I guess like a lot of people I first found out about the RSC whilst at university finishing my MChem in the late nineties. At that time I was primarily focused on getting help finding a job after university and I saw Chemistry in Britain (as it was then) as the perfect way to do this. CChem wasn’t even on my radar. I knew it was there but seemed unachievable at that time. Luckily for me I managed to get a job at Pfizer in Sandwich and stayed there until 2011 when the site closure was announced. I continued with my RSC membership throughout that time and at some point realised that CChem was available to me if I put the work in to get it. I managed to go through the process with not too much difficulty and a little bit of help and guidance from the RSC. In addition to purely getting CChem and the letters after my name the process gave me a better appreciation of CPD and helped me to realise how much I had achieved during my years at Pfizer. Until I actually put things down on paper and took the time to reflect, my own perception was that I had been simply working in the lab, helping a few people out and that was it. It’s amazing how much you can overlook until you sit down and think about it.
It was not until the Pfizer site closure that I realised the full value of the CChem process and CPD in general. It gave me a head start in helping write a CV (which I hadn’t done for 13 years). It helped shape what type of jobs I applied for. Externally I also hope it proved I was a professional chemist with multiple transferable skills which many employers look for. With all of this in hand I found my current job (working at the RSC by chance!). All the CPD I had done made me realise I really enjoyed the academic liaison side of my job at Pfizer, and hence applying for positions similar to what I have ended up doing at the RSC – I spend a lot of my time visiting universities internationally to talk about accreditation of their degree courses. The other aspect I enjoyed the most was the hands on lab work, and although I no longer do this I do miss it. However, the added academic liaison I do now more than makes up for this loss. I still maintain CPD and record it every now and then because my career experiences tell me that this is important and because this is now a requirement for maintaining CChem.
I thoroughly recommend CChem and CPD to anyone who does not already do this. It definitely does help with career progression and sets you in a good position for any unforeseen events in your career.
