u/Outrageous-Bet-886

I’m heading into my last semester this fall in Chemical Engineering at a local state school and I honestly thought by this point I’d have a better idea of what I wanted to do career wise. Somehow I feel even more confused now than I did earlier in my degree.

By the time I graduate, I’ll have about 24 months of internship experience completed. I’ve worked in process and manufacturing roles at two different companies for 4 months each. Both roles were okay in my opinion but the work felt pretty mundane. A lot of it was things P&ID redlining and general support work on SOP's and MOC's. Since both placements were short, I also feel like I never really got the chance to get into the more technical side of process engineering.

Most of my experience has actually been closer to Civil Engineering. I’m currently working as a Field Engineering Student for a civil engineering firm doing QC and inspections and I also did similar work for another company previously for an extended period of time as-well. So even though I’m in chemical engineering, I have a lot more experience in the civil/environmental side of things.

I also took an environmental engineering course on contamination and remediation and I found it somewhat interesting. Because of my civil-related experience, I’ve been thinking about maybe pivoting toward a career in Remediation since it might be an easier field for me to break into. At the same time, I’m not sure if I’m considering it because I actually like it, or just because it feels like the path of least resistance.

My biggest worry is that my process engineering knowledge feels really weak. I’ve finished my Capstone 1 course, but I still feel like school only scratched the surface of what I’d actually need to know in industry. I’m decent at studying and getting through classes, but I don’t actually feel technically strong, especially when it comes to process engineering. I’m honestly worried I’d struggle in technical interviews or end up not being able to compete.

For those of you working in industry

1. What do employers actually look for in new grads? Do they expect strong technical knowledge right away, or more of a willingness to learn?
2. How did you figure out what industry or career path you actually wanted to pursue?

Friedman - A quick blog on Mike Babcock and the Oilers:

It’s real. They are considering it. According to several sources, Babcock has spoken directly with owner Daryl Katz.

According to those same sources, Babcock has met with or spoken to several members of the team’s leadership group. Whatever happened in those meeting(s) was enough to get the players on-board with the idea.

It fits with what he’s been whispered about the Oilers since their first-round elimination to Anaheim: that even their core agrees they need a firmer hand on the rudder.

However, this is a unique situation.

In 2023, Babcock resigned as coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets before the season began after being accused of invading players’ privacy by looking at their phones. For that reason, it is believed the NHLPA objected to the possibility of the hire once information became available to them.

The hire has also not been formalized with the NHL, which would also have to sign off. And, at this point, that has not occurred.

So we are in a bit of a holding pattern. The interest is real, but hurdles remain.

The Atlantic Division next year might have the most pressure I’ve ever seen on a single division.

Not because all 8 teams will be good per se, but because every team has a compelling reason why missing the playoffs would be a massive failure.

From Detroit potentially deciding it’s time to blow it up (Larkin situation or not), to the Brady Tkachuk conversations inevitably reigniting in Ottawa. Boston would have to confront the reality that Pastrňák and McAvoy aren’t getting any younger and whether the current path is still viable. Toronto would immediately be staring down another summer of questions about the possibility of Matthews eventually reconsidering his future. Tampa Bay might finally have to look in the mirror and admit that the era is over.

That means at best three organizations could be having franchise altering conversations a year from now, not because they were terrible (well maybe), but simply because there aren’t enough playoff spots to go around.