I usually don’t add comments but as a senior ChemE I feel like I should chime in. At first I had a lot of trepidation about pursuing chemical engineering because a lot of people do just think it’s just oil refineries and worrying about pipes and stuff. But the truth is it’s soooo much more versatile than that, and in my opinion it’s one of the best engineering fields to do especially if you have multiple interest. I lowkey could make a whole video on this too but I’ll just try to sum it up here rq 1) chemical engineers help build the fundamental building blocks of the society we live... literally everything. Think energy sources, consumer products from food to cosmetics to steel and concrete that are used in infrastructure to medicines and everything in between and EVEN THEN SOME. Seriously with ChemE you can segue into biomedical eng, materials science eng, environmental eng, etc... 2) The rigor of the courses makes you well equipped to handle situations that are even outside of your major. One thing I can say for sure is that ChemE teaches you how to learn, just because it pushes you so much. We not only have to learn basic engineering principles like physics, higher level math, thermo, fluids etc, but we need to apply them to chemical systems which is just a beast of its own. So even if you did decide that ChemE wasn’t for you, it wouldn’t be hard switching to another major and learning the content cause you’ve already been dragged through the trenches time and time again. If it’s any help I even know one ChemE who just wanted to diversify his skill set and completely shifted to electrical and computer engineering for his masters with little issue. I even know some people that just skipped out on STEM and easily picked up jobs at banks making hella money, just because their employers knew they could handle the work (of course they had taken some buisiness classes while in school, but they didn’t have to major in it) 3. It really is a great field once you discover your passion cause you literally have the capabilities manipulate the world around you. I like to think of it as chemEs being the closest to alchemy that you can get (besides straight chemistry) because you literally are taking raw materials found in nature and utilizing it to create something new, whether it’s a consumer product, energy, drugs, or whatever. I just think it’s really cool being able to manipulate the laws of nature to do your will basically (with constraints of course) 4. ChemEs make BANK. This is probably the reason a lot of people initially get interested in the field because on average we do make more than our other engineering counterparts. I honestly put this last because it really does depend on the situation, but on average I’ve definitely seen ChemE graduates get paid more than other engineers coming out with an undergrad (the highest I’ve heard straight out was around 120,000 but that was an extreme case). So if you are in it for the money good choice, but also good luck staying motivated to do all the hard work. So yea ChemEs pretty cool you just have to find your passion and keep it in mind as you go through your courses. Right now I’m currently getting set up to do research with cancer drug deliveries which is cool cause now we’re getting in the realm of bioengineering and theres a lot of cool stuff happening there. Bottom line do you research, find out what you like, and you’ll be straight. Peace
Amazing!! I am a chemical engineering just graduated, I decided to work in Aviation, I have my job offer already! I will be taking on material sciences and engineering for my Master study because I miss sciences and as you said chem Engineering isn't much about chemistry but design. I am also learning to code because I want it all🤟 Chemical Eng is a versatile degree, you can do anything with the skills you develop. Great video.
Ahhh! I am still a sophomore in college but this is similar to the route that I want to take. This comment is very comforting thank you and best of luck to you ❤️
I am a graduate chemical engineer and have been working straight out of university for 1 year. Found this video interesting as I had many similar views to you when choosing my course. At the moment I'm realising I don't enjoy what I currently do (process engineer oil& gas - office job designing the plant at FEED Stage). But, the beauty of ChemE is that it doesn't matter. You can look for a wide range of other jobs which should be relatively easy to get given ChemE is such a respectable degree. I am considering bioengineering / batteries / biomedical. I just cannot get motivated by non renewables in this age.
I agree with most of the points except the one about the market, chem engineering is a really broad major that can get u to a lot of different things in life
i never understand why people say there's no chemistry in chemical engineering. I am currently in my third year right now and even though there's a lot of math physics and engineering but they all revolve around chemistry. Maybe people don't really know what chemistry is hahaha. If you enjoyed basic chemistry and lab experiments in high school well then chemical engineering takes it to a deeper level and better understanding and that theres a lot that goes on in those experiments. you need to know that you just cant carry out reactions in a testube you can carry them out on a larger scale in chemical reactor vessels . you need to know the design of those vessels . the pressure and temperature of design ,material balance, heat transfer, thermodynamics of the reactions, mass flow, fluid flow c'mon all that's chemistry and physics. the material of the vessel as well . in short The beauty of chemical engineering is that you get to know the real stuff you get to know things passed the eye. I think the problem with why most people don't like it or complain is because they are still stuck in love with that basic chemistry they took in high school and never thought shit could get real in chemistry and its not just all about simple reactions and that there's a lot of math, physics and engineering involved . So buckle up and keep on driving lads its the most beautiful course and c'mon why would anyone want to sit in a boring office haha lame come out and lets have fun ohhh and by the way they are a large variety of job offers for chemical engineering you just not looking in the right places.
If you used Elementary Principles of Chemical Processes by Felder and Rousseau as one of your Text Books, Chapter One "What Chemical Engineers Sometimes Do for a Living" would have answered your questions regarding what ChemE do. I have been working as a Chemical Engineer for 32 years. I wouldn't change a thing about my career.
regarding ''not having chemistry'' in the syllabus, I think it really depends on where you are studying, in my case, half my syllabus is termodynamics, 1/3 is about chemical industry related stuff and just the first 2 years are made to get a strong sense of maths, physics and more base stuff; so yeah, I am glad as I love termodynamics and chem, guess you should just look closely at your syllabus before starting and that'd be it c:
Lol so relatable. I love math physics and chemistry and I can't really call myself a social person. That's why I chose ChemE Can't see myself as a doctor, lawyer, sales person or basically anything to do with people ugh. Take me to the secluded area BABY!!!!!😁😁😁❤
@@karengeri8280 there basically no chemistry and so far the maths and physics have been really boring. I’m a second year Chem eng student and it’s a lot of fluid and pipes. If you find that interesting then sure go for it but if not them maybe consider another engineering
@@davinbacheta wait till u get to third grade and do chemical reaction or to fourth and do process control, u will see sparks where theres non not to demoralize you, they r actually fun if u understand rather than memorize
Nice video! I am currently in the final design of my degree (producing sweet gas from sour gas) and sometimes I do question myself on why I chose this degree. But through this degree I have found passion especially in renewable energy and the environmental sector. Hopefully I can get into a graduate programme next year and start adulting
@@AlsworthTV Hmm Passion. For me, I question myself : What do I want to do with my life, why? How will it benefit me overall as a person. I don't stop questioning coz the phase in life that I'm in right now isn't at steady state (lol ChemEng joke for you) Not funny. Laying out a plan(something I haven't actually done yet) is also a good step in visualizing where you want to be and how you can connect your interests to your goals and developing pathways to achieving those goals. Personally I want to make a positive difference in the world (you know us generation Z folks ain't satisfied with anything else XD) Religion here is a key factor for me as it shapes how I perceive my goals and accomplishments in a positive light no matter how big or small the difference I make in this world. Although a job takes up a lot of time in our lives and if you're doing your passion at work then great, but finding passion elsewhere is also key- in my case I want to take part in motorcycle racing and that's something that I really look forward to in the future. Finding passion is not the easiest thing in the world but nevertheless, everyone has a passion for something. All we need to do is a lil introspection and know ourselves better and see what means we have that will contribute to our passion. I pray to God that I be granted a life where I can fullfil my passions. I will say this though. Depending on your paradigm of life, passion isn't necessarily the most important thing in the world- countless people are satisfied with themselves and the lives they lead even though they are not experiencing their passions on a day to day basis. There are many things to do in the world just don't be a sloth and grab any opportunities that will take you out of your comfort zone. Opportunities always come (this is a reminder for myself firstly) so realize when they appear and dont hesitate. Ah Chem eng. What a roller coaster.
@@baneoffsight4871 Bro, this was so well written 😭 this comment deserves a Nobel Peace Prize. Thank you so much for sharing this!!! I hope you're able to take part in the motorcycle racing in the future, and I'll be looking forward to a future update regarding that. But yeah, ChemEng has def been a roller coaster ride that's forsure
@@baneoffsight4871 I want to make that positive difference to the world too, another Gen Z talking😊. I am dreaming about stopping climate change since I'm 11 or something but also have no idea how to do that. Now I'm considering ChemE just because of that reason cause I've heard people with major ChemE degree can do environmental consulting, make projects declining Co2 emissions etc. So what do you think about that idea? Should I study ChemE, ıs there any other options you know to achieve my life goal?
I’m currently a third year chemical engineering student at Wits in South Africa. I don’t think you realise how tough it is unless you are in it. But always try stay positive and chemical engineering has many aspects to it. With an engineering degree you can honestly work anywhere. I know chemical engineers working at accounting firms with a chemical engineering degree because they like the way we think.
I am at wits enrolled for chemical engineering as well this is my first year and i just realised i don't know much about the course. could you please email me and tell me more about studying chemical engineering at wits
@@gugulethu4188 my name is Dimakatso Seshibedi I am also doing the degree I am in first year. Could you please link up with, been looking for other Chem E students
A chemical engineering can work in petrochemical, offshore, research, plant or refineries, aviation officer responsible for fueling aircraft, management, gas based company and many. There are many options for chemical but we must be passionate about it
I am a senior chemical engineering undergraduate. I can relate to most things in this video and in retrospect wish I would’ve known more about CHME before diving in. I have had manufacturing experience that exposed me to electrical engineering / programming work and am now pursuing a masters degree in computer science because I enjoyed it so much.
