A decade of chemical engineering graduates: their roles and skills in the world of work

The transition from undergraduate degree to the world of work is significant, and one which universities have a mandate to facilitate - we are, after all, training grounds for the express purpose of developing skilled engineers for industry. It is difficult, however, to understand how best to structure or recurriculate undergraduate degrees to best meet the demands of the (changing) work environment. Recent graduates can provide powerful perspectives in shaping the university's understanding of what areas of the current curriculum graduates routinely use, what sectors they are moving into, and which skills and knowledge from their degree they find most useful. Further, they can inform us of needed skills and knowledge that are underdeveloped in the degree, from their professional perspective and experience. This paper focusses specifically on our graduates' destinations - within which sectors they are employed, the technical areas within which they work, and what the nature of their work involves. This study invited recent (≤10 years since graduation) graduates to complete a survey to elicit their opinions on these questions. In parallel, we gathered data from graduates' publicly available LinkedIn profiles, to collate their titles and employers. Quantitative and qualitative survey results were analyzed using statistical analysis of simple responses, and written responses bolstered the analysis of employment area, technical application area, and current activities. Coded analyses of their responses with regards technical areas and nature of work were considered in comparison to the training they received at undergraduate level- i.e., does the curriculum provide the skills and tools which are commonly used and needed in the world of work. Findings showed that Chemical Engineering graduates currently predominantly find employment within the field of chemical engineering, but that the skills the degree provides allows for movement into multiple sectors. However, there are several instances where skills prized and used in industry are under-represented in the undergraduate curriculum. In particular, there is a strong focus in industry on risk management, finances, and economic decision making, which, while they are present, are underrepresented in the current curriculum. Further, a significant majority of graduates report spending significant time on ‘soft’ skills, such as communication, teamwork, or stakeholder management. Management, and management of subordinates is also highlighted, which may indicate an unmet need for undergraduate courses focusing on leadership, management styles, or group psychology. However, on the whole, graduates reported the need for the skills that were indeed developed throughout their undergraduate degree (both technical and transferable skills) and reported that they use those skills often. Lessons learned from this work will be useful for engineering educators in recurriculation activities across different programmes and locations, since the university-industry gap is similar in engineering throughout the world.