Chemical Engineering Applicants - 2017 Entry
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Original post by richardhello
Stop with the negativity lol. From most decent unis the chem eng graduate employment rate 6 months after graduation is between 85-90%, and the average salary is between £25,000 to £30,000 (that's the starting salary)
For any other degree except perhaps medicine, those employment rates and salaries are very hard to come by.
You guys either have too high expectations, or just don't search hard enough for a job.
For any other degree except perhaps medicine, those employment rates and salaries are very hard to come by.
You guys either have too high expectations, or just don't search hard enough for a job.
Are you a graduate chem engineer?
Original post by jneill
Are you a graduate chem engineer?
nein, but I have done my research although I am aware some stats-twisting goes on by unis, the independent stats pages show these stats.
Original post by Makadia
Cheers for spending time writing this 
One thing that Sean mentions is that about 50% of Chemical Engineering graduates actually get jobs as an Engineer. What about the other 50%? Do they still go on to get decent jobs and where? Unistats etc. still show a high percentage of graduates in employment 6 months after course. So to what extent is this true: is it a case of Unis skewing the data, or do ChemEng graduates still get good jobs just not neccessarily in engineering.
Is the '50%' a glass half empty or a glass half full?
Course enjoyment is obviously the most important thing, but graduate prospects are important to me.
Thanks anything you know will help
One thing that Sean mentions is that about 50% of Chemical Engineering graduates actually get jobs as an Engineer. What about the other 50%? Do they still go on to get decent jobs and where? Unistats etc. still show a high percentage of graduates in employment 6 months after course. So to what extent is this true: is it a case of Unis skewing the data, or do ChemEng graduates still get good jobs just not neccessarily in engineering.
Is the '50%' a glass half empty or a glass half full?
Course enjoyment is obviously the most important thing, but graduate prospects are important to me.
Thanks
anything you know will helpNot sure what you mean by 'good jobs'.
Remember
(1) - the stats are several years old already
(2) - the number of chemical engineers graduating then was half what it is now and about a 1/5th of what it'll be when you guys graduate (3) - the number of replies to the surveys is anything around 40-70% of the total graduating class. I'm no psychologist but I would bet you'd feel more inclined to reply to a survey if it helped you gain good employment, than if you were working in a bar.
(4) - Oil & gas sector workers skewed statistics, and now that industry has collapsed there are even fewer jobs. I'm interviewing for a job at the minute with a £23k salary at the minute, and even that wanted 1 year of experience.
Another point is that up until this year, very few universities outside the Russell Group even offered ChemEng, so the stats are always going to look better than the other engineering disciplines, which are more widely offered.
Original post by richardhello
Stop with the negativity lol. From most decent unis the chem eng graduate employment rate 6 months after graduation is between 85-90%, and the average salary is between £25,000 to £30,000 (that's the starting salary)
For any other degree except perhaps medicine, those employment rates and salaries are very hard to come by.
You guys either have too high expectations, or just don't search hard enough for a job.
For any other degree except perhaps medicine, those employment rates and salaries are very hard to come by.
You guys either have too high expectations, or just don't search hard enough for a job.
Sorry, do you have a ChemEng degree, or are you currently looking for work?
Take it from me, take a look at the articles, have a look on reddit/Sean Moran's posts and see the number of disenchanted graduates there are. ChemEng recruitment this year is at an all-time low, class sizes have grown way beyond what schools can handle, and the oil industry collapsing has all led to it being really tough times.
Original post by ChemEngGrad
Not sure what you mean by 'good jobs'.
Remember
(1) - the stats are several years old already
(2) - the number of chemical engineers graduating then was half what it is now and about a 1/5th of what it'll be when you guys graduate (3) - the number of replies to the surveys is anything around 40-70% of the total graduating class. I'm no psychologist but I would bet you'd feel more inclined to reply to a survey if it helped you gain good employment, than if you were working in a bar.
(4) - Oil & gas sector workers skewed statistics, and now that industry has collapsed there are even fewer jobs. I'm interviewing for a job at the minute with a £23k salary at the minute, and even that wanted 1 year of experience.
Another point is that up until this year, very few universities outside the Russell Group even offered ChemEng, so the stats are always going to look better than the other engineering disciplines, which are more widely offered.
Sorry, do you have a ChemEng degree, or are you currently looking for work?
Take it from me, take a look at the articles, have a look on reddit/Sean Moran's posts and see the number of disenchanted graduates there are. ChemEng recruitment this year is at an all-time low, class sizes have grown way beyond what schools can handle, and the oil industry collapsing has all led to it being really tough times.
