I am currently undertaking my placement year at Lenzing Fibres Grimsby as a Chemical Engineer intern. Although university is a fantastic opportunity to learn the theoretical aspects of Chemical Engineering, there is a lack of industrial experience. Coinciding university with a placement year will allow you to benefit from both.
My primary projects have been creation of interactive dashboards, investigating the energy usage of the plant, and the tagging of isolation valves. These projects have given me a great understanding of the plants process and equipment, which should put me in great stead for not only the remainder of my placement, but also for the rest of my working career.
I am still unsure of my desired career path upon graduating. As I approach the end of my placement, I hope that I will stumble upon a long-term career which best suits my skills and knowledge. The transferable skills obtained through Chemical Engineering will allow me to keep my options wide-open, with careers in engineering, business and IT being realistic avenues of choice.
If you are looking for a challenge and want to develop a wide range of skills, undertaking a Chemical Engineering degree would be a fantastic option.
Loughborough University offers many unique opportunities to socialise with numerous different societies. My Lifestyle (drop-in sports sessions) and inter-hall competitions are a great way of meeting new people and having fun. I have personally attended My Lifestyle Football sessions where people are always supportive regardless of ability (I have experienced this first-hand from initially being unable to hit a barn door with my shooting ability in my first year). I also joined the Chemical Engineering 6 a-side football team, where I became the first-choice sweeper-keeper and a striker in the dying embers of the game (with clinical strikes making allowing me to finish 3rd top goal scorer).
My favourite thing about being a Loughborough student is that everything you need is on campus, which gives a balance between the social and academic aspects of university life, to the extent that it would be possible to stay on campus for the entirety of your degree. For me, it is reassuring that you are always within distance of absolutely everything you require, which when travelling is not an issue as it allows you to immerse yourself in absolutely everything with no sacrifices. A perfect example of this is that I could have my lectures finishing at 5 pm and a My Lifestyle football session starting at the same time, and there would not be an issue in terms of practicality, whereas at other universities this would simply not be possible.