Exciting career opportunities in Qatar

(September 3, 2007)

Seizing an opportunity like the one now being presented in Qatar can be a life-changing experience. As a Hydro employee, the world is your oyster.

As a Hydro employee, the world is your oyster. We have major plans for expansion in aluminium, and our giant Qatalum project in cooperation with Qatar Petroleum is just one of many exciting international projects that we will be undertaking in the future. If you're considering a future in Hydro, this is one of the many opportunities that could be coming your way.

For Hydro, the plant in Qatar is an important strategic element in repositioning our upstream aluminium area. Approximately 1,100 jobs will be created, and production start-up is scheduled for the end of 2009.
 
In 2008/2009 we will be recruiting 150-200 employees from our existing casthouses to send to Qatalum — opening the door for many new employees in our existing facilities. What's more, these employees will also be given the chance to work in Qatar at a later date. We're planning major expansion in aluminium and there will be major opportunities for new and existing employees.

Seizing an opportunity like the one now being presented in Qatar can be a life-changing experience. Working in a different environment with people from other nationalities, cultures and religions can be both challenging and rewarding.

Organisation

Qatalum will have a modern industrial organizational philosophy that extracts the best from proven results in the aluminium metal industry, both inside and outside Hydro. Hydro will provide a wide range of management and technical resources from its global network. The organizational philosophy in Qatalum will ensure a safe and cost-efficient environment with good interpersonal relations between the employees.

Multicultural society

The inhabitants of Qatar have countless beaches at their disposal. Photo: Camilla Nyhuus Christensen

Qatalum will have a diversified, multinational workforce. The number of nationalities represented is expected to be in the range of 15–20, mainly from Europe, Australia and Asia. This will be organizationally demanding but will give employees and their families a unique opportunity to get to know new cultures that are in strong contrast to the cultures of their home countries.

Exciting job opportunities

The start-up and operations of a world-class aluminium plant will require employees with ample experience from management, technical and operational positions.

Qatalum will therefore recruit a number of employees from Hydro’s own ranks to achieve this goal, ensuring that operational best practices are effectively transferred to Qatalum. New and existing Hydro employees will have a range of exciting opportunities to choose from.

 

Qatalum will be the world's largest primary aluminium plant ever built in one step. Construction work is underway in Qatar

Generous family packages

Moving to a new and unknown environment under distant skies creates challenges for most families. Qatalum will therefore compose packages for the whole family to smoothen this transition process, including the following benefits:

• Family welfare programs
• Spouse support (education, sport and culture)
• Modern housing facilities
• Free schooling from kindergarten up to 19 years
• Family club membership
• Free national telephone services

About Qatar

A former pearl fishing nation, Qatar is now an independent state with significant oil and gas revenues. Photo: Camilla Nyhuus Christensen

Qatar is located on the Arabian Peninsula and has a population of 885,000 inhabitants. About 25 percent of the population are Qatari nationals; the remainder are foreigners residing in the country for work reasons. The majority of these are from other Asian countries like India, Pakistan and Nepal. A former pearl fishing nation, Qatar is now an independent state with significant oil and gas revenues. The country is a monarchy and has a stable political system ruled by the Emir HH Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani. The Emir and his wife, Sheika Mouza, are in the forefront of developing Qatar into a highly modern society, in which women’s rights are an important element.

Qatalum has secured some 1100 residences for its employees, ranging from small apartments to detached family homes. The houses will be fully furnished and all have access to recreational clubs with swimming pools and sports facilities such as football and tennis. Photo: Camilla Nyhuus Christensen

Hydro and Yara employees working for Qafco have been living in this area since the early 1970s. Qatalum has secured some 1100 residences for its employees, ranging from small apartments to detached family homes. The houses will be fully furnished and all have access to recreational clubs with swimming pools and sports facilities such as football and tennis.

Unlimited beaches are only a short drive south of Mesaieed. A visit here can be combined with desert excursions, a popular activity in Qatar. Other popular activities include horseback riding, sailing, golf and diving. World-class shopping malls are found in Doha, 30 minutes drive from Mesaieed.

In Mesaieed, there is both a Norwegian school and an International School. The school is scheduled to open Autumn 2008, and will be based on the UK national curriculum and take pupils from 3 to 18 years of age. Qatalum will establish an office to cater for spouse-centred activities such as further education, sports and cultural pursuits. English is widely used in Qatar and will be working language in Qatalum.

The majority of the population in Qatar are Muslims. This is an influential factor in the country’s daily life and as a guest in Qatar one should act respectfully.