Mar 5 2007
These days, a team from Hydro and the Qatalum project are hosting meetings at Hydro's primary aluminium plants to inform about job opportunities at the new world-class plant to be built in Qatar. The interest is much higher than expected.
What kind of expertise is needed, what's it like to live in Qatar, can women work there, how's housing and when will job begin?
Many questions are answered during the information meetings, held in Høyanger, Årdal, Sunndal and Karmøy in Norway, Slovalco in Slovakia, Kurri Kurri in Australia and Neuss in Germany. After Easter, there will also be a meeting in Oslo, Norway.
The interest has been quite enormous. 60 people attended the meeting in Høyanger on February 14, and the week after there were 200 participants at two meetings in Årdal.
Last week, more than 400 people showed up at the two meetings held in Zíar nad Hronow in Slovakia, where Hydro is the major owner of the Slovalco aluminium plant. This is the first time Slovalco employees are presented with an opportunity like the Qatalum project.
Attractive compensation package
For Hydro employees working for Qatalum, terms and conditions will be generous. Free housing is offered in brand new family houses and apartments. Free medical services are also included.
In Mesaieed, the site location for the new aluminium plant in Qatar, children will have the opportunity to attend a Norwegian school or an international school, due to open in autumn 2008. Support to accompanying partner will also be given, as well as favourable car arrangements.
“The compensation package should be highly attractive for our employees, and this has been confirmed through the high interest for our information meetings,” says Johannes Aalbu, head of the Qatalum Enabling Team setting up the Qatalum organisation.
Recruitment process next year
As part of the agreement with joint venture partner Qatar Petroleum, Hydro is responsible for supplying qualified people for the start-up of Qatalum. In full production in 2010, Qatalum will have a multicultural organization of about 1,100 employees of 15-20 nationalities. Some 150-200 employees will come from Hydro globally, the rest will mostly be recruited from Southeast Asia.
From Hydro, Qatalum will be recruiting two categories - seconded personnel for operational positions, normally on three-five years assignment, and project staff on 3-12 months assignment during the start-up period. The majority of these people will have technical and engineering experience. There will also be a need for a number of skilled operators during the start-up period.
The recruitment process will start in 2008. During 2009, the Hydro employees and their families will be moving to Mesaieed, where the Qatalum plant is to be built.
Some of the jobs will be posted externally on Hydro's website.