Maersk Oil Qatar (MOQ) has announced the winners of its “Future Leaders Internship” competition, who were among the more than 200 applicants across Qatar’s high school and universities vying for the chance to receive world-class learning and development opportunities.
MOQ stressed that it is dedicated expanding the country’s leadership capacity by arming students with the necessary skills and experience to be future leaders. It also encourages young people’s interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects, with a view to building careers within Qatar’s energy industry after graduation.
The winners are Aaser Sadek, Ahmad Albinali, Alhanouf al-Muhannadi, Amna al-Hitmy, Aysha Khalil al-Asmakh, Kholoud Khaleel al-Shiba, Maryam al-Darwish, Munazza Sayed, and Salem Ali Salem Alathba.
The interns were given a comprehensive induction to MOQ’s business in Qatar and met with senior management to gain insight into the company’s daily operations and how it produces one third of Qatar’s oil from its largest and most complex offshore oilfield, Al Shaheen.
During their internship, the students were assigned to mentors from across the business to help them gain the most out of the experience. They also met with Human Resources personnel to understand potential industry career paths.
The interns were also distributed to different departments such as mechanical, electrical, controls, and instrumentation to learn about how these teams collaborate to deliver projects on time and within budget.
The students were also given a dedicated talk on the many social investment activities MOQ is undertaking in Qatar, which are making “real and positive” impact in the areas of health, education, and the environment.
The competition was open to high school students aged 15 to 18 and university students. The applicants were asked to write a 500 to 1,000 word paper in English or Arabic on the impact of the oil industry in helping achieve Qatar’s National Vision 2030 or its role in the country’s development over the past 20 years.
The competition received entries from Supreme Education Council schools and from students at Qatar University, Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Texas A&M University at Qatar (TAMUQ), Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q), Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q), and Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMUQ).
The winners were selected by a judging panel composed of MOQ senior management, who looked for “demonstrable commitment” to the pursuit of a career in science and energy among the selected students.
Sheikh Jassim al-Thani, head of Qatarisation at MOQ, said: “We were really impressed by the number and quality of applications we received and of the clear understanding the students had about how the oil industry impacts the economy and supports our National Vision 2030.”
He added: “We are committed to providing opportunities like these where our specialists can help students to develop the skills and knowledge required to forge successful careers at a multi-national energy company.”
Aaser Sadek, one of the winners, said: “As a high school student in Qatar, I’m extremely fortunate to have had an opportunity like this, to win an internship with an international company like MOQ, which has contributed so strongly to Qatar’s development. It’s been incredible and I’ve really enjoyed my placement at MOQ.”
The internship competition further supports MOQ’s “Find Your Place” recruitment campaign, which aims to attract more Qatari employees into the industry and to develop leadership and senior specialist skills.
MOQ was recently recognised for its efforts in supporting the country’s Qatarisation efforts. It also won the crystal award for “Overall best support to Qatarisation” at the annual Qatarisation Review Meeting of the Energy and Industry Sector’s Strategic Qatarisation Plan this year.