Chemical & Engineering News Digital Edition ... - IMM@BUCT

CHEMICAL ENGINEERS
Downward trend continues in number
of bachelor’s degrees while Ph.D.s
increase
No. of degrees
7,000
6,000
5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
0
1986 88 90 92 94 96 98 00 02 04 06
Bachelor’s Master’s Ph.D.
NOTE: Data for 1998–99 were imputed using
alternative procedures. Y-axis label is end of academic
year; for example, 1986 is the academic year
1985–86. Data were collected from degree-granting
institutions. SOURCES: National Center for Education
Statistics, National Science Foundation
However, in comparison with their actual
hires from the class of 2008, respondents
expect to hire about 1.3% more graduates
from the class of 2009.
“Overall, hiring looks flat for now, and
some employers are indicating some movement
to cut back,” says Marilyn Mackes,
NACE executive director. “In August, approximately
one-third of employers said
they were going to trim their college hiring;
in our current poll, however, 52% said they
were going to adjust their college hiring
downward.”
“Turnout was small, compared to years
past,” says Chris Smith, who handles recruiting
for the chemistry and chemical
engineering division at California Institute
of Technology. “This year, about five
because of company growth and employee
retirements. Together, those constitute the
majority of positions that DuPont is trying
to fill.
DuPont is actively looking for chemists
and chemical engineers at all degree levels.
Within R&D, the company is looking for
expertise in polymer and organic chemistry,
materials science, and biosciences,
according to Niu. DuPont is also recruiting
bachelor’s and master’s degree chemists
and biologists.
According to Larock, bachelor’s and
master’s degree engineers are being recruited
in process engineering, process
development, and project engineering. “Innovation
drives us and our products,” he
says. “Each year, a large percentage of our
products are new, and we need that technological
understanding and capability.”
Niu adds that in addition to technical skills,
DuPont looks for inventiveness and a drive
for innovation.
How the economic challenges will play
out is yet to be determined, but Larock says
of the firm, “We’re moving ahead.”
THOSE ECONOMIC challenges, however,
are starting to affect university chemical
sciences departments. In light of volatile
financial markets this past month, the National
Association of Colleges & Employers
(NACE) recently re-polled employers that
had provided hiring projections in August.
The result: Compared with their earlier
projections, responding employers expect
to decrease their hiring levels by 1.6%.
WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG NOVEMBER 3, 2008