Remember
(1) - the stats are several years old already
(2) - the number of chemical engineers graduating then was half what it is now and about a 1/5th of what it'll be when you guys graduate (3) - the number of replies to the surveys is anything around 40-70% of the total graduating class. I'm no psychologist but I would bet you'd feel more inclined to reply to a survey if it helped you gain good employment, than if you were working in a bar.
(4) - Oil & gas sector workers skewed statistics, and now that industry has collapsed there are even fewer jobs. I'm interviewing for a job at the minute with a £23k salary at the minute, and even that wanted 1 year of experience.
Another point is that up until this year, very few universities outside the Russell Group even offered ChemEng, so the stats are always going to look better than the other engineering disciplines, which are more widely offered.
Sorry, do you have a ChemEng degree, or are you currently looking for work?
Take it from me, take a look at the articles, have a look on reddit/Sean Moran's posts and see the number of disenchanted graduates there are. ChemEng recruitment this year is at an all-time low, class sizes have grown way beyond what schools can handle, and the oil industry collapsing has all led to it being really tough times.
so 2014 stats are completely unrelated? news to me. O&G industry will pick back up by the time anyone applying in 2017 has started- also with a 1st/2.1 from a top (top top) uni in chem eng there isn't much you can't do.
Original post by richardhello
nein, but I have done my research although I am aware some stats-twisting goes on by unis, the independent stats pages show these stats.
So when actual engineering grads give advice it's probably worth listening.
Original post by ChemEngGrad
Not sure what you mean by 'good jobs'.
Remember
(1) - the stats are several years old already
(2) - the number of chemical engineers graduating then was half what it is now and about a 1/5th of what it'll be when you guys graduate (3) - the number of replies to the surveys is anything around 40-70% of the total graduating class. I'm no psychologist but I would bet you'd feel more inclined to reply to a survey if it helped you gain good employment, than if you were working in a bar.
(4) - Oil & gas sector workers skewed statistics, and now that industry has collapsed there are even fewer jobs. I'm interviewing for a job at the minute with a £23k salary at the minute, and even that wanted 1 year of experience.
Another point is that up until this year, very few universities outside the Russell Group even offered ChemEng, so the stats are always going to look better than the other engineering disciplines, which are more widely offered.
Sorry, do you have a ChemEng degree, or are you currently looking for work?
Take it from me, take a look at the articles, have a look on reddit/Sean Moran's posts and see the number of disenchanted graduates there are. ChemEng recruitment this year is at an all-time low, class sizes have grown way beyond what schools can handle, and the oil industry collapsing has all led to it being really tough times.
Remember
(1) - the stats are several years old already
(2) - the number of chemical engineers graduating then was half what it is now and about a 1/5th of what it'll be when you guys graduate (3) - the number of replies to the surveys is anything around 40-70% of the total graduating class. I'm no psychologist but I would bet you'd feel more inclined to reply to a survey if it helped you gain good employment, than if you were working in a bar.
(4) - Oil & gas sector workers skewed statistics, and now that industry has collapsed there are even fewer jobs. I'm interviewing for a job at the minute with a £23k salary at the minute, and even that wanted 1 year of experience.
Another point is that up until this year, very few universities outside the Russell Group even offered ChemEng, so the stats are always going to look better than the other engineering disciplines, which are more widely offered.
Sorry, do you have a ChemEng degree, or are you currently looking for work?
Take it from me, take a look at the articles, have a look on reddit/Sean Moran's posts and see the number of disenchanted graduates there are. ChemEng recruitment this year is at an all-time low, class sizes have grown way beyond what schools can handle, and the oil industry collapsing has all led to it being really tough times.
Cheers again for the info
I probably can't explain what I'm thinking correctly. But anyway, what I meant by a 'Good Job' is simply that. A job (not necessarily in engineering) that has good future prospects and will take me somewhere, a decent salary (not that I'm saying salary is what defines a good job- enjoyment is much more important), and a job that requires the professional transferable skills I would have gained at Uni.
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Original post by richardhello
so 2014 stats are completely unrelated? news to me. O&G industry will pick back up by the time anyone applying in 2017 has started- also with a 1st/2.1 from a top (top top) uni in chem eng there isn't much you can't do.