Chemical Engineer here, graduated in 2015. One thing I would say is the job market for a new grad ChemE is tough considering the dismal state of oil and gas, the green jobs haven't come close to replacing what has been lost. I was eventually able to find a job and have been working since then as a ChemE, but if I want to work for another company I need to be prepared to move to another state to do so as there just aren't many job opportunities where I'm located. When you're young and without family commitments/complications this is no problem, when you've lived life a little it becomes much more difficult. Not saying you shouldn't do Chemical Engineering, but just be aware it is much more niche than other disciplines and you may need to make more sacrifices than others if you want to progress your career.
Very good suggestion!! Unfortunately chemical engineering jobs are very much location based and its economy dependent field. When I started my graduate school in Alberta there were plenty of opportunities, but just after a year, a massive oil downturn came and more than 100,000 workers were laid off. Wish I had sticked to electrical engineering and not followed my passion . I recently moved to Texas and all I see is people getting laid off from process industries.
@@adele_90 sad reality of the field. The larger fields are probably the way to go. ChemE just doesnt jave the jobs to support the number of people with degrees.
Bro, I have it worst than you. I am a fresh graduate now looking at this. I was so focused on completing my degree without knowing what the future job looks like.😅
I am a international student recently graduate in Arizona State University as BSE Chemical Engineering and just got admission in Johns Hopkins University as Master of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. If I knew all the jobs in U.S. as chemical engineer hard require citizenship, I will never step in this major. Watching most of my classmates and best friends got offer from those reputational companies but I got only interview invitations for salesman or manufacturing line worker with only high school diploma required is frustrating. Even if any of those companies opened their eyes and have my resume looked, their first question is always "Are you a US Citizen?". I am tired to pretend to be optimistic and now I just trolled no longer response to those online chats starts with citizenship questions.
Im a current junior in chemE and it’s quite a rigorous major with a lot of course load but some of the aspects of it are interesting such as organic chemistry. Hoping to get a job in the pharmacy industry in the future. Anyways, nice video!
I'm a senior biochemistry and biotechnology student, currently doing undergraduate research for a University's Chemical Engineering department that involves coding. Don't be discouraged kids, a lot of these tools and majors are intermingled!
Thank you so much for your video. I am 26 years old, Italian girl, graduated in Master of science chemical engineer last year and I've been working as a junior process engineer since then. I totally agree with everything in your video, for example the small market jobs point: I work far from my family and friends in a city that I don't like and there is zero offer in my area, so almost no hope to get back home. When I chose this path I thought the demand was high, but the truth is it is an old field, industry is mostly based on oil and old style chemical plants. But the world is changing fast, that's why I agree with you also on the computer science point: I regret losing all that time studying, not learning enough about computer science. I think you can't have a complete role in scientific jobs, and also society in general, without knowing computers, the base and the foundation of everything nowadays. That's why I'm thinking that maybe it could be a good idea to start studying informatics as an online degree. I am going through a crisis period, doubting everything about my studyings. It very comforting to find someone that has a similar experience like mine, so thank you again. During university years I had an exchange experience of six months in Norway. The feeling is that there the engineering industry is like an alien world. They recognize the value of your knowledge and at the same time you have the possibility to learn other stuff while working and improve yourself, as they give big value to freetime and mental health. I hope I will manage to find a job there sooner or later, though Norwegian language is required and not so easy to learn. Thank you again, I'd be happy to discuss about these topics with anyone that's in the same position like me.
Thank you so much for sharing your story!! I wish you the best of luck, it's never too late to switch to a different field as long as it's something you would enjoy and see yourself in :)
@ciao1234ist i am also a 3rd year chemical engineer and need some advice as i am unclear about what to do after graduation, can we connect on any platform?
I’m studying chemical engineering at University of Cincinnati! I like chemistry and lab work but I also like math a lot too. I’ve actually helped developed a program for ChemEs to enter the cosmetic science masters program here! You can do it as a chemistry major but I felt as thought the engineering degree would have more of an edge. I couldn’t see myself doing another major unless it was strictly cosmetic science as that’s what I’m passionate about, but I can meet the needs of a cosmetic scientist as a ChemE plus more. There are so many fields ChemE’s can go into I feel like, pharmaceutical, process engineering, environmental, oils, refineries, cosmetics, research. I do wish I knew more about Chemical Engineering as well, it’s been really tough but if I wasn’t doing this I don’t think I would’ve gone to college at all for any other major. Chemistry seemed to mundane for me (no offense) and not as many job opportunities as a ChemE, I like all the chemistry + math
1st year ChemE student. I went into it because I wanted to work in cosmetics too. Unfortunately there are no cosmetic programmes or schools in my country but this was the closest I could get to cosmetics besides being a chemistry major. Chemistry is not my cup of tea. I don't like engineering too but being able to hopefully work with cosmetics one day keeps me motivated
Hi! I'm a third year chemical engineer student and I'm currently doing my master in materials sciences and molecular systems. I have very broad interests so the mix of physics, math and chemistry is really nice. In the future I want to work on new nano/biochemical/biodegradable materials. You underestimate the future possibilities! I think chemical engineers are crucial to tackle the problems of climate change regarding energy sources (such as batteries and hydrogen), substituents for plastics (more sustainable etc) and increase efficiency overall by creating new materials.
Thanks for sharing your perspective! I agree, looking back at this video, I did kind of underestimate the different opportunities chemical engineers have
Spot on! Had to laugh, thought I was the only one thinking that. At least it gave me the discipline to study further and hone my problem solving skills.
Hi - I liked your video. I'm a licensed Professional Chemical Engineer (retired). One thing for sure, is that you need to be very good at Calculus in any Chemical Engineering Program. The best thing about getting my degree many years ago, was that I knew I completed a very difficult major and I became very confident in myself to take on other future challenges in my life. I did Chemical Process design (office work) for many years, but with the oil glut in the early 80's, those jobs became scarce. As you said in your video, Chemical Engineers can do a variety of things, and so I had a career path change and became a Director of Public School Facilities and had a very successful 32+ year career. I also agree with you in that other engineering majors such as civil, mechanical and electrical have more job opportunities. Thank you
Recent chemical engineering graduate here. During my internship, my colleague shared that there are generally 4 types of company that every engineer graduate can work in: 1. End User - The companies with production/refinery plants fall into this category. Their role is to produce product(s) from raw material(s). E.g. Shell Oil and Gas, BASF and etc. 2. Service Provider - These companies provide services in terms of special parts such as pumps, compressors and adsorption towers to the end user to produce the products. E.g. Linde, Emerson Electric and etc. 3. Audit/Consultancy - These companies provide consultancy services to the end user. 4. Academia/Education - These types of companies compromise of universities where research is heavily emphasized. It's important to know this because the working environment, roles and salaries between each type of company mentioned above are quite different. So, I hope that this advice is helpful to anyone who is reading this and of course, I welcome anyone to correct or add onto this piece of advice. Cheers!
Your insight is very interesting but may be limited to the USA. In Australia, I feel ChemE have a much larger choice of job application (process engineer, materials engineer for automotive/aviation, a metallurgical engineer electrochemical engineer, plastics engineer, oil and gas and refining, pharmaceuticals, plant operators, biochemical, chemicals manufacturing, and plenty of non-engineering roles, such as banking and computer science). ChemE have the fortunate ability to take on many different types of career paths/jobs due to the problem-solving skills you should develop at university but ultimately ChemEs don't have a small job market. Fundamentally, engineers are here to fix, improve, and design. Yes, automation is becoming bigger but software and computer engineers cannot design a reactor or oil refinery - ChemEs will be a necessity for decades.
chemE graduate here, even though the major does not have as much chem as it implies about 30% of my former classmates I know work in a lab so its not really a constrain if you want that kind of jb, everything else was on point!!! (also working in an office has given me a better lifestyle than when i was in a factory)
Environmental Engineer here. I feel like it’s a theme throughout engineering disciplines that people are attracted to it because they are into science, but don’t understand that an engineer is not a scientist. A chemical engineer is not a chemist, you’re not gonna be wearing a white lab coat looking through microscopes. You’re gonna be in a plant surrounded by pipes. Just like how an Environmental engineer is not an environmental scientist. They are not going to be in nature, studying plants and animals. They’d be in a plant surrounded by pipes. But instead of oil and gas it’s just poo.
@@snehaaggarwal8872 in as general terms as possible, a scientist discovers information and researches, while an engineer designs things using scientific principles. For example, I work at a land development company. We have geologists (scientists) who sample and analyze soil and rock, and we have geotechnical engineers who design building foundations, partially based on the geologists findings. Another example, a chemist (scientist) might concoct the perfect formula for a cosmetic serum, while a chemical engineer would be concerned with the production of the serum, producing it efficiently, getting it into tubes etc.
Bro ! So true - I’m a junior in EE and I’m honestly just finding out what Electrical Engineering is ... tbh I could’ve taken an easier path and majored in Management Information System. But I’m glad engineering allows me to try different things like business
Engineering isn’t an easy route, but the opportunity to use your brain creatively, not to mention the financial benefits, are far better than most other professions.
I wish I knew that there are no entry-level chemical engineering jobs in my country and that most chemical engineering graduates are either jobless or doing work completely unrelated. I am an IT intern at a financial business
Its honestly based on where you are. I was a intern for a startup biotech company in Bay Area for a year, initially i applied as bio student however when they assigned my independent project it was mostly focused on automation. After working there for a year, i decided to change my major to ChemE, they offered me a full time research position once i finish school (in 2 years) and im always welcome to come back every summer.
