Careers in STEM — Libby Goodes
with a focus on careers in STEM, here we interview is Libby Goodes, an industrial placement student at CPI.
![Becky Fields Becky Fields](https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/becky-fields.jpg?w=100&h=100&auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=crop&dm=1559220423&s=f937cac0e960a90804359467e96d1d0d)
Corporate Communications Manager
(she/her)
Chemical engineering can be simply defined as transforming raw materials into useful products. Indeed, chemical engineers have been involved in the production of the therapeutics, food, clothes, transport and electronic devices that our society relies on. Chemistry and maths are applied to solve problems in their design, manufacture and development, tackling the biggest problems facing our society today, including starvation, disease, energy shortages and environmental sustainability.
At CPI, our employees are critical for helping us to tackle key challenges facing our society today. We enable great ideas to be successfully translated into commercial products, which requires cost-effective manufacturing solutions. Embracing the next generation of engineers is a key part of this, and helps to ensure that the UK is a world technological and innovation leader
Libby Goodes is an industrial placement student at CPI. She shares her journey into chemical engineering and how her daily work at CPI can impact science, technology and wider society.
Growing up, Libby knew she always wanted to help people, although she didn’t quite know how or where her career would lead: “Part of me was always interested in chemistry and maths at school”. She decided to pursue these interests right through to A Level and began looking at prospective universities for a course that would make a positive impact.
“When researching degrees, I found chemical engineering was the best degree that fit both subjects together. It gives me a choice in design, maths and chemistry, which are all the things that I found most interesting at school,” Libby stated. Once at university, she took a leap into the industrial world of chemical engineering with a placement at CPI.
![Libby Goodes at CPI Libby Goodes at CPI](https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Screenshot-2019-11-05-at-09.44.59.png?w=1920&h=1080&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1572961731&s=5763046ac256b999bd253bb7cc7d6ab2 1920w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Screenshot-2019-11-05-at-09.44.59.png?w=1120&h=630&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1572961731&s=d9e0258f1a6a34753aa6fedfe8dcd928 1120w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Screenshot-2019-11-05-at-09.44.59.png?w=2240&h=1260&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1572961731&s=c50cf85913e23d890286f194bf55ea14 2240w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Screenshot-2019-11-05-at-09.44.59.png?w=800&h=450&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1572961731&s=a2592201fba0459a9196cf3036201cb2 800w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Screenshot-2019-11-05-at-09.44.59.png?w=1600&h=900&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1572961731&s=83c8602d0f82091d828753251fa583b8 1600w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Screenshot-2019-11-05-at-09.44.59.png?w=480&h=270&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1572961731&s=78e40f4754a99d0c9214d5c8045b32e7 480w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Screenshot-2019-11-05-at-09.44.59.png?w=960&h=540&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1572961731&s=7d848f07cff8f17deca59996a73be86b 960w)
So, what it’s like working at CPI? A typical day for Libby on her placement begins with working in a team supporting one of the huge variety of companies working at the facility: “The work involves troubleshooting issues with the function and production of different products. We then do a series of calculations and industrial drawings and we’ll come up with a design that is suitable for their needs.”
While each day may focus on differing challenges, they all have a common theme: the opportunity to design solutions to real world challenges with hands-on practical work and creative thinking. “For anyone who’s struggling with their newest ideas and inventions, we’re here to help bridge that step between potentially world changing projects and the global market,” Libby exclaimed.
“We get so many opportunities to do this, whether that be with a small individual process, or by helping solve global issues like plastic pollution or specific pharmaceuticals such as cancer treatment drugs,” Libby stated. “My aim as an engineer is to help with these big issues.”
![Libby Goodes Libby Goodes](https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Screenshot-2019-11-05-at-09.39.53.png?w=1920&h=1080&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1572961793&s=a3724aa60c8d324547622d707738247f 1920w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Screenshot-2019-11-05-at-09.39.53.png?w=1120&h=630&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1572961793&s=43076e80fa1e9c6c143d4ab2fcc555f7 1120w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Screenshot-2019-11-05-at-09.39.53.png?w=2240&h=1260&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1572961793&s=fe17bc5ce1bb38c2b01c34c1a1b5d0d8 2240w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Screenshot-2019-11-05-at-09.39.53.png?w=800&h=450&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1572961793&s=b8521b1ab60f2f033366cf97ee633130 800w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Screenshot-2019-11-05-at-09.39.53.png?w=1600&h=900&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1572961793&s=c518bc448d357a46919c4301fb56a7c1 1600w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Screenshot-2019-11-05-at-09.39.53.png?w=480&h=270&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1572961793&s=81f9322c22bd77474d2deecd38dc0c03 480w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Screenshot-2019-11-05-at-09.39.53.png?w=960&h=540&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1572961793&s=df0a554f22f9887a9058d16d22f0b58c 960w)
By following her interests in chemistry and maths through to university and taking a leap with an industrial placement year at CPI, Libby found her passion in chemical engineering and so can you. The dynamic nature of the role allows people to work on the latest world changing products. As an engineer, you will have a positive impact on our society, our environment and the economy, all leading to a sustainable future.
![Libby working at CPI Libby working at CPI](https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Screenshot-2019-11-05-at-09.44.16-1.png?w=1920&h=1080&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1572964013&s=a7b0a6200d5fff4b279b5c90d22329f1 1920w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Screenshot-2019-11-05-at-09.44.16-1.png?w=1120&h=630&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1572964013&s=9fbb88a4a053a467adcfc450fbb90389 1120w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Screenshot-2019-11-05-at-09.44.16-1.png?w=2240&h=1260&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1572964013&s=7fa4dfff789b150c903e1498fa8a1439 2240w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Screenshot-2019-11-05-at-09.44.16-1.png?w=800&h=450&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1572964013&s=4e16779e01be904eec9e1f939142c677 800w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Screenshot-2019-11-05-at-09.44.16-1.png?w=1600&h=900&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1572964013&s=1e7803794d27b05bdc13e81cf4635242 1600w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Screenshot-2019-11-05-at-09.44.16-1.png?w=480&h=270&q=60&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1572964013&s=5599935f03fe5d08720c10041d324fce 480w, https://optimise2.assets-servd.host/smart-hoopoe/production/content/images/Screenshot-2019-11-05-at-09.44.16-1.png?w=960&h=540&q=45&fm=jpg&fit=crop&dm=1572964013&s=35ba35a572ceed900eb07cc657b6ff80 960w)
Enjoyed this article? Keep reading more expert insights...
CPI ensures that great inventions gets the best opportunity to become a successfully marketed product or process. We provide industry-relevant expertise and assets, supporting proof of concept and scale up services for the development of your innovative products and processes.