You didn't note my comments re: the stats, I'm not suggesting they are unrelated, I'm suggesting they aren't relevant now, and are meaningless for people graduating in 5/6 years time. O&G may pick up, but I doubt this will impact the UK greatly as the UKCS won't ever be profitable again, and I think the vast majority of the work will be in decommissioning. (Tagged Smack as he may have a different view on this)
I agree with you, yes a 1st/2.1 at a top top uni (I noticed you're aspiring for Cambridge), will get you a decent job. But, not everybody will/can go to a top top uni. Also, I think the argument can't be attributed to ChemEng specifically. If you're at Oxbridge/Imperial, you're employable because of the name of university, not the course you studied.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by ChemEngGrad
You didn't note my comments re: the stats, I'm not suggesting they are unrelated, I'm suggesting they aren't relevant now, and are meaningless for people graduating in 5/6 years time. O&G may pick up, but I doubt this will impact the UK greatly as the UKCS won't ever be profitable again, and I think the vast majority of the work will be in decommissioning. (Tagged Smack as he may have a different view on this)
I agree with you, yes a 1st/2.1 at a top top uni (I noticed you're aspiring for Cambridge), will get you a decent job. But, not everybody will/can go to a top top uni. Also, I think the argument can't be attributed to ChemEng specifically. If you're at Oxbridge/Imperial, you're employable because of the name of university, not the course you studied.
I agree with you, yes a 1st/2.1 at a top top uni (I noticed you're aspiring for Cambridge), will get you a decent job. But, not everybody will/can go to a top top uni. Also, I think the argument can't be attributed to ChemEng specifically. If you're at Oxbridge/Imperial, you're employable because of the name of university, not the course you studied.
Assuming that I do apply to ChemEng, I'd apply for MEng with a year industry at Bath, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle and maybe Leeds for 5th choice.
Do you know what the industrial links and prospects are like at these Unis from your own experience??
And feeding on something I had mentioned earlier, if I don't get at job in engineering... will I still be able to get a 'Good job' assuming I have 2.1 or 1st class degree.
(Hopefully I have defined what I mean by a 'Good job in my previous post)
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Original post by Makadia
Assuming that I do apply to ChemEng, I'd apply for MEng with a year industry at Bath, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle and maybe Leeds for 5th choice.
Do you know what the industrial links and prospects are like at these Unis from your own experience??
And feeding on something I had mentioned earlier, if I don't get at job in engineering... will I still be able to get a 'Good job' assuming I have 2.1 or 1st class degree.
(Hopefully I have defined what I mean by a 'Good job in my previous post)
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Do you know what the industrial links and prospects are like at these Unis from your own experience??
And feeding on something I had mentioned earlier, if I don't get at job in engineering... will I still be able to get a 'Good job' assuming I have 2.1 or 1st class degree.
(Hopefully I have defined what I mean by a 'Good job in my previous post)
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Yep i would recommend a year in industry, they are competitive to get though. A graduate from manchester on this thread suggested manchester had good industry links, i know the vast majority of bath students are guaranteed a placement so would really recommend there.
Whether you get a good job or not completely depends on you, and is nothing to do with studying ChemEng. If you go to university, study chemeng, don't do any internships, don't join any societies and just study, you're not going to get anything. If you do well at university, play elite level sport, intern at huge companies, then you will, and this goes for the same for any subject you study. I'm not saying ChemEng doesn't look good on a cv, i'm just saying it doesn't suddenly give you any more employability, you have to create your own employability.
Original post by Makadia
Assuming that I do apply to ChemEng, I'd apply for MEng with a year industry at Bath, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle and maybe Leeds for 5th choice.
Do you know what the industrial links and prospects are like at these Unis from your own experience??
And feeding on something I had mentioned earlier, if I don't get at job in engineering... will I still be able to get a 'Good job' assuming I have 2.1 or 1st class degree.
(Hopefully I have defined what I mean by a 'Good job in my previous post)
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Do you know what the industrial links and prospects are like at these Unis from your own experience??
And feeding on something I had mentioned earlier, if I don't get at job in engineering... will I still be able to get a 'Good job' assuming I have 2.1 or 1st class degree.
(Hopefully I have defined what I mean by a 'Good job in my previous post)
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I know Bath have excellent links to industry, Manchester and Birmingham have decent links too, not sure about the others. You could move into the finance sector, pharmaceuticals, food and drink, etc. There are lots of things you could do with an (chemical) engineering degree.
Original post by ChemEngGrad
Yep i would recommend a year in industry, they are competitive to get though. A graduate from manchester on this thread suggested manchester had good industry links, i know the vast majority of bath students are guaranteed a placement so would really recommend there.
Whether you get a good job or not completely depends on you, and is nothing to do with studying ChemEng. If you go to university, study chemeng, don't do any internships, don't join any societies and just study, you're not going to get anything. If you do well at university, play elite level sport, intern at huge companies, then you will, and this goes for the same for any subject you study. I'm not saying ChemEng doesn't look good on a cv, i'm just saying it doesn't suddenly give you any more employability, you have to create your own employability.
