Is it possible to switch from a chemical engineering major to HVAC?
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I graduated from a second-tier university with a degree in chemical engineering, and I have always wanted to work in the field of design. Although I wasn’t the best student at school, I was competent enough in my major. For personal reasons, I worked in a chemical plant for a year; I performed exceptionally well there, meeting the requirements of my job responsibilities. My mentor also hoped that I would pursue a career in this area, and after hearing about my performance at the plant, he advised me to quit my job. Considering both the factors related to the company and my own situation, I decided to leave my job right away； After that, I applied for several jobs related to design, but I didn’t receive any responses, which made me feel very disappointed. So I applied to a company in the HVAC industry. I wonder if other people in this community have had similar experiences; what do you think of this path?
Your mentor is also an immature person with only a superficial understanding of the industry; it’s irresponsible of him to advise you to quit before helping you find a new job. Unless he can assist you in finding a new employer, things are tough in the chemical industry right now – there are very few design firms hiring people. Either you need a diploma with sufficient value or enough industry experience; otherwise, it’s difficult to find a suitable position in chemical engineering design. I’m not too familiar with the HVAC industry either. A few years ago, due to the boom in the construction sector, HVAC specialists held high positions in design firms, but now that the construction industry is in poor shape, it’s unclear whether this field will continue to thrive. In fact, much of the work in design firms involves simply drawing diagrams and filling out forms; of course, if you put in enough effort, you can do those tasks at a very high level of quality
It can’t be blamed on the teacher either; after all, the decision lies with me； Also, thank you for your answer. The conditions in the chemical and construction industries are indeed poor; at least compared to each other, it seems there are fewer chemical projects than construction projects. Currently, the chemical industry faces not only market challenges but also issues related to safety and environmental protection, with many activities in this sector being banned.
It can’t be blamed on the teacher either; after all, the decision lies with me； Also, thank you for your answer. The conditions in the chemical and construction industries are indeed poor; at least compared to each other, it seems there are fewer chemical projects than construction projects. Currently, the chemical industry faces not only market challenges but also issues related to safety and environmental protection, with many activities in this sector being banned.
If you have a solid foundation, it’s no problem to transition from chemical engineering to HVAC; HVAC is essentially a branch of chemical engineering, with its core principles being the Carnot cycle, heat conduction, and fluid dynamics. If you don’t have the basic skills in this area or aren’t interested in continuing to learn about it, then don’t consider changing careers; you won’t be able to work in that field, and you won’t be happy if you can’t do it professionally!
In such circumstances, the original poster still dares to quit his job without a new one in hand. It’s not meant to be discouraging, but given the poster’s education and work experience, it’s almost impossible for him to get a job at a design firm under current conditions. Switching to the HVAC industry means having little connection to the chemical industry anymore; it’s as if he has to start from scratch. In that case, it would be better for him to attend some training and switch to coding instead. Since it’s still a change of career, why not choose one with a brighter future?
In such circumstances, the original poster still dares to quit his job without a new one in hand. It’s not meant to be discouraging, but given the poster’s education and work experience, it’s almost impossible for him to get a job at a design firm under current conditions. Switching to the HVAC industry means having little connection to the chemical industry anymore; it’s as if he has to start from scratch. In that case, it would be better for him to attend some training and switch to coding instead. Since it’s still a change of career, why not choose one with a brighter future?
From a professional perspective, it should be fine to switch from the chemical industry to HVAC, as there are many similarities between the two fields. However, the current situation isn’t very good. I hope the original poster can find a better job; after all, projects are essential – whether working in the chemical industry or HVAC, it is only through actual projects that one can truly learn something valuable.