As an introvert who lived in a small county with poor internet during my college years (while staying in the house most of the time) it still sucks. I had been accustomed to keeping myself occupied and being content with little to entertain myself with. I honestly enjoyed the serenity where I was staying at in college. But after interning at a plant I never felt so miserable. Perhaps your experience will be different but while I was 1 of 8 interns most of us were not wanting to return simply because of the atmosphere of the immediate area. It wasn't that it was dull but depressing. It really did feel like the people there were trapped there. I would recommend driving by some plant sites to get a feel of things if you ever have time.
1)I think the most important thing to know before going to enginnering college is the lack of intuition. People have this image of an engineer, they think of projects and what not. You have to SLOW DOWN to get things done in university. Rarely do you see the bigger picture and the final product. You may have to learn something in math only to use it a year later. The lesson is THINK SLOW and THINK SMALL. Not in a bad way though. Think patiently, that's it. 2)Just because people study it, doesn't mean that they get it. Engineering is like building a house, You need to have a vision strategy. Every layer in the house may take six months and it is going to have its own details.The final product may take 5 years. Being a big picture engineer is different than a small picture engineer. Every time you hear someone talking about engineering, you need to ask yourself. What is his viewpoint? Are they talking about something specific or something general? Do they think they get the whole picture, when in reality they are just showing off about something that they know?
Superb comment 👌 . I work with a oil and gas conglomerate. I am at 40, I have been given the green light to pursue further education, a Bachelors, and so I am going back to school and my options are Two choices, ChemEng or MechEng. ChemEng is king here MechEng is the jack. This video and your comments are addressing my fears about the study load and responding with great insight and foresight.
EPC companies, Big 4 accounting or audit firms, and software development companies like Flite, AspenTech, Applied Flow Technology, and HTRI all offer office-based roles. I work as a process engineer in an EPC environment, and I like my role as a chemical engineer.
Y’all did soap in high school? I only did calculations of concentrations , equilibrium type thing almost everyone quit in 10th grade haha I’m from Portugal 🇵🇹 looking forward to chemical engineering!!
quando eu comecei a ter química eu achei que a gente ia explodir coisa em laboratório mas qnd eu vi eu tava lá aprendendo a calcular a diferença de potencial numa pilha
I'm a chemical engineering student, almost everything you said is the same I wish I knew before studying chemical engineering.... thanks so much for this video
Enjoyed your video. I laughed out loud when you said, "I wish I had known what chemical engineering was." That was my experience and the experience of most of my classmates. It wasn't until about junior year that we figured it out.
I'm chemical engineering student and .. yes I really wanted to know this things before starting studying... but I like it too... I guess I need much more information !!!
I'm a second year ChemE. I also went into chemical engineering thinking that I like chemistry and some engineering. The best thing that happened to me is that during college, I realized I don't like chemistry as much but I love thermodynamics and fluid classes. Just be careful when choosing ChemE, because ChemE is a LOT of PHYSICS.
chemical engineers can also work in Labs. May be if you focus your area to do research and development activities, you will do cool experiments and stuff. I am working in research university and i am doing lots of experiments.
I also enjoyed chemistry in high school and that also influenced my decision. During uni though, I realized that the chemistry modules were a bit boring for me (that's just a personal opinion) compared to the other modules. The other 99% you're referring to is more math and physics related. Anyways not a day goes by where I wish I studies something else. Luckily If you don't like the plant environment, it's not a problem. There are also many consulting and design companies where you work in an office space. I have to admit that I did get a tad frustrated and bored during my first two years studying. When I did my internship and saw how real engineers thought and worked, I finally got motivated again. The problem during the course is that ALL engineering disciplines are extremely versatile. It's impossible to teach you everything in 4 years. In uni they try to expose you to many of the fields in chemical engineering. This results in a course where they teach you a little bit of each field, but they cover many fields. Only when you start working you will start specializing.
Well said! I feel like a lot of schools really need to change the chemical engineering curriculum to reflect the current trends of the industry. What do you wish you studied in uni?
@@sleepylad9780 I agree, application is definitely important. A lot of chemE curriculums need to be updated to reflect what's going on today in industry
Great video, I’m currently a senior and I’m applying to be a chemical engineer. If I get in to my dream school I can change it to electrical, environmental, etc. I’m just scared about engineering because I’m not the smartest kid, hopefully I can overcome it
I graduated from ChemE 9 years ago but in my case, at least 85% of my professors were chemists. It is not the same when you are in a faculty of Chemistry that offers a ChemE degree. But I usually meet other ChemEs that do not know or do not remember about very basic things like soft/hard Lewis acids, good and bad leaving groups, electron-donating groups, nucleophilic substitutions 1 and 2, and that even confuse ether and ester. Little ability to interpret NMR spectra, FTIR spectra, X-ray patterns or mass spectra, which were key for my PhD thesis. In turn, for me pumps and valves are things I just place in a P&ID while being utterly ignorant about how they work.
Howdy! I am a ChemE , TAMU, Class of 2000. I have worked almost entirely in offices with visits to plants and offshore as needed. I would recommend to keep your vision broad. The industry is in dire need of digitization. One might consider minoring in computer science. I agree that internships are very important. They can inform your career direction and give you a leg up when looking for a job.
@@santi100 Sure. I am an independent consultant, I have my own little company in the Netherlands. Over the last few years, I have worked mostly in oil and gas production. I have done a lot of different projects in my career, mostly in EPC companies in the design and revamp of refineries and chemical plants. You can have a look at my profile on LinkedIn, Suzanne Klaassen. Please feel free to ask me more questions. May I ask, what has attracted you to the field of Chemical Engineering?
Just go for the CS, if you don’t want to work in a plant environment. I work at a major refinery in Texas as Cheme, there is no work life balance for the job since the plant is 24/7. Of course I am making 140K with pretty good benefits, but the stress and working environment suck. Don’t even mention the layoff. I would choose CS if I get a second chance.
I graduated from ChemE a couple years ago. Although I enjoyed most of the subjects I felt totally identified with you in this video, specially when thinking of having studied software engineering or something related to computers and data, basically because as you said, the ChemE market is very little compared to those. In my country (Spain) 90% of the job offers for ChemE that you can find are either quality paperwork or as supervisor in chemical operations (leading a team of operators). They are not bad, but I am dissapointed as in most positions you can't apply the physics, maths, and all the technical knowledge you have acquiered during the bachelor's, which where the things that I liked about ChemE. In my case I have taken a Master in a Chemistry field, to compensate the poor knowledge in chemistry that we have and have more options in R&D positions. Even so, I think the best option to gain access to a bigger job market is to complement ChemE formation with some programming and/or electronics (which we already have basics), as it is a profile very wanted for the industries.
The thing is wherever you apply nowadays for a side job or part time job to get experience in the field of chemE the companies demand a lot of experiences even for a part time job, it's really difficult and actually contradictory
Absolutely right, i liked chemistry in school but i do not like it now as much as i used to in school. I knew it before taking chemical branch that there will be more physics and maths and many other subjects more than chemistry. The way teacher teach us in most of the cases it doesn't seem fascinating.
I wish I knew my physics needs to be strong. Dropped out of chem eng back in college and switched to business. 9 years of experience in the finance field and hate it. Good money though! I was like you. Good in chemistry and math and really enjoyed it. Physics i also liked but did not invest much into it because I thought ChemEng is all about chemistry. Still wouldn't mind going back in time to improve my physics and study ChemEng again. But after your video, I changed my mind. Currently, I am planning for a degree shift to robotics
I’m a chemical engineering student at one of the nations top 5 programs. I wish I would have known about the superiority complex from some professors. Makes classes really hard to get through when the only justification for the difficultly of the class is “you’re better than everyone else”
My man. Shit. I totally agree with. I am trying to transition to something else in a more corporate environment even after having graduated 2 years ago
@@AlsworthTV computer science by far. you can go to banks , to tech and even if you want so much to go to a plant which I hate you could still go. It is much more applicable and provide flexibility in the choice of work place.
hi, i’ll be going off to uni in 2025 and well i’m unsure. i want money, or at least i want to be comfortable. i love maths it’s so fun and im great at it. i currently study chemistry, physics, maths and further maths and am considering a chemE degree. i don’t want to let go of the maths part of my life though. also, id say the environmental part of chemistry is the part which appeals least to me. i was just wondering if a chemE degree is still worth it? can i still get money outside of the environmental side of chemistry with a chemE degree? it’s ok if you’re not sure i just really don’t want to make a wrong decision (maths or chemE or something related).
@@nidah8806 hectic honestly the pandemic ruined the semester for me, I didn’t perform aswell as I should/would have if we had contact classes but all in all I enjoy the work
that is so awesosme, i'm chemical engineer, and i really think that this field is between the mot important and the hardest engineering fields cause it contain every thinng so huge, i'm now studying for my second engineering degree in computer science, so my goal is to can apply data science and machine learning combined with chemical engineering (on some fields like energy, envirement , oil or pharma fileds too but the most important issue is the energy one in the world and the sources of energy ..) so i hope you will do a video like that about this matter (technology & chem engeneering ), i really want to hear some ideas and iam still searching about that more ... any help?
