Abstract:

Introduction:
Chemical Engineering (Chem. Eng.) is a consolidated scientific discipline in Spain with specific programs established at the end of the 20th century. Currently a total of 36 universities have undergraduate programs in Chem. Eng. in Spain. This field is essential to face the challenges of the 21st century, but at the same time a stagnation and even a decrease in the number of students enrolled in Chem. Eng. programs in Spain is observed.

Objective:
In this paper, an analysis of the current situation of Chem. Eng. (as a profession and in education) is carried out, presenting the case of Universidad de La Laguna.

Discussion:
Traditionally, Chem. Eng. has had a high employability, and a wide scope of professional opportunities. In a recent study (CEU, 2023), it has been revealed that programs on Chem. Eng. and Environ. Eng. are among the 15 degrees with the lowest unemployment rate, at 2.8%. Likewise, this study (CEU, 2023) has pointed out that one of the booming occupations in the future will be engineers in industrial and environ. chemistry. However, here a relevant concern turns up: in the last 5 years a reduction of graduates (14.6%) in Chem. Eng. has occurred in Spain (CEU, 2023).
This decreasing trend in Chem. Eng. graduates has been seen in Europe since the last years of the 20th century. One of the reasons suggested for this reduction is that students now find degrees in social sciences and health sciences more attractive than sciences and engineering.
In Universidad de La Laguna, the number of students enrolling in the Chem. Eng. program as their first option is significantly low (usually below 30). Anyway, the number of Chem. Eng. graduates is increasing in last years, although a cyclical trend is observed, that has already found in other universities (Russell Rhinehart, 2001).
Apart from this declining interest of students for science and technology in the international context, in Spain there is another reason for this low number of students in Chem. Eng. programs. Traditionally in Spain, Chem. Eng. has had a low visibility in society for two main reasons: 1) the very recent implementation of specific Chem. Eng. programs (last decade of XXth century), and (2) the absence of Chem. Eng. as a discipline in the curriculum of Secondary Education. For example, in subjects Technology (compulsory) and Industrial Technology (elective) all main fields of engineering are included (Electrical, Mechanical, Computing, …) except Chem. Eng. It is still common for some people the consideration of Chem. Eng. as a branch of Chemistry.
In order to overcome these limitations, different actions must be set up in order to attract young people to Chem. Eng. Among these are: to disseminate information programs for students and teachers, to include Chem. Eng. in the curriculum of Secondary Education, and to promote the collaboration of universities with industrial companies to offer internships for students during their studies.

References:
[1] CEU (2023) Jóvenes univ. y empleabilidad. Cualificación, profesiones en auge y transición lab. Randstad Res., CEU
[2] Russell Rhinehart, R. (2001) An analysis of enrollment cycling in ChE. Chem. Eng. Ed., Dec., 50-57

Keywords:

Chemical engineering, professional demand, graduates, enrollment, training program.