Have you ever wondered who designs complex machines and pipes in a refinery? Chemical engineers, of course! It is a fun and useful profession, and you will be able to invent new processes and materials!
Steps
Step 1. Save yourself a lot of effort and time and learn about this field before investing so much in an area that requires a lot of learning
Chemical engineers must learn to combine: applied mathematics, physics, chemistry, mechanics, process design, engineering economics, writing techniques, and many other topics that can be found in a university course..
Step 2. Learn how to ask questions and interview engineers
Your goal in the interview is to ask chemical engineers about their experiences. Find out what they like and dislike about their field. Also ask them how they learned chemistry. You want to understand how to put chemistry into practice in everyday life. You can get passionate about making your own homemade toothpaste, deodorants, glues, paints, plastics, and anything you can imagine that contains atoms, basically… everything! Chemical engineers can be great cooks, because, when you think about it, cooking combines chemistry and processes.
Step 3. Learn by yourself
Here's how you really learn. Learn to find information. Read books and magazines. Experiment. Visit plants, talk to engineers from other sectors (mechanical, electrical, civil, information, etc …), do an internship. Read about chemical technology patents.
Step 4. Find a school you like
If you think it is too expensive, try to get a scholarship or move to a country where there is no tuition. Believe it or not, there are good schools in some places like this.
Step 5. Attend classes, keep a study plan, pass exams, etc… This is a necessary step to get your degree
This gives you an overview of the themes and allows you to develop some skills. Even if that's not how engineering is learned.
Step 6. Know that after graduation, you will have a degree AND you will have to deal with how to solve many problems
You will have learned how to approach each new problem, how to think, and how to organize your time. What will make you a good engineer will be the experience in the field and the office work. These experiences encompass all that is cross training, which includes experiences and ideas that are outside the theory of learning.
Advice
- Don't think it can't be done. It's more a matter of discipline and remembering why you are studying and working so hard to learn more about this fascinating industry. Over time, chemical engineers begin to understand nature and can see the chemical processes surrounding them in everyday events.
- Make sure that a good salary is not the main goal of your career. It is much more likely that you will have fun during graduation courses and work, if you like the subject, and you will not have the feeling of doing something you do not like just to be able to earn a lot of money.
- Often you will have to do many things at the same time. Learn how to manage your time from the books that deal with the subject, since you can't find them in engineering lessons.
- Most kids say they don't study because they don't feel interested. You could also try the same thing, but it doesn't matter, trying to always be curious and with a little determination you will feel the passion for this chemical engineering “game”.
- Some subjects are a bit tough. This is not your fault, it is because recently discovered concepts are used (from the 20th century as opposed to the 19th century), or because the course is poorly designed. Thank new technologies and learn how to tackle difficult topics. Other students have done it. Learn how to do it too.
- You will need to develop your social skills. So he cultivates other hobbies (sports, volunteer work, band / musical instrument, dance, organization of community events, etc …)