I am an industrial engineer in chemistry and found good job. However, after graduating and searching for a job I soon realized Electromechanical Engineers are more wanted. For example when a chemical company wants a process Engineer they are likely going to ask an Electromechanical Engineer for this, and not a Chemical Engineer. Even though it still is a company that produces chemicals ....
I’ve been practicing as a Chem Engineer for four years now. I wish i knew how small the job market was, I’m currently in the process of finishing my Computer Science degree.
Many good points, especially the part about plants being in the middle of nowhere! However as someone with both degrees I dispute the concept that Chemical Engineering does not contain much Chemistry. ChE's still have to take basic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, P-Chem. They miss out on things like Analytical Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, and Biochem, but sometimes have to take those for various grad level classes. Also some courses build upon existing Chemistry foundations, such as Reaction Engineering/Kinetics. Overall I found Chemical Engineering to be built upon a foundation of 3rd year Chemistry and extending into Fluids and Thermodynamics. By no means is Chemical Engineering a physics degree as it is one of the least math intensive Engineering degrees.
I am looking to start chemical engineering in the spring not only for money but because I am passionate about making resources work. Like re use things make something out of something that seems un-usable and things like that. I also would like to expand my mind and knowledge and I love a challenge and it’s go to be even better for me because I would love to see myself build something that could help the world.
Can you give us an update of your currrent situation did u get a job? Do u like it? I have a chem eng Job that i quite enjoy so i couldnt relate to what u were saying. I could never find myself doing software engineering omg its soo boring i dont care if i got to make double. Like learning sql databases, decrypting and codex… fuck no
My grandson is a Bearcat Chem E. He had two manufacturing internships he did not love. This last semester he got into real Research and Development with a Cincinnati company. He was very happy with his experience and will return next summer.
Chemical engineer here, the only regret i have is completely devoting my life for good grades. Wish i had been fine with getting okay grades while still pursuing my hobbies
amen. I'm 19 atm, soon to be 20 and just realized I threw away my school years studying 24/7 and not learning any life skills. Glad I realised now though xD Gotta thank youtube and reddit for that lol. Side hustles, and hobbies are just as important and should always be prioritised as much as studies.
I'm a fourth year chemical engineer, and I knew within about a year of studying it that I hated it. I have next to no passion for it, no interest, no willingness to read more. I chose it based on the fact that I liked maths and chemistry, which is about 2% (chemistry, that is) of the course lol. Probably the biggest mistake ever, but thankfully a lot of our big process design projects are in groups, so I've got good at doing certain things like Energy Balance, and my final year research project only applies a few mass transfer ideas, but is mostly something that anyone working in maths/science could do. Thankfully I'm almost done, 1 month to go, and I don't think there is even a 5% chance I will actually go into the industry. Bottom line to anyone who is 16/17: Read up about what you choose to study, especially chemical engineering, as you without doubt need a passion for the subject, otherwise you could get caught out pretty quick!!!
@@kSubscribersWithVideo-qw9ir lol you can do literally so many things with those A levels, just because you do chemistry doesn't mean you have to do either chemistry or chem eng
Do you go to UC? If so are you apart of the chemical engineering club there and do you know the best way to find out about upcoming meetings? I’m a first year there so I would really like to know.
I agree with some concepts you talked about, but I think that, as far as fields involved in chemical engineering, there are many differences caused by the country you live in. I'm italian and we don't have many plants, actually we have many chemical industries that treat fine chemicals... Not to mention the "green engineering"
i know chemical engineerings working in the cosmetic industry, biochemistry and even medicine! chemEs are truly needed anywhere, the limit is where you want to put it
This is actually every anti social’s dream. And of course, one of them is me. Jokes aside, I am relieved that there’s barely Chemistry in there. I mean, I understand Chemistry but I just don’t feel the “chemistry” with the subject. Currently, I’m enjoying Physics and Math so I’m glad I chose ChemE as my first choice.
This video was _so_ helpful. Being a sophomore in high school, choosing a career feels like shots in the dark. I'm mainly looking Chemical Engineering so that I can work in pharmaceutical/biomedical, though I don't mind going into semiconductors, I just don't want to work at a plant. (Middle of nowhere! Yikes!) If I take this major, is it still likely to be working at a pharmaceutical/biomedical place (lab? office? what are they??) fresh out of college? Are there any factors that determine whether you'll get there or not? Thank you so much for making this video! I am grateful for your wisdom.
I'm glad it helped! I totally agree with you, choosing the right major is super difficult coming out of high school. Yes, it is possible to work for a pharma/biomedical company as a fresh grad; I think the easiest route to get into that would be do internships in those industries while in college to get experience in those fields, and those internships could potentially turn into full time positions once you graduate
Graduated Masters last year and will be working for a semiconductor manufacturer, i also agree with comments that field of work is way more important than choosing a major!
Its hugely dependent in which area/state you live in. If you live in houston, texas it will be much easier to get a job/have higher demand than being in some remote university in nevada.
I think that now is the best time for chemical engineering bcoz of all the climate change, new battery technology, carbon reduction and the transition from fossil fuel to clean energy
Hi AlsworthTV, I enjoyed watching this video, as a Chemical Engineer myself, with exposure to several fields of this discipline. I agree with most of your sentiments; however, considering the skills and abilities forged by Chemical Engineering: Don't you think we need a lot of Chemical Engineers in developing economies like Africa?
I am 12 class pass out from India. I love physics and I wanted to pursue chemical engineering because it's a broad field and also I am not interested in coding stuff so I don't want to take software.
I usually don’t add comments but as a senior ChemE I feel like I should chime in. At first I had a lot of trepidation about pursuing chemical engineering because a lot of people do just think it’s just oil refineries and worrying about pipes and stuff. But the truth is it’s soooo much more versatile than that, and in my opinion it’s one of the best engineering fields to do especially if you have multiple interest. I lowkey could make a whole video on this too but I’ll just try to sum it up here rq
1) chemical engineers help build the fundamental building blocks of the society we live... literally everything. Think energy sources, consumer products from food to cosmetics to steel and concrete that are used in infrastructure to medicines and everything in between and EVEN THEN SOME. Seriously with ChemE you can segue into biomedical eng, materials science eng, environmental eng, etc...
2) The rigor of the courses makes you well equipped to handle situations that are even outside of your major. One thing I can say for sure is that ChemE teaches you how to learn, just because it pushes you so much. We not only have to learn basic engineering principles like physics, higher level math, thermo, fluids etc, but we need to apply them to chemical systems which is just a beast of its own. So even if you did decide that ChemE wasn’t for you, it wouldn’t be hard switching to another major and learning the content cause you’ve already been dragged through the trenches time and time again. If it’s any help I even know one ChemE who just wanted to diversify his skill set and completely shifted to electrical and computer engineering for his masters with little issue. I even know some people that just skipped out on STEM and easily picked up jobs at banks making hella money, just because their employers knew they could handle the work (of course they had taken some buisiness classes while in school, but they didn’t have to major in it)
3. It really is a great field once you discover your passion cause you literally have the capabilities manipulate the world around you. I like to think of it as chemEs being the closest to alchemy that you can get (besides straight chemistry) because you literally are taking raw materials found in nature and utilizing it to create something new, whether it’s a consumer product, energy, drugs, or whatever. I just think it’s really cool being able to manipulate the laws of nature to do your will basically (with constraints of course)
4. ChemEs make BANK. This is probably the reason a lot of people initially get interested in the field because on average we do make more than our other engineering counterparts. I honestly put this last because it really does depend on the situation, but on average I’ve definitely seen ChemE graduates get paid more than other engineers coming out with an undergrad (the highest I’ve heard straight out was around 120,000 but that was an extreme case). So if you are in it for the money good choice, but also good luck staying motivated to do all the hard work.
So yea ChemEs pretty cool you just have to find your passion and keep it in mind as you go through your courses. Right now I’m currently getting set up to do research with cancer drug deliveries which is cool cause now we’re getting in the realm of bioengineering and theres a lot of cool stuff happening there. Bottom line do you research, find out what you like, and you’ll be straight.
Peace
I'm old and going back into education and considering ChemEng so this was great to hear thanks!
Thank you so much for sharing this!! This will help out a lot of people including myself, thank you!
This comment gave me hope, thanks so much im a ChemE student
Wow that was helpful
THANK YOU! That was reaally heapful!
Amazing!! I am a chemical engineering just graduated, I decided to work in Aviation, I have my job offer already! I will be taking on material sciences and engineering for my Master study because I miss sciences and as you said chem Engineering isn't much about chemistry but design. I am also learning to code because I want it all🤟 Chemical Eng is a versatile degree, you can do anything with the skills you develop. Great video.
That’s awesome! Congratulations on your job offer :)
Ahhh! I am still a sophomore in college but this is similar to the route that I want to take. This comment is very comforting thank you and best of luck to you ❤️
Hello Miss Ejike, is there any way I could reach you personally? Through an email ? I’ve got many questions I want to ask you ma. God bless you.
How much do chem engineers make in aviation on average? Does it come close to the earnings made working in petrochem or pharma?
We Chem Engrs. often seem to insatiably want it all actually. I am currently in Data Engineering.
Chemical engineer here. Wish I knew that choosing a field to work in is much more important than choosing a major
Bingo! I 100% agree
what field would you have chosen now that you look back
Totally agree
What would you have choosen
Me too
I am a graduate chemical engineer and have been working straight out of university for 1 year. Found this video interesting as I had many similar views to you when choosing my course. At the moment I'm realising I don't enjoy what I currently do (process engineer oil& gas - office job designing the plant at FEED Stage).
