For some reason, people are always shocked when I tell them where I work. It’s something some people may consider dirty and wrong, but not in the way you may think!
I work in a refinery. I can tell you right away that I am somewhat of a girly girl. I love high heels, sundresses, and curling my hair. I’m in a sorority and I always dress nice at work. Somehow though, I feel at home in my coveralls and steel toes. There's something both fascinating and humbling about walking around process units that handle hundreds of thousands of barrels of product a day. You can always find something new to learn about or someone willing to crack a joke. I've had some of the biggest learning experiences of my life and made the most valuable relationships with my coworkers and friends in the refinery.
So you may be wondering now, what is it really like to work in a refinery?
- First things first: safety. If you are going out in the plant, you will need your FR (fire retardant clothing), a hard hat (super cute, I promise), safety glasses, earplugs, a H2S monitor (H2S is a very toxic gas), and lastly, some trusty steel toed boots. It's quite a bit of gear and it takes some sort of magic to figure out just how to put your hair up with a hard hat on but you figure it out eventually. Safety is always a number one priority in the plant. We deal with dangerous stuff; we're a refinery, not a bakery!
- Co-op duties and projects are all over the board. One day you might be taking pressures on heat exchangers, the next day, climbing up a distillation column to check on a valve or transmitter. That's one reasons why I love my work. As a co-op, you get to see pretty much everything there is to see around the refinery; all you have to do is ask!
- Sometimes it's dirty. There have been days where I have come home smelling like crude oil. Enough said.
- Second to the work itself, the people are the best part of the job. I love hanging out with Ops (the operators) and making jokes. I love projects that get me working with people from other departments. I love the sense of community. You see, the plant is just like one giant family; it's my home away from home (and school). If you needed help with anything, from something at work, to something in your personal life, someone will always be willing to help.
- You will always be challenged. This is why I love what I do. It is incredibly encouraging to be surrounded by supportive people who are challenging you to do your best work. It really helps you learn one, time management and two, how hard you can push yourself. You are only hindering yourself if you have already set "limits" for yourself and your work. Working in a refinery has helped me surpass my own expectations and helped me grow as both a student and professional.
