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#1 Raj Mehta

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Posted 08 March 2013 - 09:33 AM

Hi friends,

 

I am thinking this days of taking AICHE membership. Can anyone over here, who have this membership, throw some light about its advantages ? How helpful it is on your CV ? 

 

Any other membership a chemical engineer must have or any other test/exam which is highly appreciated? 

 

Thanks. 



#2 thorium90

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Posted 08 March 2013 - 10:09 AM

But you are not in america? You also do not work in america?



#3 Raj Mehta

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Posted 08 March 2013 - 10:13 AM

Ohh, I din't knew that I need to be in america to be a member of it. I just thought its open to all, just founded & organized in america.



#4 thorium90

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Posted 08 March 2013 - 10:20 AM

well. technically you dont have to be in america or be american. But it has advantages.. Many of the conferences and seminars etc are all there...

 

Nevertheless, the more important question is, why do you want to be a member? What are your achievements and what can you contribute? You can always join as a student member, get guidance from other members on how to improve and get accreditation.


Edited by thorium90, 08 March 2013 - 10:25 AM.


#5 shan

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Posted 08 March 2013 - 10:33 AM

 

I was a AIChE and dropped the membership about 20 year ago because I don't want to pay the membership fee.  I did not feel whether I got a job or got no job because of AIChE. 

 

I know the forum administrator does not like my opinion on AIChE because the big advertisement on the top of page "Get Connected, AIChE, Free Webinar"  But, this is just me.

 

 



#6 Raj Mehta

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Posted 08 March 2013 - 10:47 AM

Thanks Thorium & shan for sharing your views on the same. I wonder is there any test for chemical engineering which is worth taking or which is appreciated . ?? I haven't heard of any, would like to listen from fellow members over here if they have come across any such thing in their life. 

 

Thanks. 



#7 thorium90

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Posted 08 March 2013 - 10:54 AM

Study for a Masters or Phd. That will be more useful, more worth taking and appreciated especially if you study in US or UK. Or go for a local professional body.

 

The membership gives you discounts for buying books etc, attending seminars etc. But most of these stuff are useful if you actually live in that country. For example, if you want to go for a conference you like in america and it costs a certain discounted price, would you fly there on your own time and money to attend it?


Edited by thorium90, 08 March 2013 - 10:58 AM.


#8 Raj Mehta

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Posted 08 March 2013 - 12:45 PM

Well thorium90, I wanted to know from you people who have knowledge about it and thats the reason I posted the question, that why would be the benefits of joining such membership, if there are any, I am sure there are but how productive they are w.r.t to knowledge & the amount of money you put in. 



#9 ankur2061

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Posted 08 March 2013 - 12:50 PM

Raj,

 

There was a time when doing a Masters or as it is called in India, M.Tech. was advantageous. Not any more. The M.Tech. curriculum in India is very academic or research oriented and not industry oriented. Doing an M.Tech. is good if you are inclined to work in R&D.

 

I would consider that taking up a job in the manufacturing (plant operations / equipment manufacture) or service (engineering design / technical services) industry after completing one's Bachelors degree a better option in terms of gaining experience rather than pursuing a Masters degree for 2 years. Your 2 years are better spent in gaining the right kind of experience.

 

Of course all of what I have described above is based on my personal experience, having worked with engineers having just a Bachelors degree and also engineers with Masters degree for now almost 28 years.

 

Regards,

Ankur.



#10 Raj Mehta

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Posted 08 March 2013 - 12:59 PM

Thank you Mr. Ankur. I agree with your line of thinking. I am a constant learner and I knew that doing M.Tech would do no good to me as I am more industry oriented and uyour answer has just proved my thinking and logic right. I though have some inclination to do master's and then do a job overseas, which will be lucrative as well as knowledgeable. But I am unable to find one, as the economies are fluctuating very frequently. 

 

Thanks once again for sharing your thoughts.



#11 Nasiruddin

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Posted 08 March 2013 - 02:35 PM

I am a graduate (B.Sc) in chemical engineering from Pakistan having 13 years experience. What I feel professional memberships like AIChe, SPE, GPSA, etc. are beneficial for CPD purpose, you alwasy be informed from latest research and technological innovations. Some institutional memberships which have certain grades like IChemE, UK (having grades associates, Chartered, Fellow) are beneficial for making your CV more attractive. This my personal experience, that after regisering as Chartered Engineer from IChemE, I am getting more and better opportunities. 