But, the beauty of ChemE is that it doesn't matter. You can look for a wide range of other jobs which should be relatively easy to get given ChemE is such a respectable degree. I am considering bioengineering / batteries / biomedical. I just cannot get motivated by non renewables in this age.
Thanks a lot for sharing!! 🙌🏾
Thank you, big truth
I agree with most of the points except the one about the market, chem engineering is a really broad major that can get u to a lot of different things in life
Humm… I have to disagree with you on this . Real chemical engineering jobs are actually very limited.
i never understand why people say there's no chemistry in chemical engineering. I am currently in my third year right now and even though there's a lot of math physics and engineering but they all revolve around chemistry. Maybe people don't really know what chemistry is hahaha.
If you enjoyed basic chemistry and lab experiments in high school well then chemical engineering takes it to a deeper level and better understanding and that theres a lot that goes on in those experiments. you need to know that you just cant carry out reactions in a testube you can carry them out on a larger scale in chemical reactor vessels . you need to know the design of those vessels . the pressure and temperature of design ,material balance, heat transfer, thermodynamics of the reactions, mass flow, fluid flow c'mon all that's chemistry and physics. the material of the vessel as well .
in short The beauty of chemical engineering is that you get to know the real stuff you get to know things passed the eye. I think the problem with why most people don't like it or complain is because they are still stuck in love with that basic chemistry they took in high school and never thought shit could get real in chemistry and its not just all about simple reactions and that there's a lot of math, physics and engineering involved .
So buckle up and keep on driving lads its the most beautiful course and c'mon why would anyone want to sit in a boring office haha lame come out and lets have fun ohhh and by the way they are a large variety of job offers for chemical engineering you just not looking in the right places.
I agree. To say CE is 1% chemistry is pretty blasphemous. That means your probably doing chemistry and DON'T realize it.
I love your comment, thanks man for this uplifting message👍🌞
@@stormj8947 you're welcome man. keep flying!
Very well said. Brilliant
Your comment is such an inspiration ❤
If you used Elementary Principles of Chemical Processes by Felder and Rousseau as one of your Text Books, Chapter One "What Chemical Engineers Sometimes Do for a Living" would have answered your questions regarding what ChemE do. I have been working as a Chemical Engineer for 32 years. I wouldn't change a thing about my career.
Would say the same.
regarding ''not having chemistry'' in the syllabus, I think it really depends on where you are studying, in my case, half my syllabus is termodynamics, 1/3 is about chemical industry related stuff and just the first 2 years are made to get a strong sense of maths, physics and more base stuff; so yeah, I am glad as I love termodynamics and chem, guess you should just look closely at your syllabus before starting and that'd be it c:
Sounds like my dream job. Math and physics is something I enjoy, as well as chemistry AND I get to be somewhat antisocial?!? TAKE ME
Lol so relatable. I love math physics and chemistry and I can't really call myself a social person. That's why I chose ChemE
Can't see myself as a doctor, lawyer, sales person or basically anything to do with people ugh. Take me to the secluded area BABY!!!!!😁😁😁❤
@@karengeri8280 exactly! I've always been interested in mining/ oil and gas. Looks like a great job
@@karengeri8280 there basically no chemistry and so far the maths and physics have been really boring. I’m a second year Chem eng student and it’s a lot of fluid and pipes. If you find that interesting then sure go for it but if not them maybe consider another engineering
Same I just stay in the hse all day right now
@@davinbacheta wait till u get to third grade and do chemical reaction or to fourth and do process control, u will see sparks where theres non
not to demoralize you,
they r actually fun if u understand rather than memorize
Nice video! I am currently in the final design of my degree (producing sweet gas from sour gas) and sometimes I do question myself on why I chose this degree. But through this degree I have found passion especially in renewable energy and the environmental sector. Hopefully I can get into a graduate programme next year and start adulting
Awesome, glad you were able to find your passion! Do you have any tips for someone looking to find their passion ?
@@AlsworthTV Hmm Passion. For me, I question myself : What do I want to do with my life, why? How will it benefit me overall as a person. I don't stop questioning coz the phase in life that I'm in right now isn't at steady state (lol ChemEng joke for you)
Not funny.
Laying out a plan(something I haven't actually done yet) is also a good step in visualizing where you want to be and how you can connect your interests to your goals and developing pathways to achieving those goals.
Personally I want to make a positive difference in the world (you know us generation Z folks ain't satisfied with anything else XD) Religion here is a key factor for me as it shapes how I perceive my goals and accomplishments in a positive light no matter how big or small the difference I make in this world.
Although a job takes up a lot of time in our lives and if you're doing your passion at work then great, but finding passion elsewhere is also key- in my case I want to take part in motorcycle racing and that's something that I really look forward to in the future.
Finding passion is not the easiest thing in the world but nevertheless, everyone has a passion for something. All we need to do is a lil introspection and know ourselves better and see what means we have that will contribute to our passion. I pray to God that I be granted a life where I can fullfil my passions.
I will say this though. Depending on your paradigm of life, passion isn't necessarily the most important thing in the world- countless people are satisfied with themselves and the lives they lead even though they are not experiencing their passions on a day to day basis. There are many things to do in the world just don't be a sloth and grab any opportunities that will take you out of your comfort zone. Opportunities always come (this is a reminder for myself firstly) so realize when they appear and dont hesitate.
Ah Chem eng. What a roller coaster.
@@baneoffsight4871 Bro, this was so well written 😭 this comment deserves a Nobel Peace Prize. Thank you so much for sharing this!!! I hope you're able to take part in the motorcycle racing in the future, and I'll be looking forward to a future update regarding that. But yeah, ChemEng has def been a roller coaster ride that's forsure
@@AlsworthTV Ah you're too kind ❤️
@@baneoffsight4871 I want to make that positive difference to the world too, another Gen Z talking😊. I am dreaming about stopping climate change since I'm 11 or something but also have no idea how to do that. Now I'm considering ChemE just because of that reason cause I've heard people with major ChemE degree can do environmental consulting, make projects declining Co2 emissions etc. So what do you think about that idea? Should I study ChemE, ıs there any other options you know to achieve my life goal?
I’m currently a third year chemical engineering student at Wits in South Africa. I don’t think you realise how tough it is unless you are in it. But always try stay positive and chemical engineering has many aspects to it. With an engineering degree you can honestly work anywhere. I know chemical engineers working at accounting firms with a chemical engineering degree because they like the way we think.
I am at wits enrolled for chemical engineering as well this is my first year and i just realised i don't know much about the course. could you please email me and tell me more about studying chemical engineering at wits
@@gugulethu4188 my name is Dimakatso Seshibedi I am also doing the degree I am in first year. Could you please link up with, been looking for other Chem E students
@@gugulethu4188 at WITS by the way
A chemical engineering can work in petrochemical, offshore, research, plant or refineries, aviation officer responsible for fueling aircraft, management, gas based company and many. There are many options for chemical but we must be passionate about it
I agree, there are a lot of different options out there for Chemical engineers!
I am currently in college for chemical engineering! It’s great reading these so I can prep for my future too. Thanks for the video!
No problem, glad it's helping!
I am a senior chemical engineering undergraduate. I can relate to most things in this video and in retrospect wish I would’ve known more about CHME before diving in. I have had manufacturing experience that exposed me to electrical engineering / programming work and am now pursuing a masters degree in computer science because I enjoyed it so much.
Chemical Engineer here, graduated in 2015. One thing I would say is the job market for a new grad ChemE is tough considering the dismal state of oil and gas, the green jobs haven't come close to replacing what has been lost. I was eventually able to find a job and have been working since then as a ChemE, but if I want to work for another company I need to be prepared to move to another state to do so as there just aren't many job opportunities where I'm located. When you're young and without family commitments/complications this is no problem, when you've lived life a little it becomes much more difficult. Not saying you shouldn't do Chemical Engineering, but just be aware it is much more niche than other disciplines and you may need to make more sacrifices than others if you want to progress your career.
Very good suggestion!! Unfortunately chemical engineering jobs are very much location based and its economy dependent field. When I started my graduate school in Alberta there were plenty of opportunities, but just after a year, a massive oil downturn came and more than 100,000 workers were laid off. Wish I had sticked to electrical engineering and not followed my passion . I recently moved to Texas and all I see is people getting laid off from process industries.
@@adele_90 sad reality of the field. The larger fields are probably the way to go. ChemE just doesnt jave the jobs to support the number of people with degrees.
me, a second year barely getting into the engineering classes, watching this: 👁👄👁
bruh frfr
Same here man
sameeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Bro, I have it worst than you. I am a fresh graduate now looking at this. I was so focused on completing my degree without knowing what the future job looks like.😅
I am a international student recently graduate in Arizona State University as BSE Chemical Engineering and just got admission in Johns Hopkins University as Master of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. If I knew all the jobs in U.S. as chemical engineer hard require citizenship, I will never step in this major. Watching most of my classmates and best friends got offer from those reputational companies but I got only interview invitations for salesman or manufacturing line worker with only high school diploma required is frustrating. Even if any of those companies opened their eyes and have my resume looked, their first question is always "Are you a US Citizen?". I am tired to pretend to be optimistic and now I just trolled no longer response to those online chats starts with citizenship questions.
@ Did u get job
Im a current junior in chemE and it’s quite a rigorous major with a lot of course load but some of the aspects of it are interesting such as organic chemistry. Hoping to get a job in the pharmacy industry in the future. Anyways, nice video!
