DOHA: Qatar Petrochemical Company (Qapco), one of the leading petrochemical powerhouses in the region, recently held a ceremony to honour 70 summer interns and mark the completion of their two-month internship programme.
Qapco’s summer internship programme is a pathway between academia and industry and opens the door to a career in the industry. It gave the opportunity to 70 talented students from Qatar and aboard to gain exposure and industry knowledge thanks to the eight weeks they spent in the petrochemical plant. They were mentored by seasoned professionals and coached by a team of learning and development experts.
On the occasion, Dr Mohammed Yousef Al Mulla, Qapco’s Vice Chairman and CEO, stated: “With our Qapco Summer Internship Programme we hope to inspire, encourage and support a new generation of petrochemical experts and leaders. The future of our industry depends on the talent we nurture today. Practical internships are an essential learning experience that positively reflects on their educational and professional path.”
Dr Al Mulla continued, “At Qapco, we are committed to supporting, in particular, students studying mechanical, chemical and electrical engineering by providing them stimulating and rewarding opportunities that match their interest in science and technology and that are aligned with their university major”.
The ceremony recognised the hard work of the 70 interns and their dedication during their time at Qapco. Many interns shared some of the lessons they learnt in the plant and how their classroom knowledge had been significantly enhanced thanks to the time they spent in the company.
Each of the interns said they had to prove themselves in the positions, departments and tasks they were assigned to, and that they learned from the experience.
The ceremony was attended by Abubakr Al Saiari, Chairman of the Energy and Industry Sector’s Qatarization Steering Committee.
Al Saiari gave an inspiring speech to the summer interns.
The interns were awarded certificates testifying to the skills they demonstrated during their internship and acknowledging their accomplishments.
Eng. Abdulla Ahmad Naji, Qapco’s Learning and Development Manager, stated, “We are proud to report that the 2014 edition of our summer internship programme was a real success. Through the two months spent with us at Qapco, the interns gained a true understanding of how a petrochemical plant works. Evolving in a petrochemical complex and being coached by subject matter experts benefiting from more than 20 years of experience surely further expanded their educational knowledge. We are convinced their internship will positively reflect on their grades, and on their overall approach to learning. It may also encourage some of the engineering students to join the new Qapco Apprenticeship Programme once they have completed their degree”.
Eng. Naji also thanked Dr Al Mulla for his support to the education sector in Qatar and expressed his gratitude to all Qapco managers, training specialists, subject matter experts and all the staff who supported the Summer Internship Programme.
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