By the 2nd Quarter of 2013, the Company’s workforce will reach 1,200. These 1,200 employees will be made up of both experienced talent and the graduates of SATORP’s apprentice training program. The majority of the workforce will consist of qualified multi-nationals and Saudis with advanced technical expertise.

SATORP endeavors to find the best qualified and experienced candidates available in the labor market in order to manage and lead the Company. In an effort to meet the Kingdom’s requirement of a 75% Saudi national workforce, priority is given to Saudis who demonstrate a strong desire to employ their knowledge and expertise in the Company. In addition, SATORP will draw upon experienced professionals from both Shareholders; Saudi Aramco and TOTAL, particularly in the construction stage of the project.

The initial recruitment of apprentices commenced with the first selection in 2008, consisting of 250 young Saudis aged 18-22 years. The next batch of 157 apprentices was selected by May 2010. These freshly graduated high school students came from all over the Kingdom.

A training program of approximately three years had been designed for the apprentices to enable them to develop their capabilities and knowledge. In the first two years, the focus is on academic skills, particularly English, Math and Physics, using curricula built on the practical method of the learning process. This will enable the students to learn the refinery's operations which constitute the core of the training process. Based on their results during this stage, successful candidates are directed to operation, maintenance, the laboratory, or security.

Included in this intensive training, the trainees are assigned to Saudi Aramco and other selected refineries in order to better familiarize them with best practices in the refining industry. During this period, candidates are trained in new areas of knowledge that will qualify them to assume their future responsibilities.

Some of the trainees are assigned to international refining facilities in which either parent company has a stake in order to continue their training in the latest refining processes. At the end of this preparatory stage, the trainees then return to Jubail to commence the operation stage coinciding with the completion of the construction of the SATORP facility.

SATORP has also adopted Professional Development Programs for advanced studies of selected employees.

Masters Program. Fourteen Saudis holding Engineering degrees were sent for a Masters equivalency program at the French Petroleum Institute (IFP), one of the most distinguished petroleum institutes in the world. IFP’s strong business relationship with both Shareholder Companies; Saudi Aramco and TOTAL, made it the best choice. The students were then assigned for an average of 7 months each to petroleum refineries in Western Europe to obtain practical training in the responsibilities of the Chemical Engineer position. This program will continue with additional new hires in the future.

College Degree Program. Eight high school graduates were selected to be sent to Saudi Aramco to participate in the College Prepatory Program (CPP). After having successfully completed the CPP program, they were sent to University to pursue their graduate studies in either Engineering or Finance. Some chose to study in Saudi, while others selected universities in either the US or UK. Upon their successful completion of their Bachelors degree, they will join SATORP as regular employees.