Industry engagement forms a key part of our teaching and research activity. Each year our undergraduate and postgraduate taught students look to engage in industrial projects.
In addition, our researchers and research students can offer longer term collaborations with companies, covering a wide range of industry-relevant challenges within our key areas of research.
Companies can get involved by:
- promoting summer placements for undergraduate students
- offering individual industrial placement/project for master’s students (MEng or MSc)
- initiating a conversation around potential research collaboration (Academic staff & PhD students)
Companies we have worked with represent a wide range of sectors and industries, for example food and drink, energy, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, technology and engineering consultancies. Our previous industrial links include: Siemens Process Systems Engineering, Genesis Energies, West Fraser, Bacardi Limited, sHYp, Suntory Global Spirits, Diageo, UPM, TotalEnergies UK, Abbott Risk Consulting, SLR Consulting, Booth Welsh, Campos Consulting, Ames Goldsmith Ceimig, Chivas Brothers, Cotopaxi, GSK, INEOS, Innovatium, Arthian, Allen Associates, ScotBio, SSE Thermal, Virtual FM, Whyte and Mackay and William Grant & Sons.
Participating in our Industrial Placement Scheme
The Department of Chemical & Process Engineering (CPE) industrial placement scheme enables companies to select final year MEng students to work on a defined project at the company site for 3–6 months. Over the years, we have worked with a large number of companies, from SMEs to multinationals, to assist in addressing their technical needs. This programme is useful for organisations wishing to undertake internal projects that are critical to their success.
Why?
Benefits of participating in the placement scheme:
- Access to high-quality, motivated chemical engineering students
- Establish links with research intensive chemical engineering department
- Access University equipment, resources & expertise (consultancy & KTP)
- Flexible duration (3–6 months) to accommodate varying types of projects
- Placements can consolidate or extend work already performed in a summer internship
- Possibility of directly hiring students following a successful placement
How?
Companies interested in participating are advised to make contact with the Department. Information will then be supplied describing the project requirements, objectives, and benefits. Companies who have participated previously, will be contacted at the recruitment stage in September to discuss requirements. Project recruitment takes place between Sept-Oct, when student CVs are sent to participating companies for consideration. The company then shortlists candidates for interview which are held in Oct-Nov and can be performed at the company site, at Strathclyde, or remotely. Following interviews, an offer can be made to the student(s).
Alternatively students can find their own placement (typically via a previous internship) in which case the company can make a direct offer to the candidate, once they have understood the project requirements. This approach has the advantage that the company is familiar with the candidate and the project can consolidate or extend the work performed in a previous internship.
When?
The industrial projects start in early to mid-January every year and typically run for 3 months. However, some companies prefer a longer placement and project durations up to 6 months are possible. In the latter case, the student submits their final project report after 3 months and continues working at the company.
Project Requirements
A more detailed project description is normally developed and discussed following successful recruitment of a candidate. Projects can be quite broad in scope and include design, safety, process development or R&D. The project can be outside the domain of Chemical Engineering, provided it has sufficient technical content for the student to be able to demonstrate their engineering skills. Ideally, the project should be structured so that the student can complete a coherent body of work against defined objectives, and there should be a definable benefit for the company. If there are any questions about the suitability of a project than they can be discussed with the Department.
The student is based at the company for the entire period of the project and is supervised by the industrial supervisor. An academic supervisor is also assigned to the project, and they will be in regular contact with student and industrial supervisor to address any issues that may arise.
After the project is completed, the main deliverable is a final report, which should be of strategic benefit to the organisation. The company can request that an NDA is setup with the University.
Confidential data can be omitted from the project if required, and restrictions can be placed on the availability of the report after assessment.
It is expected that the company covers the basic living and travel costs of the student during the placement, by either a salary or stipend.
Are you within a company and looking to offer industrial projects or placements?