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Chemical Technology Program

The Chemical Technology Program is a 2-year laboratory-based program that provides its graduates with several options:

  1. The Chem Tech graduate can choose to enter the workforce as a laboratory technician. There’s nearly 100% job placement for this group, and the employers of Chem Tech grads offer attractive salaries and benefit packages. Graduates can participate in company training programs and grow with the company. Because Chem Techs are so well trained, they are often promoted to managerial positions.
  2. Most employers of the Chem Tech grads also offer tuition reimbursement. This means that your BA/BS and beyond can come free of charge after you graduate from the Chemical Technology Program.
  3. Because the program transfers to RIC and URI, graduates may transfer directly from the program to pursue a BA/BS in chemistry or some related field (See Transfer Opportunities).

The Chemical Technology Program is on The Front Line for Alzheimer Disease Research

Program Benefits:

  • Lab-based, hands-on practical learning
  • State-of-the-art instrumentation and lab spaces
  • Small class sizes
  • Remote lectures and in-person lab schedule
  • Job placement assistance
  • Employer tuition reimbursement possible
  • Opportunities for paid summer undergraduate research

Class of 2019 Graduate in A.A.S. Chemical Technology Program

Steven Halverson shares his journey from earning a degree in Chemical Technology to a professional job placement as a Research Technician at Teknor Apex, Inc. and, finally, using his employer’s benefit package to pay for his bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering at URI.

Those of us who work in the chemistry departments at four-year colleges could learn a lot from the CCRI Chem Tech program. It appears to be overwhelmingly successful in training students with the practical skills that enable them to be successful in the modern research and industrial laboratory.

BRENTON DEBOEUF

Dean of the Graduate School, Professor of Chemistry, University of Rhode Island

Chem Tech Program Earns Special Recognition from Industry Partner

CCRI was recently recognized by Waters Corporation  for playing "a key role in the past several decades helping us find talented employees through your Chemical Technology program." Waters Corp. is a Milford, MA-based HPLC instrument and software company.

Course Requirements

Jobs

Graduates are in great demand in the industrial laboratories  (see list) and related fields.

Enrolling in the Program

Professor Wayne Suits is the program coordinator, instructor, and academic advisor for all Chem Tech students. Please contact him for more information about the program, how to transfer or help with registration at [email protected] .

Here’s what employers are saying about the Chem Tech Program and its grads:

Waters Corporation

Milford, MA

“Over the years our Chemical Synthesis facility has benefited greatly from the skills taught in the Chemical Technology program at CCRI. Professor Suits is the first person we call when we have openings for new chemical operators. The candidates he recommends come with a desire to be in the chemistry field and have a good basic understanding of many of our technologies. Waters has benefited greatly from the CCRI students’ training, backgrounds, and work ethics. Currently 16 of our 86 employees (~20%) are current or former CCRI Chem Tech students. Also, several Chem Tech grads have gone on from Taunton to our headquarters in Milford where they are making contributions to our R&D activity. The Chem Tech program has provided us with excellent candidates for employment with the skill sets that are required for our chemical manufacturing. Waters has supported the Chem Tech program with donations of instrumentation and software products which have allowed students to get “real world” experience in chemical analysis and technology.

Chris Benevides

Senior Director of Operations for Waters Corporation’s Taunton, Massachusetts Precision Chemical Facility

Denison Pharmaceuticals

Lincoln, RI

We have had great success with CCRI Chem Tech students in our QC Laboratory and continue to rely on talent coming from Professor Suit’s program. Chem Tech students have grown within our organization and hold positions as Senior Analyst, Supervisor, Manager, and Senior Manager. Some former students have moved onto larger pharma companies focusing on specific analytical techniques or therapeutic areas demonstrating the capability and diversity coming out of the program.

Chris McElwee,

Senior Director of Technical and Laboratory Services

Teknor Apex

Pawtucket, RI

We have hired at least ten of the CCRI Chem Tech Program over the last several years who work or have worked in a variety of departments including the Corporate Labs, the Analytical Lab, Quality Control, and in the Vinyl Technology group. These individuals are well-trained and top performers in our laboratory. They have a wide variety of practical technical skills that enable them to transition very quickly into the jobs they fill. We will continue to seek candidates from the CCRI Chem Tech Program due to the strength of its graduates.

Sandi Hamad-Ebrahimpour, PhD,

Global Corporate Laboratory Manager, February 16, 2022

The Narragansett Bay Commission

Providence, RI

In order to meet our mission goals, and to maintain compliance with ever-changing and challenging environmental regulations, we rely heavily on recruiting and maintaining a highly trained staff of wastewater operators, chemical technicians, and scientists. NBC has on staff graduates of CCRI’s Chemical Technology Program in our Laboratory, Pretreatment and Environmental Monitoring Sections and have several similar type positions currently open. Additionally, every summer we hire interns from the Chemical Technology Program for our laboratory and to work with our scientists. This arrangement has been of a great benefit both to NBC and to the students that have interned with us, and we hope to continue this relationship for many years to come. NBC has an aging workforce, and we will continue to be recruiting employees with the skill sets present in the graduates of CCRI’s Chemical Technology Program under the guidance and direction of Professor Wayne Suits.

James C. McCaughey, PE, BCEE,

Director of Administration, February 21, 2022

Hand Sanitizer Video Suits 2020

Perkin Elmer representative explains the Gas Chromatography instrument used in the Chem Tech class’s analysis of various hand sanitizers for methanol contamination.

Chemical Technology AAS Program Outcomes

  1. Display a strong “Workplace Ethic” by exhibiting reliability, promptness, and a positive work attitude.
  2. Work effectively as a member of a team including managing a team by providing direction and motivation and collaborating effectively with other team members.
  3. Develop problem solving skills that relate to the chemical industries including conducting experiments, analyzing results, using computers and data management systems, performing chemical calculations, and conducting separation techniques and various forms of spectrophotometric, gravimetric, and volumetric analyses.
  4. Maintain a Safe and Clean Lab by adhering to all safety protocols including recognizing hazards, assessing and minimizing risks, and preparing for emergencies in the laboratory including using SDS, personal protective equipment and engineering controls, and understanding emergency response equipment.
  5. Effectively communicate orally and in written form using appropriate chemical terminology.
  6. Conduct literature searches to find research opportunities that utilize novel, small molecules being tested as therapies in the treatment of diseases and which Chemical Technology students could synthesize as a capstone project.
  7. Possess the skills and knowledge needed to work in the chemical field and to continue their education by transferring to a senior institution to pursue a bachelor's degree.

Chemical Technology Certificate Program Learning Outcomes

  1. Display a strong “Workplace Ethic” by exhibiting reliability, promptness, and a positive work attitude.
  2. Work effectively as a member of a team including managing a team by providing direction and motivation and collaborating effectively with other team members.
  3. Develop problem solving skills that relate to the chemical industries including conducting experiments, analyzing results, using computers and data management systems, performing chemical calculations, and conducting separation techniques and various forms of spectrophotometric, gravimetric, and volumetric analyses.
  4. Maintain a Safe and Clean Lab by adhering to all safety protocols including recognizing hazards, assessing and minimizing risks, and preparing for emergencies in the laboratory including using SDS, personal protective equipment and engineering controls, and understanding emergency response equipment.
  5. Effectively communicate orally and in written form using appropriate chemical terminology.