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The chemical industry takes raw materials and using chemical processes produces products that support our daily lives; for example plastic drink bottles are made from polymers which are a chemical product. Petrol is another product of a chemical process.
By using science and new technologies bioscience allows business to continually research and develop new and innovative ways of improving medicines, veterinary products, plants, food and the environment.
The chemical industry in the UK has sales of £34 billion. It is one of the largest manufacturing industries in the UK.
Approximately 240,000 people are employed in the manufacture of chemical ingredients. These ‘ingredients’ are then used in the production of a wide range of products, for example: medicines, soaps, toiletries, cleaning products for homes and hospitals, dyes and man made fibres for our clothes, paints and plastics.
It is estimated that each UK household spends around £30 a week on chemicals.
100 big chemical and refining companies operate in the Humber area accounting for just over 10% of the UK chemical industry. In the Humber the chemical industry spans petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals manufacturing, pigments and engineering services and there is a growing concentration of new bio-mass, bio-energy and bio-fuels industries.
The chemical industry employs 10,000 people in the Humber area. The concentration of chemical industries in the area also means there is a need for well skilled engineers to work on the chemical plants and oil refineries, to make sure they can continue to run 24/7, 52 weeks of the year.
Many businesses within this sector have older workers, which means there will be a need to recruit younger people over the next 10 years.
The planned development of the south humber bank (northern Lincolnshire) will open up large areas of land along the Humber estuary. Some of this development will be chemical related and there are likely to be new jobs created, not only in the chemical sector but also engineering and construction as new plant is built.
New recruits to the industry need to be well skilled and have a good knowledge and understanding of technology. A range of GSCEs including Maths, English and Science with good grades are required. It will also help to have good IT, communication and interpersonal skills.
Salary info: starting around £20,000
Salary info: £12,000
Salary info: starting around £18,000
Salary info: £18,000
Salary info: starting around £16,000
