Does the chemical industry get sufficient coverage at post 16 level?

Chemistry A level provides an excellent start for those wishing to pursue a career in science but sadly there is not much time to give a good flavour of the chemical industry. Degrees and careers in disciplines not covered at school do need to be introduced to students - it is difficult for them to ask about choices they are not even aware of!

The chemical industry and its service industries in the wider economy account for about 20% of the UK GDP. It is definitely worth telling studentsabout this industry as this is where the jobs are!

A good introduction to the industry is the CIEC flagship post-16 site The Essential Chemical Industry

 

In The Essential Chemical Industry - Online, there are 76 units which describe key aspects of the chemical industry in a concise way.  They are designed so that you can ‘dip in’ to them to retrieve the information you need.
Although the units are self-contained, you will find that throughout this web site there are cross-references to material in other units, which is easily obtained by the designated hyperlinks.  There is also a facility  which allows you to search the whole site.  These two approaches will help you to follow up related topics and to explore more widely.
75 of the units are presented in five thematic groups:

1. Industrial processes
2. Materials and applications
3. Basic chemical
4. Polymers
5. Metals

These are preceded by an Introduction to the Chemical Industry.  This is an overview of the current state of the chemical industry worldwide and is divided into 10 main sections:

• Introduction
• What does the chemical industry produce?
• How does the chemical industry compare with other industries?
• What is the value of the chemical industry geographically?
• How large are the world’s chemical companies?
• Where are the chemical sites located and why?
• The minerals industry
• Research and Development (R&D)
• The chemical industry: how safe and how environmentally regulated?
• What are the challenges for the chemical industry today?