Do engineers sit behind desks all the time?

Hi Kikuye,

It’s great to hear your enthusiasm. You certainly don’t have to be stuck behind a desk all the time if you choose a career in chemical engineering. Though most people spend at least some time at their desks (i.e. computers), I know engineers who have done many exciting things both inside and outside their laboratories.

I used to spend a lot of time in the laboratory before I ultimately became a manager of the entire department. In one of my jobs, my company had a manufacturing plant in Italy and they sent me there (and also paid for Italian lessons I volunteered to take) 3 or 4 times to help test a new sensor technology we were developing. I got to work with engineers and test out the new method.

Another time, I was working on novel CO2 removal technology for the space suit and space shuttle and got to go to the labs where they were developing these systems- the astronauts used to come there before trying on their suits and other new technologies and once I got to see an astronaut visiting the lab. Another time, we were exploring biological waste degradation systems and I went to Sweden to visit one of the state-of-the-art plants and see what we might be able to learn and bring back to our organization.

So there are many options and a lot will depend on your own initiative whatever job you get. I do suggest getting a strong fundamental knowledge of the subject though – you can’t build a treehouse without a tree so while in school, it’s good to build up strong roots and a good foundation.

I wish you all the best and keep up your great spirit of adventure!

Sunita