Emerging Job Opportunities For Polymer Engineers

We all live in a world wherein plastic is present in every walk of life. Plastics and rubber, together with adhesives, resin and fibers form a group of materials with special properties, called polymers. Polymer (plastics and rubbers) play a large part in shaping the look and feel of today’s world. Polymer engineering is generally a branch of engineering that designs, analyses, and/or modifies polymer materials for aiding the manufacture of articles from polymers. Polymer Engineering uses the theory and knowledge of chemical engineering to solve various problems involving the production and use of polymers. Polymer engineers use the principles of plant design, process design, thermodynamics, and transport phenomena to develop new products. Polymer engineering covers aspects of petrochemical industry, polymerization, structure and characterization of polymers, properties of polymers, compounding and processing of polymers and description of major polymers, their structure, property relations and applications.

Eligibility

To pursue a career in polymer engineering one must opt for chemistry, physics and mathematics at 10+2 level. B.E./B.Tech in polymer engineering is the basic qualification required to be in this field. Degree and postgraduate degree courses are offered by the engineering colleges and Institutes of Technology (IITs), and diploma courses by various polytechnics. Admission for B.E./B.Tech is made on the basis of entrance examination (joint entrance exam / JEE for the IIT’s and separate state level and national level exams for other institutions).

Job Prospects

As polymer industry is a rapidly growing sector, those with knowledge and understanding of a broad range of principles and technologies of manufacture of products from polymer is required. This has increased the demand for qualified personnel in this field. Polymer plays a vital role in our lives because of its uniqueness in properties and extended application in industries, packaging, sports, medicine, perfumes and preservatives, plastics, fuels, toys etc. In all these areas experienced work force who have detailed practical knowledge about polymers and their application is employed. Plastics are also used in the manufacture of Prosthetic devices and surgical equipments. The diversity of use is growing day by day. Hence training in this sector offers good employability both in India and abroad. Due to the excessive use of polymers in today’s world, waste management has emerged as a distinct field of work. This too has created job opportunities for polymer engineers. Polymer engineers are involved in research and development, processing, quality control, technical support and sales, design and manufacture of moulds, training, management and related activities.

Remuneration

Working experience, qualification, skills are important factors in determining the pay level. The starting salary of Polymer Engineer in public sector ranges from Rs.10000 to Rs.15 000 per month. In the private sector, the starting remuneration can be in the range of Rs.9000 to Rs.12000 per month whereas for those with an M.Tech degree can earn as high as Rs.15000 to Rs.20000 per month at the starting level. Senior Polymer engineers/scientists with more than five years of working experience can earn anywhere in between Rs. 35,000 to Rs. 80,000 per month.

Institutes

*          Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology, Chennai, 044-2225 4780

*          Birla Institute of Technology, Jharkhand, 0651-2275444

*          Delhi Technological University, New Delhi,  011-2781018

*          Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi, 011-26582222

*          Cochin University: The Department of Polymer Science and Rubber Technology, Kochi, 0484-2577159

Growing Career For Cartoonists

Cartoons can be drawn with pen and ink, pencil, or charcoal. Cartoonists begin their comic strip by sketching drawings in pencil, finishing the final drawings with pen and ink. Comic strips show character’s thoughts above or around the characters’ heads in the shape of balloons or bubbles. Some cartoons feature the words below the comic picture. Almost all visual media features cartoon art. Cartoonists use a number of techniques when creating a single cartoon or cartoon strip. Cartoonists provide their unique style and take on a cartoon character they create, providing artwork and storyline for the comic. Comic strips require not only artwork for characters and settings, but the development of characters that appear in the comic strip. Cartoonists may use an exaggerated art style to develop interesting characters, much like animators for movies. Cartoonists draw comic series for newspapers, advertising, social, political, and sports cartoons. Cartoonists may pair up with another cartoonist, working with someone who creates idea or storylines and write captions, while the artist draws the cartoon. Cartoonists communicate their ideas through a combination of pictures and words, using their work to instruct and guide, tell stories, or offer commentary on society and life.

Course Areas

There are no colleges or schools for cartoonists. Most cartoonists come from art colleges and polytechnic institutes while some learn the craft on their own. The Indian Institute of Cartooning in Bangalore only holds diverse cartooning contests for budding cartoonists. Most established cartoonists are of the view that no institute can teach one to make a cartoon. A degree in fine arts, strong sense of humor, and ability to see humor in everyday living can help you in becoming a cartoonist.

Career Options

The career prospects for the cartoonist continue to grow. Besides working in a newspaper organisation, cartoonists have a host of options. He or she can pick up work as an illustrator in publishing houses. Textbooks also require cartoons to provide some refreshing relief or illustrate a point. Another major area which has opened up a big avenue for cartoonists is animation films. Animation films require cartoonists and hire their services for a good pay-packet. Lot of Indian firms produce raw material for foreign animation films. Besides, there are cartoon networks channels and multi-media firms that hire cartoonists from time to time.

Cartoonist Job Duties:

* Develops personal ideas for comic strips and comic characters, reads written material to develop ideas.

* Discusses ideas for comic strips with editor or publisher’s representative.

* Creates and prepares sketches of characters, providing details from memory or reference material.

*Sketches and submits cartoon for approval.

Remuneration

Salaries for cartoonists vary upon their level of responsibility, experience, training and the industry in which they work. Starting salary for freshers is about 12,000 to 15,000. With experience and ability salary increases. On an average the salaries of the candidates for the job of cartoonists vary between 1, 25,000 to 3,00,000 per month.

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