[Ninjin]

Hey mates, so i'm a student and not officially a degree  chemist/engineer/etc.


I have always held an interest in chemistry, but am equally fascinated with industry and engineering; Naturally, I thought chemical engineering would be the best route for me to pursue in the context of studies at a uni.


I am wrapping up my basic engineering courses and the time for me to decide which path I want to take as an engineer is near. I have, however, been hearing that jobs for Chem Es are far and few between in the US. Ironically, they are also the highest salary engineers, as a majority of them work for the oil companies. What is your guys' opinions on this matter? Have any of you had difficulties in landing a job in the chem E field relative to other engineers?


Im really asking more out of curiosity than advice, as I know either way, if you are intelligent and motivated enough, you can land a job in any engineering field (we're talking engineering here, not lib arts)


but the news was a bit shocking to me;

[Woopy]

Yes, chemical engineering is expected to have less job growth than other disciplines of engineering. You are also more geographically limited than other disciplines, since you need to work in an area that has oil or natural gas for processing (if you work in oil). Other disciplines don't have this restriction, buildings are needed everywhere for civil engineers to design.

http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes172041.htm

[eazye1334]

You are also more geographically limited than other disciplines, since you need to work in an area that has oil or natural gas for processing (if you work in oil).

http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes172041.htm

Quite wrong, and the link you provided actually shows that. ChE's do not have to work in oil or natural gas fields. I've personally never been near them and know plenty of other grads who haven't gone that route either. There are numerous fields you can get into, especially if you enjoy production/manufacturing/processing.

The biggest problem you'll face is making people understand you're not a chemist. You will have more chemical knowledge than most, as most are scared of it, but what you do does not have to be chemically related. Fluid flow, heat exchanger design, plant design, evaporators, etc., are all things I have done or know a ChE who is currently doing. Don't shortchange yourself; you'll be trained as a process engineer, and there's a whole lot more you can do than work in an oil field.

[curiouscat]

You are also more geographically limited than other disciplines, since you need to work in an area that has oil or natural gas for processing (if you work in oil).

http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes172041.htm

Quite wrong, and the link you provided actually shows that. ChE's do not have to work in oil or natural gas fields. I've personally never been near them and know plenty of other grads who haven't gone that route either. There are numerous fields you can get into, especially if you enjoy production/manufacturing/processing.

The biggest problem you'll face is making people understand you're not a chemist. You will have more chemical knowledge than most, as most are scared of it, but what you do does not have to be chemically related. Fluid flow, heat exchanger design, plant design, evaporators, etc., are all things I have done or know a ChE who is currently doing. Don't shortchange yourself; you'll be trained as a process engineer, and there's a whole lot more you can do than work in an oil field.

+1

Foods, beverages, semiconductors, fermentation, pharma, plastics, catalysis, biomass processing. There's many many non oil & gas jobs that hire a bunch of chemical engineers.