A group of Qatari undergraduates experienced life at Qatar Shell over the summer as they worked alongside Shell employees in various departments, such as Asset Engineering, North Field Wells Reservoir, Petrochemicals, Technology, Communications and Human Resources.
“Qatar Shell aims to become the employer of choice for Qatari nationals who will lead the delivery and operation of Shell’s current and future projects,” said Wael Sawan, managing director and chairman of Qatar Shell Companies.
Qatar Shell’s internship programme is one of the company’s most effective routes to recruit Qatari graduates into the company and provides a unique hands-on experience to interns of what it feels like working in an international oil company. It also gives the business the chance to assess the potential of students.
Qatar Shell aims to support Qatarisation in line with the National Development Strategy and Qatar National Vision 2030 and help empower the youth of Qatar.
The graduates receive a blended learning approach to maximise learning effectiveness. During their time at Shell, they use a variety of approaches, such as face-to-face, workplace learning and Internet-supported e-learning.
The graduates receive practical coaching from their supervisers with the aim of developing them so that they are ready to join the workforce once they graduate. It also gives the interns the opportunity to get to know Shell and its work culture before considering and pursuing employment with the company.
Sheikh Hamad al-Thani, the first Qatari graduate to complete an international internship with Shell, said: “My experience in Shell as an engineer was a gratifying and rewarding one. I was given the opportunity to be part of an international internship in The Hague, Netherlands, and this gave me the opportunity to work with a diverse group of people and see how Shell operates at the global level. I was surrounded by an environment filled with opportunities to learn, develop and achieve. My experience with Shell enabled me to deliver results to the benefit of Qatar and Shell and gave me a fulfilling sense of motivation to do more to contribute to Qatar’s National Vision.”
As of this year, Qatar Shell employs more than 300 Qataris who serve at all levels of the company in a variety of technical and non-technical capacities. Qatar Shell’s sustained efforts in Qatarisation were recognised with the Supporting Qatarisation Award in May 2013, marking the fourth Qatarisation award received by the company in the last five years.