The skills required for a career as a chemical engineer can be fine-tuned as early as high school. Some people know what kind of career path they want to pursue from an early age, and a small percentage of those people actually follow through on their dreams. It’s worth looking into what kind of chemical engineering skills and classes are available in high school. Math, chemistry, physics, computer science, and biology courses, for example, will always be useful.
A college education is the next step on the road to becoming a chemical engineer. Most employers require at least a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. It is not uncommon for an employer to require a master’s degree or even a doctorate degree in order to hire someone in chemical engineering, especially if the position involves research or teaching at the university level.
It is best to look for a chemical engineering program that has been approved and accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers when choosing a program. Graduate programs are much longer than undergraduate programs, which can last four to five years. A master’s degree takes two years to complete, whereas a doctorate degree takes four to six years to complete.
Other skills, in addition to many years of formal education, are important for finding work as a chemical engineer. Some personal characteristics, for example, are beneficial to a successful career. Honesty, objectivity, accuracy, and perseverance are among them. It’s also beneficial to have a curious mind, as well as to be creative and open-minded. Finally, a candidate for a position as a chemical engineer must be able to solve complex problems.
Leadership skills, the ability to work well with others, and the ability to collaborate with people from different disciplines are all useful in chemical engineering. Being able to communicate with people from various backgrounds and those who speak a foreign language as their primary language is beneficial. For some chemical engineers, the inability to communicate effectively could be fatal.
Other skills may be useful depending on where you want to work as a chemical engineer. Travel to plants across the country or abroad, for example, may be required. As a result, the engineer must be at ease traveling to new locations. Some chemical engineers work with toxic chemicals, so they must be familiar with the rules and regulations that apply to those chemicals. In the event of a chemical spill or other emergency, they must also be able to work quickly and steadily.