Work experience programme with students from King Saud University, Riyadh
05.07.2012
Author: Sheila Carney
Sheila Carney is co-lead director of our London studio. She plays a pivotal role in expanding STW’s presence in the UK market.
As part of a pilot 3 week work experience programme, Scott Tallon Walker Architects recently took three architectural students from King Saud University in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The students, Yazeed Hussein, Naif Alhaydan and Alaa Mahrous have recently completed their 3rd year of Architecture and were accompanied by their professor Dr Imad Otahbachi for initial part of their stay.
During their time here Yazeed, Naif and Alaa gained some understanding about the way we work and also about the systems we have put in place that help us to deliver projects of the highest quality. We felt it was important that they go away feeling enriched, inspired and eager to share their experience with their families, lecturers and fellow students.
Ronan Phelan was their mentor and he produced a very detailed programme, which included practical participation in existing projects, attending in house training/seminars and visiting sites of recently completed projects and existing projects under construction in our Dublin, Cork and Galway offices.
Yazeed, Naif and Alaa were particularly interested in sustainable design and developed their knowledge of Sustainability through an analysis of the King Saud University Sports Campus and Fitness College in Riyadh, making proposals on what benefits the introduction of sustainable measures might bring to a major project in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. To assist in the development of their ideas, Pat Kirwan & Rich DePalma of our sustainability group held a number of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) workshops which were open to all STW staff.
At the end of the work experience programme on Friday 29th June, Yazeed, Naif and Alaa presented their work and experiences to STW staff.
This work experience programme is a very important initiative by STW that has great potential to be rewarding for both STW and students undertaking the programme. Our intention will be to increase the number of students in the following years and hopefully develop a very successful, worthwhile relationship with King Saud University and other participating universities. Preliminary discussions were held also held with the UCD School of Architecture regarding potential programmes KSU Post Graduate students might be eligible to participate in.
We hope that the students have obtained great benefit and experience from working at Scott Tallon Walker Architects.
