RSC ChemNet Events
Dates for
your diary
E ngaging with the UK
parliament
19 March 2013 18:00–20:00
Liverpool
Hear Chris Blanchett,
Parliamentary Outreach officer
for the north-west, talk about
how parliament works.
http://rsc.li/14dKO3z
L ook what chemistry has
done for me
27 March 2013 13:00–15:00
London
Come along to The Royal
Veterinary College to find out
more about careers in chemistry.
http://rsc.li/Wm0zQ9
Quotient site visit
19 June 2013 12:30–15:30
Cardiff
A chance to visit the world’s
largest radiochemical facility
and find out how radiolabels are
used in drug discovery.
http://rsc.li/Wm0sE4
Meet the Universities
29 June (Leeds) and
6 July (London) 2013
10.00–12.30 and 13.30–16.00
If you are considering a degree
in the chemical sciences, then
this is a fantastic opportunity
for you to talk directly to staff
and students from many of the
UK's universities.
http://rsc.li/mtu
10 | The Mole | March 2013
Francesca Burgoyne from RSC ChemNet takes a look at
why you should get some work experience and how to
go about finding a placement
If you think you’d like a job that involves chemistry, it’s
a good idea to get some work experience in an industry
that uses the chemical sciences.
© the Nuffield foundation
L ook what chemistry has
done for me
14 March 2013 18:30–20:30
Cambridge
A great opportunity to learn
more from real chemists about
possible career options in
chemistry, with free buffet.
http://rsc.li/14dJUEa
So you want to be
a chemist?
Work experience can give you an insight into how
science can be used to solve some of the problems that
society faces. It’s an opportunity to find out what you
are good at, to learn new skills, to find out if a particular
job suits you and maybe put some of the chemistry
you’ve learnt into practice.
Do I really need work experience?
Even if you already know you’d like to be a chemist,
there are lots of reasons why getting work experience is
a good idea.
It puts you ahead of the game and shows that you’re
keen and committed when you’re applying for university
or your first job. If you’ve taken the time to find and
complete a work placement, then admissions tutors and
potential employers know you are serious.
Recent studies have shown that university graduates
are more likely to be employed if they already have
work experience, often because they are taken on by
the companies that gave them the placement in the first
place. Companies like to employ people they already
know they can trust.
Your application for the next stage in your career will
be stronger. Your CV will stand out, and in interviews
you will be able to talk about the skills and experience
you’ve gained. If you do well on your placement,
you should be able to get a job reference from the
organisation you work for.
So how do I get it?
First, think about what you want to get out of a placement.
What are you interested in? Do you want to get some
experience of a particular sector or industry? Do you want
to know what it’s like to work for a large company?
The internet is the best place to start when looking for
companies in particular industries, but just typing in
‘work experience chemistry’ won’t yield the best results.
It does require some digging to get a good placement,
but the payoff will be worth it.
Some places to start looking:
Family and friends – it’s all about who you know. If
you have a great aunt who happens to be the chair of a
multinational pharmaceutical company, give her a call!
Local companies – find out what chemical
companies are in your area and whether they have
work placement schemes.
Find out what other students have done – your
school careers service will be help out, or speak to
students in the years above you.
University research labs – some universities are
able to take students for short placements in their
research labs.
Try your RSC Local Section – RSC members have a
wealth of experience and it’s all connected to chemistry.
They might be able to put you in contact with someone
with a placement opportunity (http://rsc.li/14nVeP0).
Nuffield Research placements – each year the
Nuffield Foundation provides over 1000 students the
opportunity to work alongside professional scientists
across the UK (http://bit.ly/X8l43Y).
www.rsc.org/TheMole