#12 Raj Mehta

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Posted 08 March 2013 - 03:22 PM

So u mean should I then go for IchemE, if it provides better opportunities and value for money ? What do you mean by CPD ?



#13 Steve Hall

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Posted 08 March 2013 - 06:01 PM

With 50,000 members, AIChE is a tremendous resource for chemical engineers. Even if you can't attend the conferences or local chapter meetings, your membership includes 6 credits each year which can be used to purchase on-line content like webinars and conference presentations. You also get Chemical Engineering Progress magazine, as well as free downloads of articles published since about 2000. Yes, it may seem like a lot of money to join - roughly US$200 per year - but for me, at least, it's well worth it.



#14 Nasiruddin

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Posted 09 March 2013 - 05:34 AM

CPD stands for "Continuing Professional Development", Raj its my opinion and I share personal experience, depends on your own preference.



#15 Raj Mehta

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Posted 09 March 2013 - 10:12 AM

Thank you steve, for expressing your views. 

 

Definitely Naisruddin, but my decision would depend to some extent on the views and experiences of professionals having current membership & its really great to see so many people expressing their standpoints. 

 

Thanks to all. I though have received very mixed reviews here .  :rolleyes: . I'll really have to figure out.



#16 kkala

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Posted 09 March 2013 - 04:24 PM

1. Engineering registration in USA requires Professional Engineers' exams, organized by each State (though subjects are common). This seems necessary for freelancers, not so for employees of industries / engineering firms. Less than one-third of degreed Engineers were registered in USA (1995).
2. Membership in AIChE is a different story, requiring a yearly fee of US$ 49 - 199, depending on country (93 nowadays). Unemployed or young Chemical Engineers in USA / Can have lower fees. Undergraduate students are free in USA / Can, fee for other countries is just US$ 7.
3. My impression is that membership does not count for employment here. Even for novices, character and ability as student are significant, along with any supplementary studies. These are replaced later by professional reputation, spread all over the country. If I am "good for nothing", a label will not save me. I might find good employment through "networks", but almost all people will know that I am good for nothing.
4. Irrespectively of it, membership can be interesting, especially if fee does not mean much money individually. Not only for technical matters, also AIChE code of ethics and related subjects are worthy of "digestion" nowadays. I would certainly try membership as a student, due to low fee. After this, it seems that continuous professional development here (if any) is directed to administration rather than technical (not much estimated). Systematic work can be more effective than seminars/courses, besides employer pays for them. Few Chemical Engineers pay for practical local courses (autocad, NG piping installation), not being abroad. Country is not much developed in Chemical Industry, so there may be limited need of such "education".
5. Concerning Master and Doctor degrees, these are just a chance for occupation on limited salary, better than unemployment. I would not sacrifice job for them, even though they help in methodical thinking. Best of all, I would try to accomplish them during work years, withing 5-15 years, as managed by some colleagues. Economic benefit is unimportant (in the known cases), but they could result in high spirits.
6. Above views are affected by local and neighboring situation. It seems there are members of AIChE in Greece though, probably from academicians or Chemical Engineers having worked in USA.


Edited by kkala, 09 March 2013 - 04:41 PM.


#17 Raj Mehta

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Posted 10 March 2013 - 10:49 PM

KKala, Thank you very much for your thoughtful & insightful comment.  :rolleyes: Has helped greatly and your point "good for nothing" is very valid and I agree very much with it. Its very Important for a student to shape up and grow in order to contribute effectively to the chemical engg. society. I am glad to have an opportunity to be interacting and meeting many good minds of chemical engineering on this forum.

 

Thank you.



#18 Ajay S. Satpute

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Posted 11 March 2013 - 12:30 AM

Hi,

 

If you have a master's degree from a premier university like IIT, UDCT etc. then you have higher probability in getting job in good organization. The additional 2 yrs spent on studying in university is valued by employers.

 

This is based on my personal experience. And I recommend young engineers to study hard for GATE and get into IITs.

 

Regards.

 

Ajay



#19 Raj Mehta

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Posted 11 March 2013 - 01:12 AM

Hi Ajay, I would disagree to some extent to your post. It did added value few years back, but it doesn't any more. May be in long run it might be. I happened to meet one of my seniors yesterday doing M.Tech in IIT Bombay (final year). He said the placement scenario is not good, and was forced to join a non-core job. Many companies still coming in many campuses prefer B.Tech and do not even open for M.Tech. 

 

This is the recent scenario in India. I don't know how it is looked upon in USA after having a master's degree.

 

Thanks



#20 Ajay S. Satpute

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Posted 11 March 2013 - 02:08 AM

Hi Raj,

 

1. The only point I was trying to make is if an employer needs to select a candidate from B. Tech. eng. and M. Tech. eng. with similar experience, he/she may be inclined to go for the one with M. Tech. This also looks good in his/her company presentation showing we have got so many people with masters (and Ph.D. etc.). IIT stamp on my CV has helped me get the job offers at least 3 times (latest was in 2010). However, I do agree that your progress after you get the job has got nothing to do with your masters degree.

 

2. Let's not compare IIT B.Tech.s and M.Tech.s job opportunities for obvious reasons.

 

3. But as far as M.Tech. campus placements are concerned, it is rare to have 100% placement even considering IT companies offers. Even many of friends had to go to IT companies when I was in IIT, Madras in 2004.

 

Regards.

 

Ajay



#21 Raj Mehta

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Posted 11 March 2013 - 03:01 AM

I agree Ajay, IIT is undoubtedly the best place to not only to study but also to enjoy and a good campus life, there are ample of good points about IIT's. The IIT stamp works wonders at some or the other point in one's life.

 

But people do suggest that M.Tech in India is much more research oriented (also mentioned by Mr. Ankur, post # 9) and the curriculum somehow lacks industrial orientation in it. 

 

What is your say in this Ajay ? 



#22 Ajay S. Satpute

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Posted 11 March 2013 - 03:58 AM

Dear Raj,

 

I am not sure if all the aspects of industry oriented education can be taught just in 2 yrs. But if you are very much interested in doing an industry based project for your thesis, that option is also available (as I did my 1 yr duration project in Madras fertilizers and I was supposed to study their problem with urea prill cooler theoretically). The interaction with the plant engineers is indeed very useful for the inexperienced students. 

 

Also on the first day of our job, nobody expects that we know everything about the plant/industry. We are given enough time to learn. This period needs to be utilized for comparing what you learnt in theory and how is it applicable in industry. As one of my professors used to say, "Don't do it just because it has been done that way forever; Question it and if possible, improve it". A good institution makes you ready to ask questions and solve them.

 

I respect opinion of Mr. Ankur but do not agree with him.

 

Regards.

 

Ajay



#23 kkala

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Posted 11 March 2013 - 04:00 AM

For a country having a prospective of Chemical Industry growing, further studies after graduation can have value and be helpful in finding a job. This was the state in Greece, when I graduated (1972). Some 20 years ago I saw a different state, probably not clearly explained in post no 16. Graduates can find no job, so they undertook a thesis and received a low indemnity during their work on this. This was better than nothing; but a job could have offered better salary and (if you did not aim at academic career) most probably better chances for professional development.
The question of post graduate studies can have different answers, depending on local conditions, your inclinations, and the specific subject. Over here Universities try now to give subjects that can have practical application. If  engineers could undertake them after some years of work (like the colleagues mentioned in post no 16), they would  do the task better as a rule.

Some notes valid for local conditions.

- Private employer is not expected to consider time for post graduate studies as work experience. You will be a beginner with higher qualifications, yet an engineer of same years of real work  will be most probably in better position.

-Post graduate studies can be prerequisite for some seats in public sector. But several of such seats require specific studies related to them. Then PHD in another subject  is of doubtful usefulness.

- Post graduate studies are necessary for academic career. For industries / companies additional salary due to them seems to be small (if any).



#24 kkala

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Posted 11 March 2013 - 04:41 AM

Not having read Ajay's post no 22 before sending post no 23, I can see that he has been happy to deal with a practical industrial subject for a year. Actually he has acted as an engineer in job. In this case post graduate studies have been useful, indeed.

The "ready to ask questions and solve them" is quite significant.

 

 



#25 isbarqi

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Posted 11 March 2013 - 06:08 AM

Hi,

 

I'm from Indonesia, just want to share my experiences here.

In this very country, taking a master degree/ post graduate will do no good except for academic career, even if you take it in developed country as USA, Europe, or Japan. most of my friends and my seniors who took a master degree or above ended up working on campus. most company here prefer experienced person than high education person, say, if after graduate you continue your study for 2 years, comparing if you take a trainee job for 2 years, most of company would exactly prefer the 2 years trainee experienced one. 

 

that was just my experience here in this developing country, I guess it's not very similar as happen in developed country like US, UK, or Japan.






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