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HCC Co-op Students Have participated in 2 Fieldtrips |
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by Dr. Wulf Hinrich Bisse, Director of Cooperative Education |
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It is vitally important that industry and commerce in Saudi Arabia continue to thrive and be competitive. In order to achieve this objective those employed in both the private and public sectors must be committed and motivated. In addition, they should possess appropriate knowledge, skills, and understanding. Hail Community College, as part of King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, provides a range of high quality educational programs, courses, and services that are responsive to the needs of the national and local communities, industry, and commerce. |
The college is actively seeking ways in which it can support and provide academic programs for the wider community of Hail and beyond. It is committed to offer Bachelor and Associate of Applied Science Degree Programs.
In November of 2000, Hail Community College introduced a Cooperative Education Program to give its students the opportunity to have on-the-job practical training at key employers in the Kingdom. In addition, an exposure to the economic and industrial environment is vitally important in helping the students to familiarize themselves with business practices, how to interact with others in the work place. They should also be punctual and responsible.
To prepare students for upcoming Co-op engagements, the Cooperative Education Department was able to arrange fieldtrips to two “Top 100 Saudi Companies” in the Al-Qassim area. On January 1, 31 students accompanied by several college officials visited Al-Watania Poultry, the largest enterprise of its kind in the Middle East. At Al-Watania, the students were taken on a comprehensive tour of the facilities. As the company name already indicates, poultry is the product, which is being processed. Therefore, from feed to frozen and packaged end products, HCC’s students were able to follow the high-quality preparations and state-of-the-art quality control. The fieldtrip concluded with an informative Q & A session during which Al-Watania officials provided insight into the company’s Saudization efforts and Human Resources philosophy. Well informed and exceptionally treated, the students returned to Hail the same day.
The second fieldtrip took place on April 20, to SPIMACO, Saudi Pharmaceutical Industries & Medical Appliances Corporation, Qassim Pharmaceutical Plant. This company has been and is a strong supporter of HCC’s Cooperative Education Program and, beyond this, has already employed HCC graduates. It came not as a surprise when an invitation to visit the facilities reached the college. 20 students, again accompanied by several college officials, spent a valuable day learning about utmost cleanliness in the production areas, computerized processes, and modern management systems. The informative tour and lectures concluded late in the afternoon when the students returned to Hail.
Currently, both companies are training HCC Co-op Students: 5 at Al-Watania and 2 at SPIMACO. For the coming semester, opportunities are available again.
Dr. Wulf Hinrich Bisse,
Director of Cooperative Education
HCC, Hail.
Saudi Arabia.
