and safe water processes & equipment design
- Environmental Engineering: Making the environment better and cleaner.
Also Read :- Is Financial Analytics a good career in 2024
Production Engineer: In this job, your task is to fix production problems and make processes better & safer. Also, adhere to the quality in production.
Industry :–
- Similar industries as Process Engineer, but your focus is on the production process.
- Electronics Manufacturing: Managing the production of electronic parts and devices.
- Automotive Industry: Managing the production of cars and their parts.
- Aerospace Industry: Managing the production of planes and rockets.
Research Assistant: Work as a research assistant and assist senior researchers with tests, data, and reports.
Industry :-
- Work in a research team related to chemical engineering in universities, government labs, or private research companies.
- Work for chemical companies or pharmaceutical companies to research new products.
- Work for government and related agencies that research energy and the environment.
Quality Control: Your job is to ensure quality checks are followed. You must have the knowledge of tools and methods for quality control.
Industry :-
- Related to cosmetics, personal care products, food, oil & gas, pharma and many more
- Energy and environment
Sales Engineer: You must have the full information of the product including your competitor’s strengths and weaknesses.
Industry:-
- Any company that deals with chemical products, services, and equipment.
- Also places like hospitals, clinics, or other healthcare providers.
Once you get more experienced you can also work as a Consultant. You can assist different chemical companies and organizations with your knowledge on different projects.