Doha, Qatar – 18 January 2016: Qatar Petrochemical Company (QAPCO) Q.S.C., one of the leading petrochemical powerhouses in the region and a pioneer in petrochemical production, celebrated its Annual Qatarization Day. For the sixth consecutive year, QAPCO rewarded top Qatari achievers during the event, recognizing their outstanding achievements and valuable contribution to the development of the company.
On the occasion, Dr. Mohammed Yousef Al Mulla, Managing Director and CEO of QAPCO stated, “Since our inception in 1974, national leadership is one of the driving forces of QAPCO and gives the company its cultural identity. Supporting national and sector employment objectives through direct employment of Qataris makes our company stronger. Our QAPCO Family is the heart of everything we do and a force that has propelled us forward.”
Dr. Al Mulla continued, “Our Quality Qatarization strategy has been recognized six times by an award, which is a tribute to the high level of commitment of our staff, having implemented a highly advanced level of quality Qatarization across all department. I thank them personally for their hard work and enthusiasm towards advancing Qatarization at QAPCO. I also express my upmost appreciation to our Qatarization partners for their unwavering support through the year, and for allowing our ambitions to become realities.”
Qatarization is driven top-down by the MD & CEO, who personally ensures that everyone is fully, and enthusiastically mobilized toward one common goal: driving Qatarization forward. This approach ensures that QAPCO remains a robust and dynamic organization.
Dr. Al Mulla added “As QAPCO enters a new era revolving around resilience and increased efficiencies, Qatarization will play a central role in the company. Our world is changing but our commitment to Qatarization remains – it is the key to our success and drives the nature and purpose of our organization”.
During the ceremony, Eng. Abdulla Ahmed Naji, QAPCO’s Learning and Development Manager, mentioned, “During the year, in alignment with the Qatar National Vision 2030’s objectives, QAPCO continued to support national talent and registered a Qatarization rate of 33%. We believe in investing strategically in the skills and success of our employees. We also reached out to the younger generation through partnerships with 16 schools, colleges and universities and received 96 internship students. Plus, we raised to 4 the number of Chairs we support in leading local universities, as strengthening industry-academia collaboration reinforces our competitive and innovative edge. We focus in particular on sharing our passion for engineering and raising awareness about science and chemistry. Our aim is to ensure the next generation of leaders is equipped with the relevant skills to drive the ambitions of our industry and of our country. We are proud to empower the Qatari youth and to shape the next generation of leaders”
Eng. Najji also stated, “Since 2010, we recognize every year top Qatari achievers during our Qatarization Day celebrations, as we aim to support and fully empower our Qatari employees to reach their full potential, paving the way for success in their professional careers. We are proud to see the result of our efforts as many of our Qatari Nationals reach leadership positions. As evidence of the strength of our Quality Qatarization strategy, qatarization rates reach 70% in senior management levels, 31% in administrative fields and 20% in technical positions. Capability building has always been one of our prime success factors”.
For instance, in 2014, QAPCO strategically invested in its training programmes, raising the average investment per employee by 38% and increasing the number of training hours by 29%. 153 development programmes were conducted in 2014 to enhance the skills and knowledge of its employees, and in doing so, to improve the company’s operational capabilities. The focus of QAPCO’s training programs was on core technical and HSE related skills as well as delivering specific training programmes. Many technical courses were conducted in- house for the first time such as compliance courses for QAPCO’s management systems ISO, OHSAS and Responsible Care. In addition, QAPCO invested heavily in Leadership and soft skills programs in order to build a more effective and highly motivated team, which enhances company maturity and improves employee morale.
Many guests attended QAPCO’s Qatarization celebrations in the company’s sports and recreation Club in Mesaieed. Qatari employees participated with the company chiefs and higher management in an open discussion panel. Outstanding Qatari employees were awarded for their valuable contributions and efforts and for being motivators and role models for their colleagues.In addition to forging alliances with community partners, QAPCO places a particular emphasis on the collaboration with local educational institutions. QAPCO’s educational partnerships enhance the cooperation between the Academia and the Industry, leading to knowledge exchange, information sharing and stimulate research and innovation.
QAPCO aim to foster a culture that attracts, retains, and develops talented people. The company believes that retaining leaders who care, and who inspire their team members, offering continuous learning and development opportunities in a work environment that embraces diversity creates value for the members of the QAPCO family and for the organization. In 2014-15, more than 25% of QAPCO employees have ten years of experience at QAPCO, a clear indicator of the company’s ability to retain employees by providing challenging and rewarding employment opportunities.