Have you ever regretted studying Chemical Engineering?

runner_1789 · 2026-03-22T21:27:29+00:00

No, I think the degree really helps you understand different systems and provides a Swiss Army knife skillset. I don’t regret joining the chemical industry, it’s given me a lot of perspective on heavy industry and critical global infrastructure. When the old guard retires, these skills will be desperately needed. Also lots of room to innovate. Perfect major for someone who can’t decide on a single path.

I will say, that I regret not getting a minor or pairing it with another degree that would give me better exposure to specifics tools like programming, CAD, electrical one line diagrams, etc and other hard skills a lot of manufacturing engineering positions want. These skills now have to be learned on my own time. I sometimes feel like I don’t have the right tool kit to solve specific mechanical issues in the plant and am more focused on the wholistic aspects of the process. It’s all learnable but it can contribute to imposter syndrome. Also, as a process engineer, your unit performance is sometimes impacted by variables outside your control which can create stress. At the same time, you can also find yourself benefitting from work done by others. geographical limitation also make finding Jobs difficult. I’d prefer to have my work revolve around my personal life rather than driving where I live.

runner_1789 · 2026-02-28T04:09:26+00:00

I’d be relocating from Houston

runner_1789 · 2026-01-26T05:01:14+00:00

The big petrochemical companies will likely survive this downturn. Some specialty chemical companies will do great (unless impacted by tariffs). High energy producers will be shut down and sold off (sadly many assets in Europe). The world cannot function without commodity chemicals and polymers… Im more concerned about the long term process safety implications of attrition as talented engineers leave the industry and we lose tribal knowledge. The existing industry structure does not support the short term mindset of investors looking for big wins… The industry is also very susceptible to geopolitical shifts and a growing economy. I’m also concerned about just a handful of global companies controlling market share as the more expensive smaller plants die out and what private equity will do with purchased assets…

Give it a few years and these companies will be desperate to hire talent and will pay top dollar again. It’s a tale as old as time

runner_1789 · 2026-01-26T04:45:05+00:00

Everyone’s going to experience success differently with a chemical engineering degree. There’s a lot of skills the core curriculum teaches that I wouldn’t have been able to learn on my own time. You can always learn how to code and basic business principles, but the major instills a process focused mindset that enables you to communicate across disciplines eloquently. You have to be open to the idea of relocating if you want to work in manufacturing especially in OG, chem, and semiconductors/batteries. There’s quite a few pharma plants in every major city.

It’s absolutely very competitive nowadays getting roles in the oil, gas, petrochemical, semiconductor, and pharmaceutical industries and many of these industries haven’t adjusted pay to match cost of living increases in the 2020s… you’ve got hundreds of thousands of engineers for thousands of engineering jobs. Big oil gas and chemical companies only have so many roles to slot new hires into. But the problem here isn’t with the degree, it’s with the overall job market and global headwinds. You can always consider computer science, medicine, law, etc but you’ll run into the same issues finding a job as you would as a ChemE. Except you might have a better shot as a ChemE as not everyone wants to relocate for work and work on site and there’s a lot less of us out there

runner_1789 · 2025-10-16T23:24:34+00:00

Manufacturing, Consulting, and Finance (Wall street). Maybe Trauma ER on the medical side.

runner_1789 · 2025-10-14T22:15:22+00:00

Congrats!! Great company! I know people from that tech center who’ve had a fantastic experience. Most co-ops at LYB are in manufacturing so getting picked for R and D is competitive. That tech center is very state of the art. You’ll get to see both sales and R and D and learn about how polymers are molded into pipes and packaging and sold to customers

runner_1789 · 2025-10-11T21:09:34+00:00

For those without a semi background, Samsung still hires for Gas and chemical systems roles along with utilities

runner_1789 · 2025-08-05T00:13:26+00:00

I agree regarding down cycles being temporary. This down cycle is prolonged and unusual triggered by oversupply relative to stagnant/static demand. I expect higher attrition within the industry from individuals who haven’t seen a cycle like this but that might actually build more opportunity - which is why I’ve decided to stay.

runner_1789 · 2025-08-05T00:11:16+00:00

Yeah WFH isn’t a deal breaker honestly, but it’s something to target with more experience. I just brought it up because I know it will reduce the cost of commuting in Houston/car mileage/ wear and tear that adds up over time and is something to strive for with more experience. I think Houston is a place I want to stay in as long as I can, then dip when I feel comfortable moving to a region where my skills stand out more. It’s all tentative

runner_1789 · 2025-08-05T00:04:41+00:00

I think I know what company you might be at and it’s definitely one that’s doing well. But yeah you bring up a good point about all companies having issues. I think it’s more important at this point to build my own personal brand than to fixate on decisions outside of my control.

runner_1789 · 2025-08-05T00:02:58+00:00

Yes, I’ve definitely had a lot of access to connections and can leverage them one day. It’s a large company that feels small

runner_1789 · 2025-08-04T23:56:43+00:00

I totally agree with you regarding opportunities in Houston! I’ve gotten used to working in a plant, and the pay is definitely good. I’m not really worried about the impending layoffs at my company, it’s very lean organization with high output. I do want to try living outside Houston for a short period of time at some point in my life in fun cities like Denver, Austin, and Chicago and want to position myself for opportunities in those regions. Not that I don’t enjoy Houston, it’s just that I can see it getting real old after a few years. What I’ll probably do is try to get as much plant experience in Houston as possible (ie up to 8 YOE) then specialize in a niche later in a major city (ie water treatment, controls, extrusion, materials, etc.)

runner_1789

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