Whether you get a good job or not completely depends on you, and is nothing to do with studying ChemEng. If you go to university, study chemeng, don't do any internships, don't join any societies and just study, you're not going to get anything. If you do well at university, play elite level sport, intern at huge companies, then you will, and this goes for the same for any subject you study. I'm not saying ChemEng doesn't look good on a cv, i'm just saying it doesn't suddenly give you any more employability, you have to create your own employability.
Agree 100% with this!!! And I will be really making use of my time at university.
Just want to know that ChemEng graduates, assuming they have made use of their time at uni, do have opportunities in other job sectors. No matter how much I enjoy ChemEng, I don't want to be unemployed.
A Rather more personal question, in the case of ChemEng graduates you know, what proportion have jobs in engineering, other sectors, or are unemployed and are struggling to get a job in any sector of work?
Thanks
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Original post by Makadia
Agree 100% with this!!! And I will be really making use of my time at university.
Just want to know that ChemEng graduates, assuming they have made use of their time at uni, do have opportunities in other job sectors. No matter how much I enjoy ChemEng, I don't want to be unemployed.
A Rather more personal question, in the case of ChemEng graduates you know, what proportion have jobs in engineering, other sectors, or are unemployed and are struggling to get a job in any sector of work?
Thanks
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Just want to know that ChemEng graduates, assuming they have made use of their time at uni, do have opportunities in other job sectors. No matter how much I enjoy ChemEng, I don't want to be unemployed.
A Rather more personal question, in the case of ChemEng graduates you know, what proportion have jobs in engineering, other sectors, or are unemployed and are struggling to get a job in any sector of work?
Thanks
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yep, also never let failure get you down. As a guy mentions in those Sean Moran posts, luck is a pretty key factor in how things play out. I know many of my unemployed friends have turned their backs completely on ChemEng to just start again.
It's difficult to say as my course had a lot of international students that already had jobs before coming to uni. Of the home students it's probably something like 40-50% employed in engineering, 10% grad scheme in other sectors, 10% doing PhD's or another degree, 30-40% unemployed/taking a gap year/reapplying for jobs whilst working in pubs. Bear in mind that pretty much everybody graduating with an MEng either gets a 2.1 or a 1st because otherwise they make you graduate with the BEng.
I am applying to Bath, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Sheffield and Heriot-Watt for Chemical Engineering tomorrow, with predicted grades A*AA. You've got me a tad concerned about graduate prospects, but to be frank there are issues everywhere. The thing is though, everywhere I have been have said chemical engineers are in demand and are needed, is that simply not the case anymore? Or is it just the oil sector?
Original post by emduck
I am applying to Bath, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Sheffield and Heriot-Watt for Chemical Engineering tomorrow, with predicted grades A*AA. You've got me a tad concerned about graduate prospects, but to be frank there are issues everywhere. The thing is though, everywhere I have been have said chemical engineers are in demand and are needed, is that simply not the case anymore? Or is it just the oil sector?
They are in demand (experienced ones especially), but unexperienced graduates are not as in demand as they used to be. Oil setcor demand has gone down too.
Original post by emduck
I am applying to Bath, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Sheffield and Heriot-Watt for Chemical Engineering tomorrow, with predicted grades A*AA. You've got me a tad concerned about graduate prospects, but to be frank there are issues everywhere. The thing is though, everywhere I have been have said chemical engineers are in demand and are needed, is that simply not the case anymore? Or is it just the oil sector?
You are right that there are general issues with graduate employment at the minute, I'm more interested in making sure people will enjoy the course and know what they're getting into. Now uni is so expensive, it's important people don't decide to lump themselves with another 13-16k of debt if they fail 1st year or decide ChemEng isn't for them. It's also so expensive now that doing another major is kind of out of the question.
Uni's will tell you that ChemEng are in demand for a few reasons. (1) They want your money, and (2) many academics don't know what's happening in industry.
It isn't just oil that has suddenly crashed the market, there's just not this huge demand that's being touted. BLS for the US economy reckons the demand for chemical engineers will grow slower than average for the next 10 years, and that's in an economy that produces their own feedstocks for their chemicals industry. http://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/chemical-engineers.htm
Meanwhile, the UK is about the least friendly manufacturing environment globally, so I can't see it being any better here.
I don't think that Sean Moran's posts are an attempt to scare people away from chemical engineering, but rather an attempt to inject some realism into the situation. When you're 16/17, making your university choices, you don't know everything. That's understandable, and it's also unfortunate that many people do not receive very good guidance on what career paths to take and what they actually involve.
