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. 
 
more...