Odysseas Petrou

Process Engineer, KBR

Tell us about your career journey so far.

Following the end of my studies I was perplexed with what is to come. Chemical Engineering opens the door to many industries, yet I didn’t know which one to choose. Initially I found myself working as a Production and QA Engineer at a brewery in Cyprus, where a lot of my non-technical skills were tested and honed. I later journeyed to Dublin to work as a Process Engineer for the biotech industry at a major contact lenses manufacturing facility. The road has now led me back to England accepting an offer from KBR as a Process Engineer on their flagship EPC LNG project. I’ve returned to the fundamentals of Chemical Engineering tapping into all the knowledge I was once taught. From making my own hydraulic calculations to building complex simulations on HYSYS, a career in Chemical Engineering is full of challenging surprises.

How do you feel your degree helped you get a job after graduation?

What proved extremely valuable to me were the design projects. They were a great gateway into understanding all the necessary steps needed for a project to be successful, testing both technical knowledge and interpersonal team dynamics. Those experiences were what drove me into pursuing my current career.

What advice would you give to new Chemical Engineers?

Don’t rush, take your time to understand the problem you are dealing with but don’t hesitate to ask for help if you are stuck. You will be working in teams of experienced engineers, utilise that for your own growth.