I appreciate it! Thanks for watching 🙌🏾
I'm a senior biochemistry and biotechnology student, currently doing undergraduate research for a University's Chemical Engineering department that involves coding. Don't be discouraged kids, a lot of these tools and majors are intermingled!
Thank you so much for your video. I am 26 years old, Italian girl, graduated in Master of science chemical engineer last year and I've been working as a junior process engineer since then. I totally agree with everything in your video, for example the small market jobs point: I work far from my family and friends in a city that I don't like and there is zero offer in my area, so almost no hope to get back home. When I chose this path I thought the demand was high, but the truth is it is an old field, industry is mostly based on oil and old style chemical plants. But the world is changing fast, that's why I agree with you also on the computer science point: I regret losing all that time studying, not learning enough about computer science. I think you can't have a complete role in scientific jobs, and also society in general, without knowing computers, the base and the foundation of everything nowadays. That's why I'm thinking that maybe it could be a good idea to start studying informatics as an online degree. I am going through a crisis period, doubting everything about my studyings. It very comforting to find someone that has a similar experience like mine, so thank you again. During university years I had an exchange experience of six months in Norway. The feeling is that there the engineering industry is like an alien world. They recognize the value of your knowledge and at the same time you have the possibility to learn other stuff while working and improve yourself, as they give big value to freetime and mental health. I hope I will manage to find a job there sooner or later, though Norwegian language is required and not so easy to learn. Thank you again, I'd be happy to discuss about these topics with anyone that's in the same position like me.
Thank you so much for sharing your story!! I wish you the best of luck, it's never too late to switch to a different field as long as it's something you would enjoy and see yourself in :)
@ciao1234ist i am also a 3rd year chemical engineer and need some advice as i am unclear about what to do after graduation, can we connect on any platform?
I’m studying chemical engineering at University of Cincinnati! I like chemistry and lab work but I also like math a lot too. I’ve actually helped developed a program for ChemEs to enter the cosmetic science masters program here! You can do it as a chemistry major but I felt as thought the engineering degree would have more of an edge. I couldn’t see myself doing another major unless it was strictly cosmetic science as that’s what I’m passionate about, but I can meet the needs of a cosmetic scientist as a ChemE plus more. There are so many fields ChemE’s can go into I feel like, pharmaceutical, process engineering, environmental, oils, refineries, cosmetics, research. I do wish I knew more about Chemical Engineering as well, it’s been really tough but if I wasn’t doing this I don’t think I would’ve gone to college at all for any other major. Chemistry seemed to mundane for me (no offense) and not as many job opportunities as a ChemE, I like all the chemistry + math
Wow, I go to Univ of Cincinnati too! Thanks for sharing 🙌🏾
1st year ChemE student. I went into it because I wanted to work in cosmetics too. Unfortunately there are no cosmetic programmes or schools in my country but this was the closest I could get to cosmetics besides being a chemistry major. Chemistry is not my cup of tea. I don't like engineering too but being able to hopefully work with cosmetics one day keeps me motivated
I also want to do chemEng to work in the cosmetics industry
Upcoming Chemical Engineer here!!!
I wish i knew much about this branch,
i thought it'll be fun as that in high school .
I'm 4th year Chemical Engineering Student, and I tell you this guy is true and I don't regret doing it. This is a good choice for me.
Hi! I'm a third year chemical engineer student and I'm currently doing my master in materials sciences and molecular systems. I have very broad interests so the mix of physics, math and chemistry is really nice. In the future I want to work on new nano/biochemical/biodegradable materials. You underestimate the future possibilities! I think chemical engineers are crucial to tackle the problems of climate change regarding energy sources (such as batteries and hydrogen), substituents for plastics (more sustainable etc) and increase efficiency overall by creating new materials.
Thanks for sharing your perspective! I agree, looking back at this video, I did kind of underestimate the different opportunities chemical engineers have
Spot on! Had to laugh, thought I was the only one thinking that. At least it gave me the discipline to study further and hone my problem solving skills.
Hi - I liked your video. I'm a licensed Professional Chemical Engineer (retired). One thing for sure, is that you need to be very good at Calculus in any Chemical Engineering Program. The best thing about getting my degree many years ago, was that I knew I completed a very difficult major and I became very confident in myself to take on other future challenges in my life. I did Chemical Process design (office work) for many years, but with the oil glut in the early 80's, those jobs became scarce. As you said in your video, Chemical Engineers can do a variety of things, and so I had a career path change and became a Director of Public School Facilities and had a very successful 32+ year career. I also agree with you in that other engineering majors such as civil, mechanical and electrical have more job opportunities. Thank you
Interesting… I did process work and rarely needed much of Calculus or at all.
I took chemical engineering because it didn't have as much chemistry
I just love Chemical Engineering
This video was helpful bro
Glad you liked it, thanks for watching bro!
@@AlsworthTV
You are most welcome
Recent chemical engineering graduate here. During my internship, my colleague shared that there are generally 4 types of company that every engineer graduate can work in:
1. End User - The companies with production/refinery plants fall into this category. Their role is to produce product(s) from raw material(s). E.g. Shell Oil and Gas, BASF and etc.
2. Service Provider - These companies provide services in terms of special parts such as pumps, compressors and adsorption towers to the end user to produce the products. E.g. Linde, Emerson Electric and etc.
3. Audit/Consultancy - These companies provide consultancy services to the end user.
4. Academia/Education - These types of companies compromise of universities where research is heavily emphasized.
It's important to know this because the working environment, roles and salaries between each type of company mentioned above are quite different. So, I hope that this advice is helpful to anyone who is reading this and of course, I welcome anyone to correct or add onto this piece of advice. Cheers!
Thank you for sharing this!! 🙌🏾
Your insight is very interesting but may be limited to the USA. In Australia, I feel ChemE have a much larger choice of job application (process engineer, materials engineer for automotive/aviation, a metallurgical engineer electrochemical engineer, plastics engineer, oil and gas and refining, pharmaceuticals, plant operators, biochemical, chemicals manufacturing, and plenty of non-engineering roles, such as banking and computer science). ChemE have the fortunate ability to take on many different types of career paths/jobs due to the problem-solving skills you should develop at university but ultimately ChemEs don't have a small job market. Fundamentally, engineers are here to fix, improve, and design. Yes, automation is becoming bigger but software and computer engineers cannot design a reactor or oil refinery - ChemEs will be a necessity for decades.
Thank you for sharing your perspective!
chemE graduate here, even though the major does not have as much chem as it implies about 30% of my former classmates I know work in a lab so its not really a constrain if you want that kind of jb, everything else was on point!!! (also working in an office has given me a better lifestyle than when i was in a factory)
Environmental Engineer here. I feel like it’s a theme throughout engineering disciplines that people are attracted to it because they are into science, but don’t understand that an engineer is not a scientist.
A chemical engineer is not a chemist, you’re not gonna be wearing a white lab coat looking through microscopes. You’re gonna be in a plant surrounded by pipes. Just like how an Environmental engineer is not an environmental scientist. They are not going to be in nature, studying plants and animals. They’d be in a plant surrounded by pipes.
But instead of oil and gas it’s just poo.
Well said! The expectation vs reality of being an engineer is crazy
On the flip side, don't engineers generally get paid more than scientists in the same field?
@@richardaversa7128 yessir a lot more when they reach around 10 years and are considered seniors
Wait so if an engineer is different from a scientist, what do they do then?
@@snehaaggarwal8872 in as general terms as possible, a scientist discovers information and researches, while an engineer designs things using scientific principles. For example, I work at a land development company. We have geologists (scientists) who sample and analyze soil and rock, and we have geotechnical engineers who design building foundations, partially based on the geologists findings.
Another example, a chemist (scientist) might concoct the perfect formula for a cosmetic serum, while a chemical engineer would be concerned with the production of the serum, producing it efficiently, getting it into tubes etc.
Bro ! So true - I’m a junior in EE and I’m honestly just finding out what Electrical Engineering is ... tbh I could’ve taken an easier path and majored in Management Information System. But I’m glad engineering allows me to try different things like business
Exactly bro! Thanks for sharing that 🙌🏾
Engineering isn’t an easy route, but the opportunity to use your brain creatively, not to mention the financial benefits, are far better than most other professions.
I wish I knew that there are no entry-level chemical engineering jobs in my country and that most chemical engineering graduates are either jobless or doing work completely unrelated. I am an IT intern at a financial business
which country is that
@@updown91 South Africa
@@nsmit907 in Mexico that type of engineer get jobs so fast, seek opportunities, good luck!
Same thing here in Namibia.
@@sofiaadameavila554 Hi how are you
3:25 change your smoke alarm battery lmao
This was a really good video, thanks for making it
Its honestly based on where you are. I was a intern for a startup biotech company in Bay Area for a year, initially i applied as bio student however when they assigned my independent project it was mostly focused on automation. After working there for a year, i decided to change my major to ChemE, they offered me a full time research position once i finish school (in 2 years) and im always welcome to come back every summer.
Im currently a third year student of chemical engineering course and I wish you all can pray the best of luck for me :,)
Working in a secluded area? As long as I have a stable internet connection, I'll be happy.
True, internet could solve some of the boredom problem, but hmm idk about the long run
As an introvert who lived in a small county with poor internet during my college years (while staying in the house most of the time) it still sucks. I had been accustomed to keeping myself occupied and being content with little to entertain myself with. I honestly enjoyed the serenity where I was staying at in college. But after interning at a plant I never felt so miserable.
