Gen Z Won’t Save the Chemical Industry—Unless It Changes

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Women in Chemicals recently hosted a cocktail reception at the European Petrochemical Association (EPCA) annual meeting. During the event, Co-Founder of Women in Chemicals (WIC), Amelia Greene, gave a speech sharing “In the next five years, a quarter of the chemical workforce will be eligible for retirement. In ten years, half”. This statistic should be alarming for all chemical industry leaders. 

The chemical industry is at a critical crossroads. The sector is essential to global economies, yet it’s facing the existential challenge of a rapidly ageing workforce. As a significant percentage of the workforce quickly approach retirement age, the industry continues to struggle to attract young, diverse talent.

Many people become involved with the chemicals industry by chance. The social media we consume about the chemical sector often features negative content. It’s not until becoming involved with the industry and doing research that people realize the necessary innovations and technologies the industry is championing. The chemical industry often doesn’t get the recognition it deserves for the technological advancements it drives, and consumers don’t realize how significantly the chemical industry directly improves our lives. 

Gen Z is extremely purpose-driven. They want to know their work contributes to a greater good. As a forward-thinking generation, greater visibility to these critical innovations is a necessity to appeal to talent. Finding a shared purpose in the industry will be vital to appealing to Gen Z. Our industry needs to attract the next generation of bright and fresh talent to ensure long-term sustainability, and that talent is looking to serve something larger than shareholders.