Process engineer internship skills for your resume and career

Communication, teamwork, decision-making.

Strong fundamental understandings of mass and energy balances, as well as thermodynamics; data analysis.

I tell students to call their "gap" year more of a "Developmental" year. If a graduate desires to have such a year, they should focus on their whole as a goal, which means not only developing their professionalism but have other experiences. For example, travel to another country, learn a new language, intern at a company outside of the US, get involved further in the field of study. What stands out in candidates is how they made use of their time, skills that they acquired, and how they could weave them into the position they are applying for. That the candidate has had experiences outside of their comfort zone tells me, as an employer, that they are flexible and can adapt to situations that are new and unpredictable.

Students graduating with bachelor's degrees in engineering need strong communication skills. From writing emails, creating technical reports, and presenting results to others, engineers need to express their thoughts in a professional, technical manner. This is why we integrate learning communication skills across all undergraduate years at the University of New Haven. Also, having an entrepreneurial mindset is essential for engineers to see the bigger picture, to find ways to create value and identify opportunities when solving different problems in their field. Engineers and chemical engineers work with people of various backgrounds and expertise; therefore, viewing their work to understand the other stakeholders for a project can help them create connections and best drive a project forward.

Engineers capable of viewing the world through this lens will be very successful and sought out by employers. At the University of New Haven, in connection with the Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network (KEEN), we strive to facilitate the development of this mindset throughout our engineering courses. More specific to chemical engineering, potent chemical kinetics, thermodynamics, and unit operations are needed. Gaining hands-on skills through laboratory courses, research opportunities, and internships is very important, and an ability to create programs and simulate chemical processes is a must-have for graduates. In terms of programming, Excel skills are beneficial and adaptable.

When I talk to employers of engineers two key skills tend to stand out: problem solving skills and communication skills. These skills are very difficult to develop quickly on the job, but a new employee that can demonstrate strength in these two areas can quickly integrate into a team or train into a job that requires specific technical skills. Communication skills can be assessed verbally during the interview. If it's a virtual interview for a remote job, present yourself like you will be representing their company: professional dress, clean and unclutters backdrop, practice eye contact into the camera with clear speech, and make sure there are no external distractions or noises (pets, roommates, etc). Sometimes the interviewer will request an impromptu writing sample. Communication skills can also be assessed before the interview with how quickly and professionally a prospective employee responds to the company's requests for information. Problem solving skills are often assessed by asking the job candidate about a difficult technical problem they faced and the how they solved it. Be prepared with several examples in mind and prioritize them by the tasks that are most relevant to the job description or the interests of the interviewer. Having a portfolio on hand or some unique visual aids can leave a distinct impression; and if virtual, have files readily accessible if you need to screen share but have an uncluttered desktop and inoffensive computer wallpaper. Some interviewers will assess both problem solving and communication skills simultaneously through role playing the solving of a technical problem or asking for a pseudo-code solution to a programming task.