Reaping the benefits of a degree in Chemical Engineering
As a high school student, Sarah Vandaiyar (Class of 2009) enjoyed her chemistry and math classes and thought a degree in Chemical Engineering was a great mix of those two disciplines.
To this day, Vandaiyar continues to reap the benefits of her decision to pursue a degree in Chemical Engineering at the University of Waterloo. She feels that her experience as an undergraduate student in the Department of Chemical Engineering prepared her for professional life.
“I think we definitely get some of the best training because I know that the rigor of the courses and the caliber of professors is unmatched,” says Vandaiyar. “You see that once you come out into the world and you're working on different projects. I think the Chemical Engineering and the co-op programs at the University of Waterloo are unparalleled by any other program.”
Vandaiyar did a variety of co-op jobs during her undergraduate degree. She did co-op work terms with SNC Lavalin, Unilever, Suncor, and at a research lab in Ottawa. She felt it was exciting to be able to travel to different parts of Canada and work in various industries.
Vandaiyar had taken a co-op term working in the oil and gas industry in Alberta. When she graduated, she received a job offer from the same company. The hiring manager was also a University of Waterloo graduate. He understood the co-op program and wanted to provide Vandaiyar with the same opportunity that he had been given when he started in the workforce.
“I think the co-op program is probably one of the best opportunities an undergrad can have,” says Vandaiyar. “It gives you real-world experience, teaches you how to interact with people in the workplace and gives you great connections for after you graduate.”
For Vandaiyar, an unexpected perk of doing her BASc in Chemical Engineering was that she got to study and collaborate with highly intelligent people. The program entrance is fiercely competitive, bringing forward the best in the field.
“I graduated at the top of my class in high school, but so did everybody else that came into the Chemical Engineering Program,” says Vandaiyar.
Since she graduated, she’s held a variety of positions in different industries. She started as a process engineer in a technical role. Her next job was a project engineering role where she managed technical stakeholders and subject matter experts. She feels that the skill set that students build as Chemical Engineers can be applied to many different industries.
In the past five years, Vandaiyar pivoted to a strategy-focused business role, examining market trends. She finished an MBA and is now enjoying a new role in which she evaluates new technologies that are on the cutting edge of modern industry.