IChemE Virtual Work Experience Already Having a Positive Impact

Victoria Speed looks back on six months of inspiring young people through IChemE’s virtual Engineering a Sustainable World programme

IN SEPTEMBER 2024, the Young People’s Engagement team in partnership with Springpod launched IChemE’s virtual work experience, Engineering a Sustainable World, aimed at raising awareness of chemical and process engineering among young people aged 14 to 18. Offering six to eight hours of guided interactive learning, IChemE virtual work experience (VWEX) allows school and college students to explore what it’s like being a chemical engineer in a range of industries. 

Six months on, this is what we have learnt from the feedback given by young people completing the programme.

What the numbers tell us

To date there have been over 2,300 participants across IChemE VWEX from over 875 different schools. More than 70% of the participants are 16-years-plus, which is when many young people make decisions about the next stage of their education and career journey. There’s a spread of participants, with UK making up the bulk and representation from Malaysia, Ireland and India among others. After completing the programme, young people are more aware of careers, and more likely to consider a career in chemical and process engineering. IChemE VWEX participants told us about the parts of the programme they most enjoyed:

• learning about a wide range of chemical engineering careers, including detailed insights into different sectors
• real-life applications and case studies

Member support

More than 50 IChemE members volunteered their time and expertise to help create and shape the IChemE VWEX programme. Their support continues through the Ambassador Platform, where ambassadors answer questions from school students participating in the programme. These online interactions add real value and often have a lasting impact on the young people involved. Questions focus on engineering skills, university advice, work experience, internships and apprenticeships. Seven ambassadors, representing a range of industries, have exchanged over 200 messages with students so far.

“I genuinely enjoy helping students and being a point of contact they can rely on,” says Vena Jain, a chemical engineer at Salinity Solutions and one of the IChemE ambassadors. “It’s always a pleasure to interact with such bright, curious minds who are considering chemical engineering as a career path. Seeing their enthusiasm and thoughtful questions reminds me why I’m passionate about the subject, and I’m always glad to offer guidance, share my experiences, and help them navigate their journey.”

Fellow ambassador Nathan Walsh, a chemical engineer at AWE, agreed the role was a huge privilege, saying: “The range of things that students have asked me has allowed me to keep up with all the different aspects of chemical engineering to help direct them in the right direction.”

What next?

Building on the success from the first few months, we will soon be working on the next iteration of the programme and would like to hear from any members happy to share case studies of innovative projects to inspire young people.

Access to the IChemE VWEX and the Sprint mini project (focusing on process engineering in the energy sector and hosted by Clare Dunkerley) can be found at https://bit.ly/icheme-vwex. Postcards with QR codes are available for members to share with schools and colleges at careers fairs. There’s also a handy hints sheet for volunteers, which can help get you up to speed about what’s in the IChemE VWEX in advance of careers events. Head along to https://bit.ly/outreach-toolkit to order yours.

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If you can share any case studies or want to get in touch about virtual work experience, please contact us through discoverchemeng@icheme.org