<p>According to BLS:
Chemical engineers are expected to have an employment decline of 2 percent over the projections decade. Overall employment in the chemical manufacturing industry is expected to continue to decline, although chemical companies will continue to employ chemical engineers to research and develop new chemicals and more efficient processes to increase output of existing chemicals. However, there will be employment growth for chemical engineers in service-providing industries, such as professional, scientific, and technical services, particularly for research in energy and the developing fields of biotechnology and nanotechnology. </p>
<p>I don’t understand it either. Maybe they put the bulk of the need for greener energy under the employment outlook of another career.</p>
<p>Thats interesting actually, I’m most interested in green chemE and nanotechnology. I guess the thing that fascinates me the most about it is that these people can literally change the world, and its a subject constantly developing. I read an article about one engineer that invented a type of plastic that was better suitable for computer chips, sold it to intel, and made loads of money, and people use the product of his research every day. </p>
<p>another thing I find fascinating is genetic engineering and genetic modification. I heard thats becoming more popular but its kind of new and unstable at the moment. That probably has nothing to do with chemistry and I figure its more bio/microbio based but its really an interesting subject. </p>
<p>I feel like another interesting chem specialization would be forensic chemistry, but I think they dont make nearly as much as pharmacists or engineers. Once again, i would just hate to be doing the same thing everyday, I get bored so easily. I need a career with projects to do cause my ADHD (i actually am diagnosed) would kill me if I had to do the same thing, over, and over again</p>
<p>Employee numbers in the chemical industry are in decline. And an aging population will pose challenges</p>
<p>DESPITE THE outcry by management for more qualified personnel, employment levels in the chemical industries of North America and Europe continue to decline as companies strive for higher productivity - particularly in the face of an economic slowdown.</p>
<p>[Chemical</a> industry employment levels continue to decline in the US and Europe](<a href=“ICIS Login”>ICIS Login)</p>
<p>Also, another article I posted a few weeks ago in another thread found that there are 250,000 fewer people employed in the chemical industry today than in 1990 since most new chmeical plants are built abroad. I can’t find the article right now.</p>
I cannot (or will not) speak for fields outside of engineering, but ABET places enrollment caps on many engineering majors, and as a result many schools prohibit transfers into those majors. At Penn State at least, ChemE is one of those majors - you get one (1) chance to enroll in the major at the end of your sophomore year, and if you miss it you never get another.</p>