Perhaps your experience will be different but while I was 1 of 8 interns most of us were not wanting to return simply because of the atmosphere of the immediate area. It wasn't that it was dull but depressing. It really did feel like the people there were trapped there. I would recommend driving by some plant sites to get a feel of things if you ever have time.
1)I think the most important thing to know before going to enginnering college is the lack of intuition. People have this image of an engineer, they think of projects and what not. You have to SLOW DOWN to get things done in university. Rarely do you see the bigger picture and the final product. You may have to learn something in math only to use it a year later. The lesson is THINK SLOW and THINK SMALL. Not in a bad way though. Think patiently, that's it.
2)Just because people study it, doesn't mean that they get it. Engineering is like building a house, You need to have a vision strategy. Every layer in the house may take six months and it is going to have its own details.The final product may take 5 years. Being a big picture engineer is different than a small picture engineer. Every time you hear someone talking about engineering, you need to ask yourself. What is his viewpoint? Are they talking about something specific or something general? Do they think they get the whole picture, when in reality they are just showing off about something that they know?
Superb comment 👌 . I work with a oil and gas conglomerate. I am at 40, I have been given the green light to pursue further education, a Bachelors, and so I am going back to school and my options are Two choices, ChemEng or MechEng. ChemEng is king here MechEng is the jack. This video and your comments are addressing my fears about the study load and responding with great insight and foresight.
Being a big picture engineer with knowing the nitty gritty details 👌.
EPC companies, Big 4 accounting or audit firms, and software development companies like Flite, AspenTech, Applied Flow Technology, and HTRI all offer office-based roles. I work as a process engineer in an EPC environment, and I like my role as a chemical engineer.
One thing I wish I knew before studying chemE is that socialising becomes less. I mean the friends you end up having are the ones you studying with
Hello brother! Good to see you! Chemical engineering here too!
Awesome bro!
Y’all did soap in high school? I only did calculations of concentrations , equilibrium type thing almost everyone quit in 10th grade haha I’m from Portugal 🇵🇹 looking forward to chemical engineering!!
Yeah, we did so much in high school! 😂 And awesome bro, welcome to the chemical engineering family! 🙌🏾
Same man I feel for u😅😅
quando eu comecei a ter química eu achei que a gente ia explodir coisa em laboratório mas qnd eu vi eu tava lá aprendendo a calcular a diferença de potencial numa pilha
I'm a chemical engineering student, almost everything you said is the same I wish I knew before studying chemical engineering.... thanks so much for this video
I appreciate it, thanks for watching!
Enjoyed your video. I laughed out loud when you said, "I wish I had known what chemical engineering was." That was my experience and the experience of most of my classmates. It wasn't until about junior year that we figured it out.
Thanks bro! And exactly, junior is when I started putting things into perspective
Thank you for finally the real useful information rather than just salaries and pay.
I'm chemical engineering student and .. yes I really wanted to know this things before starting studying... but I like it too... I guess I need much more information !!!
I so agree.. i wish i knew its all about plant jobs coz recruiters are reluctant to take up girls as these are mostly shift jobs
I'm a second year ChemE. I also went into chemical engineering thinking that I like chemistry and some engineering. The best thing that happened to me is that during college, I realized I don't like chemistry as much but I love thermodynamics and fluid classes. Just be careful when choosing ChemE, because ChemE is a LOT of PHYSICS.
I agree, if you enjoy the core ChemEng classes that would be a good sign that it's for you
Exactly the same thing happened to me.
chemical engineers can also work in Labs. May be if you focus your area to do research and development activities, you will do cool experiments and stuff. I am working in research university and i am doing lots of experiments.
Thank you for sharing, I will have to consider looking into research then
Hi abel
@@navin454 how are you Naveen
@@abelw.6225 fine wat abut u bro
I also enjoyed chemistry in high school and that also influenced my decision. During uni though, I realized that the chemistry modules were a bit boring for me (that's just a personal opinion) compared to the other modules. The other 99% you're referring to is more math and physics related. Anyways not a day goes by where I wish I studies something else. Luckily If you don't like the plant environment, it's not a problem. There are also many consulting and design companies where you work in an office space.
I have to admit that I did get a tad frustrated and bored during my first two years studying. When I did my internship and saw how real engineers thought and worked, I finally got motivated again. The problem during the course is that ALL engineering disciplines are extremely versatile. It's impossible to teach you everything in 4 years. In uni they try to expose you to many of the fields in chemical engineering. This results in a course where they teach you a little bit of each field, but they cover many fields. Only when you start working you will start specializing.
Well said! I feel like a lot of schools really need to change the chemical engineering curriculum to reflect the current trends of the industry. What do you wish you studied in uni?
I wish we studied a bit more design. A bit less design theory and more practical design methods
@@sleepylad9780 I agree, application is definitely important. A lot of chemE curriculums need to be updated to reflect what's going on today in industry
Great video, I’m currently a senior and I’m applying to be a chemical engineer. If I get in to my dream school I can change it to electrical, environmental, etc. I’m just scared about engineering because I’m not the smartest kid, hopefully I can overcome it
You'll be fine! you don't have to be super smart, just have the discipline to learn/work hard
I'm currently doing my last year in high school and my dream has always been to study Chemical Engineering, I'm definitely applying for it this year.
Careful what you wish for 😂 Chemical engineering is well pure A$$
@@xXxGodFather963 Very accurate with the dollar signs. It’s Hell to get through, but pays hella good too
I graduated from ChemE 9 years ago but in my case, at least 85% of my professors were chemists. It is not the same when you are in a faculty of Chemistry that offers a ChemE degree. But I usually meet other ChemEs that do not know or do not remember about very basic things like soft/hard Lewis acids, good and bad leaving groups, electron-donating groups, nucleophilic substitutions 1 and 2, and that even confuse ether and ester. Little ability to interpret NMR spectra, FTIR spectra, X-ray patterns or mass spectra, which were key for my PhD thesis. In turn, for me pumps and valves are things I just place in a P&ID while being utterly ignorant about how they work.
What university did you graduate from?
This is so helpful! Thank you so much for this video!!
Im only in 7th grade but im planning to take chemical engineering:DDD for the future
Howdy! I am a ChemE , TAMU, Class of 2000. I have worked almost entirely in offices with visits to plants and offshore as needed. I would recommend to keep your vision broad. The industry is in dire need of digitization. One might consider minoring in computer science. I agree that internships are very important. They can inform your career direction and give you a leg up when looking for a job.
Will do! thanks for watching :)
Wow I applied to A&M for chemical engineering, let’s hope I get in!
@@santi100 fingers crossed, Santiago! It’s a great program.
@@SuzanneSwint if you don’t mind me asking what do you do for work with your chemical eng degree
@@santi100 Sure. I am an independent consultant, I have my own little company in the Netherlands. Over the last few years, I have worked mostly in oil and gas production. I have done a lot of different projects in my career, mostly in EPC companies in the design and revamp of refineries and chemical plants. You can have a look at my profile on LinkedIn, Suzanne Klaassen. Please feel free to ask me more questions. May I ask, what has attracted you to the field of Chemical Engineering?
Just go for the CS, if you don’t want to work in a plant environment. I work at a major refinery in Texas as Cheme, there is no work life balance for the job since the plant is 24/7. Of course I am making 140K with pretty good benefits, but the stress and working environment suck. Don’t even mention the layoff. I would choose CS if I get a second chance.
I graduated from ChemE a couple years ago. Although I enjoyed most of the subjects I felt totally identified with you in this video, specially when thinking of having studied software engineering or something related to computers and data, basically because as you said, the ChemE market is very little compared to those.
In my country (Spain) 90% of the job offers for ChemE that you can find are either quality paperwork or as supervisor in chemical operations (leading a team of operators). They are not bad, but I am dissapointed as in most positions you can't apply the physics, maths, and all the technical knowledge you have acquiered during the bachelor's, which where the things that I liked about ChemE.
In my case I have taken a Master in a Chemistry field, to compensate the poor knowledge in chemistry that we have and have more options in R&D positions. Even so, I think the best option to gain access to a bigger job market is to complement ChemE formation with some programming and/or electronics (which we already have basics), as it is a profile very wanted for the industries.
Very well said, thanks for sharing!
A big thing for me that I wasn’t interested in was working at a chemical plant or oil refinery in the middle of nowhere!
Doing some internships before you graduate is a must! Take this advice if you're yet to graduate.
**getting a internship before you graduate is more difficult then physical chemistry imo
The thing is wherever you apply nowadays for a side job or part time job to get experience in the field of chemE the companies demand a lot of experiences even for a part time job, it's really difficult and actually contradictory
Good video!! Should i do one for Electrical engineering🤨
Yeth
Thank you!! And you should 🙌🏾
Yes
Lol, I think the biggest plot twist for all of us is the fact that there is so little chemistry involved. Lmao
Facts bro, the title chemical engineering is low key misleading 😂
@@AlsworthTV is there lots of calculus in chemical engineering sir?
@@mangomanlassi7779 Yeah
Absolutely right, i liked chemistry in school but i do not like it now as much as i used to in school. I knew it before taking chemical branch that there will be more physics and maths and many other subjects more than chemistry. The way teacher teach us in most of the cases it doesn't seem fascinating.
