Cleo Parker

Graduate Process Engineer, bp

Tell us about your current job. Describe what you do on a typical day.

As a Graduate Process & Process Safety Engineer at bp, I have rotated between three different roles so far, all with a focus on front line operations in the North Sea. Having been based both onshore in the office and offshore at site, my average day can include anything from working with other engineers on emergent scopes and designing long-term solutions, to walking around the platform offshore to aid safe operations – every day is different!

What were the best things about your course?

The course gave me the chance to explore many different facets of chemical engineering including healthcare, energy and formulation, letting me discover what I was passionate about - something super important for someone who came into the degree with no idea what I wanted to do afterwards! The lecturers were incredibly supportive and approachable too, always happy to make time to explain something in more detail.

Another key part of chemical engineering at UoB is BUCES, the chemical engineering society. Run by students, they do an incredible job of making the course fun, sociable and like one big family. While at uni, events by BUCES allowed me to make friends across all different years of the course and really contributed to the welcoming atmosphere.

What skills from your degree do you think you use most in your current job?

Problem solving is definitely up there as my most used skill along with communication! Being able to design a technical solution AND present it to an audience with varying levels of understanding, is a key skill in industry. University also taught me about working independently, not giving up on a tough problem and of course Bernoulli's Equation.

What are your top tips for securing a job in the United Kingdom or your home country?

1. Learn how to format interview answers in a STARS technique! This is a great way to describe your experiences in a concise, action focused manner. 
2. Research some smaller companies in your area of interest and try reaching out to them for work experience/knowledge on their application processes. Big companies are often massively over-subscribed in applications so you may have a little more luck with a company people are less familiar with.
3. Properly research the company before an interview. Understanding their values, key industry contributions and type of work goes a long way to showing the interviewers how you would fit in.

How has your career developed since graduating from the University of Birmingham? Did you need to take additional training on top of your degree?

I'm currently on the bp graduate programme so still quite early on in my career. However, despite it only being a few years since I graduated, my confidence applying university knowledge to industry problems and working in a professional setting has grown massively. I've also been able to develop a much better picture of where I want to go and how I might get there.

There has been some additional training I have needed to take but it has been very specific to my industry (not every chemical engineer needs to learn how to escape a helicopter!). For the most part, my degree did a great job of preparing me for the work I do now.

What advice would you give to current and prospective students looking to work in your sector?

Try your best to get some kind of relevant work experience (easier said than done I know!) and knowledge about the industry. That could be through attending industry talks, going on site visits, internships, spring weeks or taking a placement year. 

You could also reach out to someone on LinkedIn or attend an industry networking session to learn more. The IChemE host lots of events specifically for chemical engineers to network, so you could go along to one of these and meet people who do the job you're interested in.

What advice would you give to current students studying on your degree programme?

Never be afraid to ask questions! Whether you are stuck with something or just curious, one of my favourite parts of studying chemical engineering at UoB was how helpful the lecturers were. Also, make the most of events like Frank Morton, Industrial Dinner and Winter Ball!

What would you recommend students should do at University, over and above their academic study, to make them more employable in the graduate market?

Get involved with extra curriculars! Not only were they a great way for me to meet new people, they hugely developed my communication, leadership and team-working skills. It meant at interviews, I had lots of great examples I could pull on outside of my degree and also showed that I wasn't afraid to try new things.

Did you take advantage of support services offered by the University, for example Careers Network and Wellbeing, and if so what impact did they have on you?

I absolutely used the Careers Network when preparing for job interviews, especially the CV checker, which helped me represent my experiences in the best way.

What are your fondest memories of the University, and what would you say to anyone currently considering studying at Birmingham?

Summer picnics on the Green Heart, dancing the night away on Broad Street, making pancakes with my housemates... so so so many memories! University was a wonderful four years of my life (even with COVID in the middle) and I'm so grateful for all of the happy moments it gave me - I wouldn't change a thing.

If you're considering Birmingham, go along to an Open Day and see if it's for you. It has incredible facilities, great lecturers and strong industry links so all that's left to figure out is if it feels like home.

What extracurricular activities did you get involved in as a student?

University was a chance for me to try new things and I loved the connections I built through the communities. During my four years I was a part of:
- Birmingham University Chemical Engineering Society (BUCES)
- Engineers Without Borders - UoB Chapter (Chapter President 2020-23)
- Badminton Social Club
- Archery Team
- Chemical Engineering Student Rep (2021-2023)

I also took on jobs as a Student Ambassador for my department and a Routes 2 Professions Mentor, both great roles where I got to make some money while also developing my communication skills.

Please tell us about your experience studying and living away from home.

The freedom of being away from home was exciting (with the added security that home was just a train ride away). It allowed me to gain independence, grow my confidence and form connections with people from all over the world. I also got the chance to explore a whole new city - learning the best place for a Sunday brunch, my favourite study cafes and where to celebrate after a uni exam!

Why did you originally apply to Birmingham?

I came to a University of Birmingham Open Day not really sure what to think and left knowing it was going to be my top choice! I loved how green the campus was, the dedicated chemical engineering building and the Vale accommodation, but what really sold it was the people. Everyone I spoke to was so friendly and it was the first place I had actively seen lecturers joking/chatting with the current students. It felt like a place I would be supported to do my best and that was absolutely true.