What is a process technologist?
A process technologist is someone who understands processes, can design and/or control processes or develop new devices for the process industry. A Chemical Process Technologist can thus manage chemical processes and, in the case of HBO and academic process technologists, also design them. In the factory, the process technologist is the linchpin between management and the shop floor, in the design office between all diciplines.Process technologists also fill key roles in companies outside the factory environment. Chemistry is everywhere, which is why there are process technologists everywhere in our society.
The process technologist with VAPRO background (MBO Process Technology) is the process technologist who manages the process in the factory. As soon as there are problems, he will call in an engineer, who will then assess what needs to be done to get the process back on track. This may involve minor points of improvement to meet quality requirements. It may also involve a defect somewhere in the process, in which case the defect must be sought and, if necessary, a temporary alternative solution devised so that production can continue.
What does a process technologist do?
The tasks of a process technologist can be very different and depend, among other things, on the level of education and the direction of specialisation. As explained above, a VAPRO-trained process technologist will mainly be involved in monitoring and controlling processes. If you have completed an HBO or university education as a process technologist, you may also become involved in the development of new processes and new techniques. In addition, the subject of process engineering is incredibly broad, the profession has interfaces with chemistry, mechanical engineering, measurement and control technology and physics, but also with slightly "softer" beta subjects such as biology, food technology and "life science" (life science in the figure) or medical technology.
About process technology
When you consider the activity in the Netherlands, you quickly see companies where process technologists are active.
Food industry
Take for instance the food industry, where process technologists are employed by breweries, large dairy industries and potato flour processing, among others. The primary task of many process technologists is to control and further develop processes, as well as products. For example, did you know that chemical technologists have made it possible to develop potato chip trays that you can eat? Or that many chips are made in all kinds of weird shapes by an extrusion process? How do you determine how thick a layer of chocolate on an ice cream becomes? These are all examples related to the food industry, where process technologists figured out how to do it.
Textile industry
Clothing that breathes, we all know it but how does it work? There are membranes in such clothes that allow water to pass through only as vapour, but not as liquid. So the membranes are selective. This concept, once first patented under the tradename Goretex®, was invented by chemical technologists.
Membrane technology
But you can also use membranes for very different applications, think, for example, of Redstack's blue energy.
Cleaning industry
Ever thought about how a detergent works? The way a detergent is mixed with the dirty laundry in the washing machine, how the enzymes in the detergent penetrate the fibres to yield a clean laundry as a product at the end of the process, this is all process technology and the companies that develop detergents therefore also employ many process technologists.
Battery technology
These days, we think it is normal to have all kinds of equipment that can run for hours or even days on a battery. However, this has not always been the case and it was a chemical technologist who invented the alkaline battery. Even or even in the current era, the further development of batteries and accumulators is a very important subject that comes under the heading of process technology. As we start using electrical appliances and even cars more and more, it is also increasingly important to develop even more efficient batteries that are lighter but provide more and longer power.
Petrochemical industry
These are examples from everyday life that are based on a process technology invention. In addition to these special inventions, there are of course process technologists in the petrochemical industry and working in an oil refinery, for example in Moerdijk.
The image of the oil refinery is probably hottest in line with the image most people have of process technology and the refinery is associated with smokestacks. However, how efficient the refinery is and how important this branch is does not penetrate most people's minds. The process technology in the refinery provides the plastic bags and disposable packaging, nylon stockings, dashboards in cars, plastics in television, smartphone and shoe soles, paint on car, house, etc, and many more products, many of which have their basis in petroleum.
Sustainable future
Currently, there are also major developments under way to become less dependent on that oil. Numerous possibilities are conceivable here, for instance the production of solar cells in which chemistry plays a leading role. Pyrolysis oil, oil made by heating biological waste streams (e.g. straw, prunings, or waste from the paper industry) without allowing oxygen, may be able to meet part of the energy demand in the future, but chemicals could also be extracted from it.
How can I become a process technologist?
It has been made clear above that process technologists are needed in a lot of places in industry. But how can you actually become a process technologist? You can study process technology at MBO (VAPRO), HBO and WO.
- VAPRO courses are accessible with a VMBO diploma and are "Vakopleidingen Procestechnologie". For more information visit the VAPRO website.
- HBO courses in process technology are accessible with a HAVO diploma with profile NG/NT. See also the Links page of this website.
- University programmes in process technology are accessible with a VWO diploma with physics and mathematics B. In addition, chemistry is often recommended. Most people who study process technology have taken chemistry in secondary school. In addition, it is still possible to enter the bachelor's programme at university with a HBO propaedeutic year (intermediate diploma after the first year).
- After the bachelor's programme in chemical engineering, most students go on to master's programmes in chemical engineering. These are predominantly in English, hence the English title for these programmes. Information on university programmes can be found here.
What are the chances of getting a job as a process technologist?
According to the VNCI, the Association of the Dutch Chemical Industry, many more people will retire in the coming years than will be trained. Right now, there is already a shortage of process technologists and recent graduates have jobs almost immediately, often before they even have their diploma in their pocket!
This applies to all levels from VAPRO to University, however, the most demand is for process technologists at MBO level. It is estimated that for the entire Dutch Chemical Industry, the net outflow (people leaving the profession) of technically trained personnel is up to 3,000 per year greater than the inflow. Even if this figure were to be greatly exaggerated, there is clearly a growing shortage of process operators. For HBO+ positions, the VNCI estimates that there are about 900 fewer entrants than outflowers per year.
How does the VNCI arrive at this figure? The association has made a comprehensive study of labour mobility:
