“Becoming an excellent process engineer – being an engineer is just the starting point, not the end goal

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As requested, let me introduce myself first. 1. What is your field of study and area of work? Major in chemical engineering processes; currently working in the oil industry in a technical role. 2. What knowledge and skills do you think are necessary? The knowledge required is the basic process knowledge that is standard in your organization, along with relevant skills in project management. Take the opportunity to visit similar companies and those in the same industry often, and maintain a mindset of continuous learning. 3. What are the books that need to be read regularly, and what are the standards that must be met? I often read books on standard specifications; I must master GB50160, GB50016, and SH3007. Although one may not necessarily master the rest, in case of any problems, one should know right away where to look for information and how to do it. 4. Could you share your journey of growth? Actually, I’m Lao Haichuan. I saw that it’s been 10 years since registration. What I want to say is simply a summary of my own experiences as a technician since I started working. Some of what I have to say might seem too materialistic, but I just want to tell those who have recently started working that this is how society works. If you think what I said is correct, you can reply to this post to show your support. I’m not doing this for HaiChuan coins either; with my current privileges and wealth, I can still do many things. It’s just that I have an affection for this forum, and I like talented people. After graduating, I entered the petrochemical industry and was assigned to work on shift in one of the company’s workshops; to be honest, I felt a bit disappointed at that time. When I arrived, the staffing structure in the workshop had already been determined, so I started working as an operator. I’m not disappointed because I have to work shifts; rather, the tasks involved in those shifts consist mainly of cleaning and painting, etc., and they have nothing to do with my field of study. Later, after thinking for a long time, I finally adjusted my mindset. Since my major is relevant to this field, I should make the most of it; I believe that gold will always shine. Back then, if I didn’t do cleaning, I would spend time in the outdoor study room reading \"Organic Chemistry\" and \"Principles of Chemical Engineering\", studying more diligently than I did in class. Later, I submitted a rationalization proposal to the company (along with some calculation formulas), and it was accepted. About a month later, I was transferred to work in the company’s technical department. Here, the scope of my responsibilities expanded. At first I was in charge of process management, and as the company continued to expand its projects, I shifted to overseeing the technical aspects of project implementation, a role I have held ever since. As for job titles and professional ranks, they come about naturally as things progress. What I want to say to everyone is that first, you need to acquire certain technical skills, so that you can handle subsequent tasks with ease. Above, I briefly introduced my experiences. So, is it enough to have strong capabilities? The answer is definitely no. With solid examples, you may only manage to keep your position as an engineer – is that your endpoint? I believe 99% of people will answer no. That’s right, this is just the beginning. To achieve better development, you also need to work on your emotional intelligence. There is a famous saying in the United States: IQ determines employment, while EQ determines advancement. There’s no need to talk about IQ; I’d like to discuss emotional intelligence in detail. When many people talk about emotional intelligence, they often think it’s about flattery and insincerity; as a gentleman, I disdain such things. Then you belong to the type described by Confucius as a \"gentleman who remains steadfast in adversity.\" In this materialistic society, we must be strong, because besides you, your parents and children all need you, and they even need your salary. Emotional intelligence is a broad concept; what’s truly important are one’s character, integrity, self-control, and judgment – what can be described as maintaining composure in facing major challenges. When faced with a situation, don’t act impulsively; first consider the potential impacts of that situation before taking action. Because in the corporate world and society, things are no longer as simple as they were in student days; the initiation of a project is often the result of interactions among various parties. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct thorough research before taking action, to understand the needs and attitudes of all relevant stakeholders, rather than acting blindly. The second is to maintain a positive mindset; a poor mindset not only makes one prone to impatience but also disrupts one’s composure. Let me give an example as well: for instance, a colleague who started working with you might be the child of an official or a wealthy family member, or perhaps a relative or friend of a manager, and so on. What should you do when you see someone rising rapidly and achieving success? Could there be envy, jealousy, and hatred? Sure it will. The answer I give you is to get rid of the jealousy and hatred behind it, and keep the envy as motivation to strive. Don’t look down on this colleague because of this; instead, maintain a good relationship with them. You wonder, why was he able to become a son of an official? Answer: Because his father was an official of that generation. Then I’ll ask you again, how did his father’s position come about in his family? It might be because of his grandfather, great-grandfather, and so on. Well, I want you to remember that in their family, there is always a generation that starts from scratch. Instead of feeling envy and resentment, it’s better for you to start working hard and striving for success right from now, so that your son or grandson can become the \"second generation\" that others will envy. The third is to choose the right person to follow and take a side! Take a side! Standing in the right place leads to rapid success, while standing in the wrong place results in a steep decline. I’d like to share a famous saying with you as well: “There are four aspects to life: first, one must be capable oneself; second, someone else must say that one is capable; third, the person who says so must be capable themselves; fourth, one’s health must be good.” See, being capable is just the first step; the second step is to show that capability. But just showing it isn’t enough – it’s essential to get your supervisors to say that you’re capable. That’s what’s most important. It’s fine if your 100 colleagues say you’re good, but it’s better if the general manager and deputy general managers say you’re outstanding. In simple terms, it means having the right leader by your side; only with a leader who speaks on your behalf can you achieve progress. The last one is to exercise; the body is the capital of revolution. In fact, leaders still prefer to use capable people, that is, those with skills. The leader wants to give you another chance, but you’re not capable of handling it; given an opportunity, you often embarrass the leader. Leading once can be forgiven; leading twice can also be forgiven. If it happens too often, the leader will also end up in an awkward position, which eventually leads to them distancing themselves from you. I hope everyone won’t just focus on studying hard; instead, they should read more books on management and classic works when they get home. Putting down their phones can serve as a form of rest, and it allows them to set good examples for their children while also cultivating their own tastes and those of their partners. Such books are much more interesting than those filled with dry professional knowledge. The key to learning knowledge from books is the concept of \"comprehension\". Finally, I would like to say that experience is a good thing, but one must avoid empiricism. Because society is developing, and standards and norms are being updated. At work, I really dislike it when people come to me and ask about how things used to be done, or what the previous experience was, and so on. When working, everything must be documented and governed by rules. If you have the ability, take the exams for certified credentials while you’re still young; that’s the hardware aspect, while what I mentioned earlier refers to the software aspects.