Certificates added on to a BS in Chemical Engineering

[crj5000]

I am a JR in Chemical Engineering, and I plan to go into Processing when I graduate. My University offers an Environmental Engineering Certificate that requires 4 additional classes. My question is will this certificate help me in the long run? I have had some people tell me, "why not?". I have had other people tell me that it will not benefit me, and I should take more business related classes. Any opinions and help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Craig

 

[livingston]

It sounds like it would be a good addition to your resume. It will only cost you a little more time and may open an avenue for you that would have otherwise been closed.

 

[moltenmetal]

Which do you LIKE? Do that one. Forget about which will look better on your resume- that does NOT matter anywhere nearly as much as which one you're passionate about!

Doing one or the other NOW is better than trying to do either later, or just taking it easy and having more time to party.

 

[PEDARRIN2]

One caveat - from my own experience - most environmental engineering positions tend to be civil engineering graduates.

I have a BSChE and worked several years in the groundwater treatment arena for a government contractor. Got downsized and tried to find similar work in the private sector. When they found out I did not have a civil engineering degree, they would not consider me.

An environmental engineer with a chemical engineer education can design the chemical systems that go with treating water in its various forms (ground, drinking water treatment sewage treatment, etc.) but so can a civil engineer with a few additional classes. And the civil engineer has the education to design the other stuff that goes with the environmental work whereas a chemical engineer typically doesn't.

That was my experience.

 

[crj5000]

Thanks for the Input! I know what in general what a Process Engineer, management engineer, or environmental engineer does. But I don't know specifically what my days would be like working the different types of jobs. What are some of the more popular routes Chemcial Engineers take after they graduate? Thanks for the personal experience Pedarrin2, the more I can see what it is like to be an engineer the better decisions I can make. We have a lot of companies come to talk to us at AICHE meetings, but when we ask them what they do everyday they always say, "we put out fires everyday, and its different everyday." But this doesent really tell me what they do