I wish I knew my physics needs to be strong. Dropped out of chem eng back in college and switched to business. 9 years of experience in the finance field and hate it. Good money though!
I was like you. Good in chemistry and math and really enjoyed it. Physics i also liked but did not invest much into it because I thought ChemEng is all about chemistry. Still wouldn't mind going back in time to improve my physics and study ChemEng again. But after your video, I changed my mind.
Currently, I am planning for a degree shift to robotics
Put some new batteries in your smoke detector!!! lmfao
I’m a chemical engineering student at one of the nations top 5 programs. I wish I would have known about the superiority complex from some professors. Makes classes really hard to get through when the only justification for the difficultly of the class is “you’re better than everyone else”
ChemE senior here from a French system university, I wish I knew how much research is needed to look for a job and find opportunities hehe.
Nice honest, straightforward video
Thanks for watching! 🙏🏾
My man. Shit. I totally agree with. I am trying to transition to something else in a more corporate environment even after having graduated 2 years ago
Looking back, what major would you have picked?
@@AlsworthTV computer science by far. you can go to banks , to tech and even if you want so much to go to a plant which I hate you could still go. It is much more applicable and provide flexibility in the choice of work place.
@@leonkarn652 I 110% agree with you
A lot of truth to what you said. I been in the industry nearly 30 years
hi, i’ll be going off to uni in 2025 and well i’m unsure. i want money, or at least i want to be comfortable. i love maths it’s so fun and im great at it. i currently study chemistry, physics, maths and further maths and am considering a chemE degree. i don’t want to let go of the maths part of my life though. also, id say the environmental part of chemistry is the part which appeals least to me. i was just wondering if a chemE degree is still worth it? can i still get money outside of the environmental side of chemistry with a chemE degree? it’s ok if you’re not sure i just really don’t want to make a wrong decision (maths or chemE or something related).
@@AyoOgunyoyebro got ignored
@@БогданЧумак-ю6ф 🥲
First year ChemE here, graduated already from Biochemistry
How are you finding it? :)
@@nidah8806 hectic honestly the pandemic ruined the semester for me, I didn’t perform aswell as I should/would have if we had contact classes but all in all I enjoy the work
Did you get a lot of credit transfer? I studied accounting before but they only accepted 21 from my transcripts
Not the smoke alarm beeep😭💀
that is so awesosme, i'm chemical engineer, and i really think that this field is between the mot important and the hardest engineering fields cause it contain every thinng so huge, i'm now studying for my second engineering degree in computer science, so my goal is to can apply data science and machine learning combined with chemical engineering (on some fields like energy, envirement , oil or pharma fileds too but the most important issue is the energy one in the world and the sources of energy ..) so i hope you will do a video like that about this matter (technology & chem engeneering ), i really want to hear some ideas and iam still searching about that more ... any help?
I am an industrial engineer in chemistry and found good job.
However, after graduating and searching for a job I soon realized Electromechanical Engineers are more wanted.
For example when a chemical company wants a process Engineer they are likely going to ask an Electromechanical Engineer for this, and not a Chemical Engineer. Even though it still is a company that produces chemicals ....
Some great points in the video Alsworth, good job!👍
Also, when is the next video?
I’ve been practicing as a Chem Engineer for four years now. I wish i knew how small the job market was, I’m currently in the process of finishing my Computer Science degree.
Yeah, some countries have a higher job market than others for ChemE’s. What country are you in ?
I’m 17 right now and I’m looking to go for chemical engineering hopefully in 2 years!
Many good points, especially the part about plants being in the middle of nowhere! However as someone with both degrees I dispute the concept that Chemical Engineering does not contain much Chemistry. ChE's still have to take basic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, P-Chem. They miss out on things like Analytical Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, and Biochem, but sometimes have to take those for various grad level classes. Also some courses build upon existing Chemistry foundations, such as Reaction Engineering/Kinetics. Overall I found Chemical Engineering to be built upon a foundation of 3rd year Chemistry and extending into Fluids and Thermodynamics. By no means is Chemical Engineering a physics degree as it is one of the least math intensive Engineering degrees.
I am looking to start chemical engineering in the spring not only for money but because I am passionate about making resources work. Like re use things make something out of something that seems un-usable and things like that. I also would like to expand my mind and knowledge and I love a challenge and it’s go to be even better for me because I would love to see myself build something that could help the world.
Awesome! I wish you the best of luck this spring
Thank you for this video👏🏼
Can you give us an update of your currrent situation did u get a job? Do u like it? I have a chem eng Job that i quite enjoy so i couldnt relate to what u were saying. I could never find myself doing software engineering omg its soo boring i dont care if i got to make double. Like learning sql databases, decrypting and codex… fuck no
My grandson is a Bearcat Chem E. He had two manufacturing internships he did not love. This last semester he got into real Research and Development with a Cincinnati company. He was very happy with his experience and will return next summer.
Chemical engineer here, the only regret i have is completely devoting my life for good grades. Wish i had been fine with getting okay grades while still pursuing my hobbies
amen. I'm 19 atm, soon to be 20 and just realized I threw away my school years studying 24/7 and not learning any life skills. Glad I realised now though xD Gotta thank youtube and reddit for that lol. Side hustles, and hobbies are just as important and should always be prioritised as much as studies.
I wish I knew how difficult it was, because now I am unsure whether I would be able to complete my degree
actually comments felt like wiki. I learned alot through comments. I actually thought of taking chem engineering but i think i am gonna change it
Glad it helped!
I'm a fourth year chemical engineer, and I knew within about a year of studying it that I hated it. I have next to no passion for it, no interest, no willingness to read more. I chose it based on the fact that I liked maths and chemistry, which is about 2% (chemistry, that is) of the course lol. Probably the biggest mistake ever, but thankfully a lot of our big process design projects are in groups, so I've got good at doing certain things like Energy Balance, and my final year research project only applies a few mass transfer ideas, but is mostly something that anyone working in maths/science could do. Thankfully I'm almost done, 1 month to go, and I don't think there is even a 5% chance I will actually go into the industry.
Bottom line to anyone who is 16/17: Read up about what you choose to study, especially chemical engineering, as you without doubt need a passion for the subject, otherwise you could get caught out pretty quick!!!
What else can I do though I picked Further Maths Maths and Chemistry
@@kSubscribersWithVideo-qw9ir lol you can do literally so many things with those A levels, just because you do chemistry doesn't mean you have to do either chemistry or chem eng
@@jamesdale9253 what else can you help me out i literally dont knkw anything else
Do you go to UC? If so are you apart of the chemical engineering club there and do you know the best way to find out about upcoming meetings? I’m a first year there so I would really like to know.
I agree with some concepts you talked about, but I think that, as far as fields involved in chemical engineering, there are many differences caused by the country you live in. I'm italian and we don't have many plants, actually we have many chemical industries that treat fine chemicals... Not to mention the "green engineering"
How are the job opportunities there?
i know chemical engineerings working in the cosmetic industry, biochemistry and even medicine! chemEs are truly needed anywhere, the limit is where you want to put it
this video helped me alot, thank you so much!
No problem! thanks for watching
This is actually every anti social’s dream. And of course, one of them is me.
Jokes aside, I am relieved that there’s barely Chemistry in there. I mean, I understand Chemistry but I just don’t feel the “chemistry” with the subject. Currently, I’m enjoying Physics and Math so I’m glad I chose ChemE as my first choice.
This video was _so_ helpful. Being a sophomore in high school, choosing a career feels like shots in the dark. I'm mainly looking Chemical Engineering so that I can work in pharmaceutical/biomedical, though I don't mind going into semiconductors, I just don't want to work at a plant. (Middle of nowhere! Yikes!) If I take this major, is it still likely to be working at a pharmaceutical/biomedical place (lab? office? what are they??) fresh out of college? Are there any factors that determine whether you'll get there or not?
Thank you so much for making this video! I am grateful for your wisdom.
I'm glad it helped! I totally agree with you, choosing the right major is super difficult coming out of high school. Yes, it is possible to work for a pharma/biomedical company as a fresh grad; I think the easiest route to get into that would be do internships in those industries while in college to get experience in those fields, and those internships could potentially turn into full time positions once you graduate
@@AlsworthTV I see. Thank you!
Graduated Masters last year and will be working for a semiconductor manufacturer, i also agree with comments that field of work is way more important than choosing a major!
Something I wish I knew was how low the demand was for ChemEs in my area.
Its hugely dependent in which area/state you live in. If you live in houston, texas it will be much easier to get a job/have higher demand than being in some remote university in nevada.
Texas Florida Louisiana top 3 in US **
I love ur videos!!! So informative and inspiring!
Thanks, I appreciate it!
I think that now is the best time for chemical engineering bcoz of all the climate change, new battery technology, carbon reduction and the transition from fossil fuel to clean energy
Environmental engineering is for that?
@@evasaccount2209 yeah but environmental engineering is like a branch of chemical engineering
Great video man.
Keep going
I appreciate it! Thanks bro 🤞🏾
Hi AlsworthTV, I enjoyed watching this video, as a Chemical Engineer myself, with exposure to several fields of this discipline. I agree with most of your sentiments; however, considering the skills and abilities forged by Chemical Engineering:
Don't you think we need a lot of Chemical Engineers in developing economies like Africa?
Yeah, most definitely
I am 12 class pass out from India. I love physics and I wanted to pursue chemical engineering because it's a broad field and also I am not interested in coding stuff so I don't want to take software.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing 🙌🏾