If you can make use of the information posted, then you should be in a better position to know if chemical engineering is for you, and how to differentiate yourself from other students and graduates to help you secure a job. If you genuinely want to do it, then don't give up.
No I think I largely agree with this sentiment.
I think oil and gas will pick up again as the price rises, but not to the same level as 2011-14. Companies are reverting back to a "leaner" period to cope with lower oil prices, and that probably won't be undone overnight should prices rise to a more comfortable level. The last time there was a downturn as big as this in 1986, it took until the early/mid 2000s until the oil industry started hiring again in big numbers. I don't know if things will repeat themselves again, because the lack of hiring in the 90s is partially what contributed to rise in salaries/rates from the mid 2000s to the last bust, but if there isn't the demand then...
That's the economics, but geology is also at play here. If we're talking about offshore UK, then the evidence suggests that much of the big oil fields have already been discovered, with many of them being at the later stages of their producing lives. Drilling is also at its lowest level since records began. The latest North Sea boom was mainly as a result of smaller oil fields, many of which were discovered decades ago, being brought online as a result of higher oil prices.
The greenfield and onshore orientated companies around the London area probably have a better outlook, though, as they have an international focus. What's going to happen is anyone's guess. I don't think that anyone would have thought, back in the 80s or 90s, that after 2010 there would be another North Sea oil boom, but it happened. But I wouldn't count on it returning. I think a reasonable outlook is for things to revert back to how they were in the early/mid 2000s.
If you can make use of the information posted, then you should be in a better position to know if chemical engineering is for you, and how to differentiate yourself from other students and graduates to help you secure a job. If you genuinely want to do it, then don't give up.
Original post by ChemEngGrad
O&G may pick up, but I doubt this will impact the UK greatly as the UKCS won't ever be profitable again, and I think the vast majority of the work will be in decommissioning. (Tagged Smack as he may have a different view on this)
No I think I largely agree with this sentiment.
I think oil and gas will pick up again as the price rises, but not to the same level as 2011-14. Companies are reverting back to a "leaner" period to cope with lower oil prices, and that probably won't be undone overnight should prices rise to a more comfortable level. The last time there was a downturn as big as this in 1986, it took until the early/mid 2000s until the oil industry started hiring again in big numbers. I don't know if things will repeat themselves again, because the lack of hiring in the 90s is partially what contributed to rise in salaries/rates from the mid 2000s to the last bust, but if there isn't the demand then...
That's the economics, but geology is also at play here. If we're talking about offshore UK, then the evidence suggests that much of the big oil fields have already been discovered, with many of them being at the later stages of their producing lives. Drilling is also at its lowest level since records began. The latest North Sea boom was mainly as a result of smaller oil fields, many of which were discovered decades ago, being brought online as a result of higher oil prices.
The greenfield and onshore orientated companies around the London area probably have a better outlook, though, as they have an international focus. What's going to happen is anyone's guess. I don't think that anyone would have thought, back in the 80s or 90s, that after 2010 there would be another North Sea oil boom, but it happened. But I wouldn't count on it returning. I think a reasonable outlook is for things to revert back to how they were in the early/mid 2000s.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by SugarCoatedCart
When is your interview for Imperial? I got one next week, kinda regret applying so early.
Is it on the 26th?
I got that as well.
It seems a bit too quick and I don't know if I'm ready...
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Original post by timster32
Thought you were more of an A* guy...
Am kidding matey, basically whenever go on this from my school computer I can't log in with the normal log in button, I have to go on some random post and type a comment and when it asks me to log in I can do it that way so I always find a post and comment some useless stuff on it ahah
soz people. Doing Economics anyways 
Original post by richardhello
Stop with the negativity lol. From most decent unis the chem eng graduate employment rate 6 months after graduation is between 85-90%, and the average salary is between £25,000 to £30,000 (that's the starting salary)
For any other degree except perhaps medicine, those employment rates and salaries are very hard to come by.
You guys either have too high expectations, or just don't search hard enough for a job.
For any other degree except perhaps medicine, those employment rates and salaries are very hard to come by.
You guys either have too high expectations, or just don't search hard enough for a job.
Well actually Economics has the second highest in overall degrees after Medicine, Engineering was 3rd/4th but it's skewed by the fact that the definition is quite broad and has all different kinds of courses..
Original post by ML8020
Is it on the 26th?
I got that as well.
It seems a bit too quick and I don't know if I'm ready...
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I got that as well.
It seems a bit too quick and I don't know if I'm ready...
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Yes it is actually, good luck dude
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