But, before addressing this issue, it is paramount that today's chemical professionals recognize two important and often overlooked facts pertaining to their survival. First, the implied agreement between a company and an employee, whereby an employee is offered a degree of job security in exchange for company loyalty and adequate job performance, is an antiquated idea. Second, the employee is responsible for career development and training and must not expect the employer to develop plans to prepare the employee for the future. Within the past decade, belief in either of these ideas has been shown to be dangerously naive. Today's chemical professional must be a specialist with a degree in the traditional areas of science who is also trained in other subjects, notably computer literacy and interpersonal communication skills.
Computers touch nearly every aspect of a person's job.
The younger generation uses computers and software in the same way that older generation used pencils, paper, and crayons. Today's professional doesn't write reports and give them to a secretary, use paper and a calculator to do statistical experimental design or solve mathematical equations, or carefully draw graphs and charts for overhead presentations. All these things are done using comput ers and software in much less time and with more professional results. The change to a whole-business approach with teams of empowered employees from different backgrounds, levels, education, and training necessitates a tremendous amount of interaction. This requires team players and facilitators who can compromise and reach consensus decisions and who have highly developed interpersonal oral and written communication skills.