However, academic performance is not the only criterion for selection, and personal interviews will be conducted by a small committee of staff members to advise students on their suitability for the program. The committee shortlists students for interview by a particular employer, but the actual selection of a student is made by the employer concerned after a personal interview. Regular jobs, which are neither special training programs nor assignments designed especially for students are undertaken. Therefore, the range of work required is varied. Jobs range from analysis of industrial chemicals to testing of new pharmaceutical products, and involve the use of a wide range of instrumentation and techniques.
Some jobs are in research laboratories and others in production and control.
The jobs are for approximately twelve months, commencing in December, January or February, depending on the employer. The number of positions vary from year to year, and it should be realised that not all students who apply can be accommodated within the program. The School of Chemistry has instigated this program for a number of reasons. Secondly, the academic curriculum is designed to teach the fundamentals of chemistry but we believe that students should also learn something of the complex interplay of human, technical and financial factors that determine the stage and progress of the national chemical economy. This kind of learning can best be done in a job and not from books or lectures.