Siemens and Qatar Foundation team up to develop national talent

The ‘Qatar Foundation and Siemens Talent Training Program’, a collaborative effort between Siemens and Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), will see a number of promising QF employees participate in the comprehensive internship program.

Building on the success of the first edition, the six-month internship offers participants unparalleled exposure to some of the key projects being executed by Siemens in Qatar, focusing on electrification, automation and digitalization.

The participants, including Abdulla Al-Fadala, Shaikha Khalifa Al-Sowidi, Abdulwahab Al-Yousef and Mooza Al-Sowaidi, will receive comprehensive training from mentors and will shadow senior managers throughout their internships. This will give them the unique opportunity to learn first-hand about the latest technologies from Siemens and the inner workings of a multinational corporation, while also contributing to significant projects that directly support the Qatar National Vision 2030.

“It’s impressive to witness the commitment and dedication of the interns. They bring to the table valuable contributions to some of our major projects and deliver strong results,” said Dietmar Siersdorfer, CEO of Siemens in the Middle East and UAE. “This collaboration between QF and Siemens epitomizes how a company like ours can contribute to skills transfer, while also learning from the interns’ local knowledge and unique insights.”

Mohammed Abdulaziz Al Naimi, Chief Operations Officer, QF, added: "The ‘Qatar Foundation and Siemens Talent Training Program’ reflects our wider vision to empower our nation’s greatest asset; its people. We, alongside Siemens, are delighted to provide this six-month internship for our employees, as training within the workplace offers an excellent opportunity for developing the skills and knowledge necessary to build a sustainable economy.”

Participant Shaikha Khalifa Al-Sowidi is involved in multiple projects and plays an important role within the Human Resources team. Al-Sowidi is responsible for helping introduce Siemens to the youth in Qatar by driving the company’s collaboration with non-profit organizations dedicated to educating local youth. Her favorite aspect of working at Siemens is “the innovation-driven energy and friendly working environment”.

Siemens has been working in Qatar since 1970 as a local company known as Siemens WLL, contributing to key infrastructure development in the country. Among its current projects is the QF Tram System, set to become, when completed, the region’s most efficient system. The company is also executing an order from Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (KAHRAMAA) for 18 turnkey substations, part of Phase 12 of the Qatar Power Transmission System Expansion project.

Qatar Foundation – Unlocking Human Potential

Qatar Foundation for Education, Science, and Community Development (QF) is a private, non-profit organisation that is supporting Qatar on its journey from carbon economy to knowledge economy by unlocking human potential, for the benefit of not only Qatar, but the world. QF was co-founded in 1995 by His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Father Amir, and Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Qatar Foundation’s Chairperson. QF’s work encompasses education, research and community development. World-class universities are brought to Qatar to help create an education sector in which young people can develop the attitudes and skills required for a knowledge economy.

At the same time, QF builds Qatar's innovation and technology capacity by developing and commercialising solutions through key sciences. The Foundation also works to foster a progressive society while enhancing cultural life, protecting Qatar’s heritage and addressing immediate social needs in the community.

Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a global technology powerhouse that has stood for engineering excellence, innovation, quality, reliability and internationality for more than 165 years. The company is active in more than200 countries, focusing on the areas of electrification, automation and digitalization. One of the world’s largest producers of energy-efficient, resource-saving technologies, Siemens is No. 1 in offshore wind turbine construction, a leading supplier of gas and steam turbines for power generation, a major provider of power transmission solutions and a pioneer in infrastructure solutions as well as automation, drive and software solutions for industry. The company is also a leading provider of medical imaging equipment – such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging systems – and a leader in laboratory diagnostics as well as clinical IT. In fiscal 2015, which ended on September 30, 2015, Siemens generated revenue of €75.6 billion and net income of €7.4 billion. At the end of September 2015, the company had around 348,000 employees worldwide. Further information is available on the Internet at www.siemens.com.