Why join IChemE?

We hope you have been keeping up with our ChemEngProfiles video blogs. Over the last few weeks, we have shared the stories of twenty chemical engineers – at various stages in their careers, and working for some of the biggest companies in the world.

Last week we gave you ‘Five powerful reasons to be a chemical engineer at Shell’, following the success of our previous posts – ‘Five sweet reasons to be a chemical engineer at Mondelez’, ‘Five great reasons to be a chemical engineer at BP’, and ‘Five great reasons to be a chemical engineer at Syngenta’. So what’s next?

The thing that our interviewees had in common was that they are all IChemE members, and they view membership as an important addition to their CV.

How does IChemE support individuals studying, or working in the broad space that is chemical engineering and is getting chartered really that important?

This final selection of video blogs tackles these questions.

1. Chemical engineering is a vital part of the jigsaw that is 21st century living

The whynotchemeng campaign is aimed at 16-18 year olds who are considering chemical engineering as a career choice. Chemical engineering is a broad subject, but many people simply haven't a clue what chemical engineers do. It's IChemE's mission to change that.

In this video, chemical engineers from BP, Shell, Mondelez and Syngenta all present a prop, and explain how it forms an important part of their job. You’ll be surprised at what they get up to with bicarbonate of soda at BP!

2. IChemE membership provides access to a powerful support network of like-minded people.

According to our talking heads, joining IChemE can give your career a real boost. Access to useful content, products and services brings great benefits, but it's the networking that's really important.

Whether you play an active role in a regional member group, a special interest group or one of the many other IChemE communities you'll find support, guidance, advice and training every step of the way.

3. Getting chartered is a straightforward process and the peer recognition is invaluable.

Becoming a Chartered Chemical Engineer is a key milestone for many IChemE members, it's a powerful signal of commitment to the highest standards of professional practice

Carlyn Greenhalgh is a Chartered Chemical Engineer at Shell. Listen to her talk about  the recognition it draws from colleagues and the benefits of Chartered status when posted on international assignments. Earlier on the career path, Bryony Robinson, a recent graduate, is working towards Chartered status at Mondelez. She describes the support and mentorship from IChemE that makes the process much less daunting.

We trust that this, the last in our series of ChemEngProfiles blog posts, will motivate you to get more involved with IChemE. You can start your journey by heading to www.icheme.org/joinus.

Although our ChemEngProfiles blog series has come to an end, we still want to hear from you. Tell us why chemical engineering matters via Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and don’t forget to include #thepassion.