If you are a high school student, you may seek to join the Technology Student Association, which provides students a chance to explore career opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, enter academic competitions, and participate in summer exploration programs. Visit https://tsaweb.org for more information.
Your school's career services office or science teacher may be able to arrange a presentation or question-and-answer session with a plastics engineer, or even a tour of a local plastics manufacturer. During these tours, you can observe working conditions and discuss employment possibilities with engineers. You can also join the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) and become a member of a student chapter, which provides opportunities to gain valuable experience and contacts with similarly interested people.
School career services offices may also arrange visits to community colleges, vocational-technical schools, and universities that offer technical programs. Another way to explore this field is through a summer job at a plastics-processing plan, where you will learn the basics and experience the varied areas involved with producing plastics parts.
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