Career in Plastic Engineering/Technology

Introduction: 

Plastic is a polymer of hydrocarbon monomers and is used frequently in everyday life as polythene bags, containers, appliances, toothbrushes, combs etc. Imagine your life without toothbrush, mobile phone, refrigerator, comb, bucket, camera, desk and chair etc. 

Now this is largely use due to just a few reasons. They can be easily molded into a wide range of products and they offer benefits that other materials do not. Plastic has become a part of our everyday life. It has brought luxury and convenience in our life. There has been a consistent rise in the demand of plastic due to its low price, versatility, variety and durability. 

You may think that plastic is just plastic, but there are actually about more than fifty different families of plastics. In addition, each of these families can be made with hundreds of different variations. By changing different molecular factors of the plastic, they can be made with different properties, including flexibility, transparency, durability and more. 

Today after steel, plastic is the most widely used material. Plastic is increasingly being used as a substitute to materials like rubber, wood, glass and paper in packaging industry and metals in other industries & the plastic is playing a significant role in the growth and development of key sector of the economy such as agriculture, packaging for processed foods, telecommunications and information technology sector. 

So making a career in Plastic Technology or Plastic Engineering is perhaps a right option as the Indian plastic industry is offering enormous opportunities for growth. 

Courses & Eligibility: 

Courses offered under Plastic Engineering/Technology are 

• Diploma & Post Graduate Diploma 

• BE Polymer Science and Chemical Technology 

• BE Polymer Technology 

• B.Tech Polymer Science and Technology 

• ME Polymer Technology 

• M.Tech Polymer Science and Technology 

• PhD Polymer Science and Technology 

The eligibility criterion for admissions to a Diploma in plastic Engineering and Plastic Processing Operator courses which are of 3 years and 2 Yrs of duration respectively is a 10th pass. Bachelor’s program is a 10+2 pass in the Science stream with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics as core subjects The B.Tech course in plastic technology is of four years duration. Post-graduate diploma course is a graduate Science stream with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics as core subjects. The 2-year M.Tech course can be pursued after successfully completing an undergraduate course. Students must go through entrance exams such as GATE for admissions to B.Tech and M.Tech courses and for research work, a masters or PhD would be essential respectively. 

There are also a number of long and short-term diploma courses in plastic technology at the post-graduate level and those entering the management and marketing areas in the plastics industry would need a management degree after a B.Sc in chemical / plastics / rubber engineering. 

Scope for Education: 

 The prominent institutes are offering courses in plastic engineering/technology and polymer sciences. They are the Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi, Maharashtra Institute of Technology Pune, LD College of Engineering Ahmedabad, University College of Science and Technology (Calcutta University), Cochin University, Department of Chemical Technology, University of Bombay and the Nirma Institute of Technology, Ahmedabad, Delhi College of Engineering, New Delhi; University College of Science & Technology, Calcutta University, Kolkata and SSE College of Engineering & Technology, Akola, Maharashtra etc. 

M.Tech and Post-Graduate diploma courses are offered by the Central Institute of Plastic Engineering and Technology (CIPET), at Chennai under the Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers, Govt. of India. The institute with extension Centres at Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Hyderabad, Imphal, Lucknow, Mysore, Patna, Haldia and Guwahati conducts six long-term courses leading to Diploma, Post Diploma and Post Graduate Diploma in various disciplines of Plastics Engineering & Technology. 

Govt. polytechnics, diploma engineering schools and ITI/ATI/CTI in all States offer courses viz. Diploma in plastic Engineering and Plastic Processing Operator courses which are of 3 years and 2 Yrs of duration respectively 

Career Prospects: 

The plastic industry is already well rooted in India and is rapidly growing. The plastic industry has generated infinite job opportunities in almost all sectors of the economy. A number of private and multinational companies engaged in the production and marketing of plastic goods provide vast job opportunities to engineers. Graduates in this field can find employment in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Oil and Natural Gas Commission, Oil India laboratories, Petrochemicals Engineering plants, Indian Institute of Petroleum, Polymers Corporations of different states, Petroleum Conservation Research Association of India, Petro files Cooperative Limited and many other associated organizations. Plastic engineers are involved in research and development processing; quality control; technical support and sales, design, and manufacture of moulds; training and management activities. Big industrial houses in India that have set up research laboratories for developing new products and plants for producing new materials also require plastic technologists One can also opt to join as a lecturer in a college, institutes or university. 

Remuneration: 

There are enormous opportunities for plastic engineering/technology fresh pass outs and skilled professionals in the manufacturing and design related industries. In India there are many global manufacturing and designing centres which give perfect recognition to the rightly trained plastic professionals. 

The starting salary of graduates in the public sector ranges from Rs. 10,000/- to 15,000/- per month. In the private sector, the starting remuneration can be in the range of Rs. 7,000/- to 12,000/- per month, whereas those with an M.Tech can earn as high as Rs. 15,000/- to 20,000- per month at the starting level. Professionals with an experience of 5 years or more can get a salary of Rs. 35,00o/- to 50,000/- per month and more. 

Universities/Institutes: 

1) Central Institute of Plastic Engineering and Technology (CIPET) 

CIPET Corporate Office, T.V.K. Industrial Estate, Guindy, Chennai - 600 032 

Courses Offered at its various branches: M.Tech (PE), Diploma and Postgraduate Diploma level courses at select centre across the country 

2) Madras Institute of Technology 

Department of Rubber and Plastic Technology, Chromepet, Chennai,Tamil Nadu-6000 44 

Course Offered: B.Tech Rubber and Plastic Technology Engineering 

3) Nirma Institute of Technology 

Sarkhej-Gandhinagar Highway, Post : Chandlodia, Via: Gota, Ahmedabad - 382 481,Gujarat Courses Offered: Diploma in Plastic Engineering 

4) University College of Science & Tech, Calcutta University 

92, Acharyya Prafulla Chandra Road, Kolkata - 700 009 

Course Offered: B.Tech/M.Tech Polymer Science and Technology 

5) LD College of Engineering, Ahmedabad 

Ahmedabad- 380 015 

Course Offered: B.E. Plastic Technology 

6) SSE College of Engineering & Technology 

Babhulgaon (Jh), N.H. No. 6, Nagpur Road,,Distt – Akola, Maharadhtra 

Course Offered: B.E. Polymer 

7) Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi 

Course Offered: M. Tech Polymer Science and Technology 

8) Harcourt Butler Technological Institute 

Nawabganj, Kanpur– 208 002, U.P. 

Course Offered: B.Tech. (Plastic Tech.), M. Tech (Plastic Tech) 

9) North Maharashtra University 

P.O. Box. 80, Umavi Nagar 

Course Offered: B.Tech-Plastic Technology

10) Central Polytechnic, Chennai 

Tharamani, Chennai 600113 

Course Offered: PD Tool Design (PT) 

11) Shri Bhagubhai Mafatlal Polytechnic 

Vile Parle (W), Mumbai 400056 

Course Offered: Diploma in Plastic Engineering 

12) Central Institute of Tool Design (CITD) 

Hyderabad 

Course Offered: ME- Tool Design 2 Yrs, PD Tool Design 

Akshaya Sahoo (B.Sc, PGD- Plastic Technology from CIPET & DCA) is a Consultant, Freelance Journalist and Chief Editor of www.odishabook.com & www.odishakatha.com , Editor of Indumatee (Literary Magazine) & Suna Chadhei (Children Magazine)

Email: aksahoo365@gmail.com