Teaching for chemical process technicians

Abstract

In recent years, a talent shortage has been one of the biggest threats facing chemical and petrochemical organizations. This, together with declining employment, looming retirements, and large demographic age gaps in the workforce has made us, together with industry, determine to tackle the problem and bridge the gap by developing a formal course between a low-skill operator level and that of the process engineer. The course needed to address the technical knowledge of introductory chemical and mechanical engineering principles, the chemistry involved in process chemistry, and mathematics. On the 'softer’ side, modules such as Academic and Professional Skills and essential Computer Skills were introduced to develop an all-round chemical operator / technician. This paper describes the course materials in brief to provide insight into how this course has been developed and implemented. Feedback from student groups and industry partners on course content and relevance to today’s industry needs confirms the relevance and value of the course.