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Mark June 18 in your diaries... The Chemical Educational Foundation's You Be The Chemist Challenge will be crowning this year's champion.

The question-and-answer competition aims to engage students in learning about important chemistry concepts, discoveries, and safety procedures.

Winners of State and Local Challenge competitions from across the US will convene in Philadelphia in June to celebrate the importance of chemistry.

The National Challenge Champion will receive a $5,000 Savings Bond towards future education expenses, a $100 gift certificate to the Discovery Channel Store, a calculator and a chemistry set.

Better act fast though... to take part, you need to register before May 14. Visit the official website for more information.

ICIS Chemical Business has been running its education and recruitment campaign for over seven months and is now reaching out to both companies and classrooms. The initiative aims to highlight the importance and potential of a career in the chemical sector.

Since its launch in September 2009, the campaign has received widespread support from leading chemical producers and trade associations, including the Association of Petrochemicals Producers in Europe, the UK's Chemical Business Association, the US-based Chemical Heritage Foundation and France's Societe de Chimie Industrielle.

The past few months have seen extensive coverage in the magazine and this very blog, highlighting the efforts of players such as US-based ExxonMobil, DuPont and Dow Corning, and Germany's BASF and Bayer.

The chemical sector is experiencing a severe qualified labour shortage and urgently needs to attract top young talent as it pulls out of one of the toughest financial downturns in history.

Vacancies remain unfilled in almost every area of the industry, from the laboratories and chemical plants to the drivers who distribute the various materials and products.

The campaign aims to gain an insight into young people's concerns and aspirations regarding a career in chemicals and highlight the initiatives by industry to tackle these.

An upcoming article, for example, sees ICIS Chemical Business deputy editor, Will Beacham, return to school to talk with a class of nine and ten year olds about the merits of science and how plastics are used in our everyday lives.

Pupils at the Holy Ghost Roman Catholic primary school in Balham, UK, learned about the properties of various materials and their manufacture.

"They seemed genuinely interested about science and really enjoyed the visit," said Beacham. "The industry must do more to excite and stimulate children, and encourage them to pursue a career in the chemical industry. Companies have to raise their efforts and reach out to children before they lose interest in science."

"This campaign has showcased some of the efforts of the industry and highlighted that plenty more needs to be done," he said.

If you have any views/comments on any of the topics covered or would like to tell us what your company is doing to address the recruitment time bomb, send us an email.

To discuss issues facing the chemical industry visit the campaign forums on ICIS connect.

ICIS Chemical Business is now half way through its year-long education and recruitment campaign. Thanks to everyone who has so far offered feedback and support for this very important initiative!

The chemical sector urgently needs to attract top young talent and must pull out all the stops to lure the best graduates. Vacancies must be filled in a multitude of fields to help the sector thrive in the future, especially now after one of the toughest economic downturns in history. But what is the industry doing about it?

The campaign has received widespread support from leading market players and trade associations, including the Association of Petrochemicals Producers in Europe, the UK's Chemical Business Association, the US-based Chemical Heritage Foundation and France's Societe de Chimie Industrielle.

For any of you that may have missed any of our coverage, here are links to the articles that have featured so far in ICIS Chemical Business.

• The ICIS scavenger hunt initiative and our intentions for campaign.
• The education and recruitment campaign - why now?
• The importance of university partnerships
• Chemical industry leaders answer call to promote education and recruitment
• Recruitment in the chemical distribution industry
• Graduate recruitment schemes attract top talent
• Current initiatives in the chemical sector
• Singapore develops plans to tackle chemical industry recruitment
• Technology can help to bridge the skills gap
• Chemical companies in bid to maintain the drive to hire new talent
  

If you have any views/comments on any of the topics covered or would like to tell us what your company is doing to address the recruitment time bomb, then please send us an email.

There is also a special area on the ICIS connect web forum that will allow users to discuss the issues facing the industry.