EASYUNI Ultimate University Guide 2013 Issue 4 | Page 17

CO U R S E S & C A REERS

Do You Have
What It Takes?
At the very least, you will
need a strong understanding
in calculus and chemistry, which
will help you develop a more
productive manufacturing
process and solve basic
technical problems.

But you won’t
always be confined to a
laboratory. Visits to and overseeing
of operations at plants and factories
are among a chemical engineer’s common
duties. You will also need good people and
stress management skills as supervising an
entire plant can be taxing. Accidents can
happen and the expertise of a chemical
engineer will be needed in such cases.
Good communication skills are needed
to convey instructions clearly; a
simple miscommunication can
put many lives at risk.

The Route
to Chemical
Engineering
First, you’ll need to go through a
pre-university course after your final
examination in Form 5 (SPM or O-Levels).
You may choose from a variety of courses
such as Foundation in Science, A-Levels,
South Australian Matriculation (SAM)
and many more. Of course, these
courses have to include
Mathematics, Chemistry
and Physics.

BUT YOU WON’T
ALWAYS BE
CONFINED TO A
LABORATORY

If you’re
already set on chemical
engineering after SPM, you
could do a diploma course
straightaway, which can lead to
job opportunities directly after
graduating. All universities require
students to have a certain
degree of English-language
skills and can speak and
write proficiently.

What You Will
Be Studying
You will learn the fundamentals of
thermodynamics, fluid dynamics and
chemical reactions, plus many others.
Students will also acquire the knowledge
to design a sustainable and efficient plant
to maximise the manufacturing of products
according to the required specifications. You
will learn how to solve complex calculations
with the aid of relevant industry-approved
software and simulation tools, the
use of which will be taught by
qualified professionals.