• Question: What kinds of work experience are necessary for chemical engineering - and any companies that offer it for a year 12 student

    Asked by Ishaan on 17 Oct 2025.
    • Photo: Calum Cunningham

      Calum Cunningham answered on 17 Oct 2025:

      Firstly, work experience isn’t always necessarily 100% relevant to your final career – for example, I did my work experience at an aerospace company in year 12 but after university I started working in nuclear energy. I would say that experience at any STEM company would be really useful for your future CV, as you’ll gain lots of transferable skills.
      In terms of chemical engineering companies, some of the big ones I know in the UK are INEOS, Johnson Matthey and Tata Chemicals. Also keep an eye out for other engineering companies, and good luck!

    • Photo: Uzair Abdullah

      Uzair Abdullah answered on 17 Oct 2025:

      Work experience in chemical engineering can be valuable, but it isn’t the most important factor. Opportunities such as research placements, lab visits, or STEM insight weeks with organisations like BP, Johnson Matthey, or the Nuffield Foundation can give you a sense of how the field operates. However, employers and universities care far more about your curiosity, grades, and personal projects, the things you’ve pursued because you genuinely enjoy them. Showing that you’ve invested time and effort in learning, experimenting, or solving problems demonstrates real passion, which matters much more than ticking boxes for experience.

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