Personal stories
Inge, Process Development Engineer
Inge van Putten
Position: Process Development Engineer at Research & Development, since June 2004
Education: Chemical Technology, Twente University
PhD research in Chemical Technology, University of Twente
Why SABIC?
'I wanted to find work in my own discipline and SABIC is one of the few European companies offering this opportunity. I like to work in the Netherlands, I'm happy here. I also listened to my feelings - SABIC felt good.'
Challenging job
'In my job, what I like is seeing the effect of my advice or solutions. As a process technologist, I look at the problems in a plant the employees cannot solve themselves. I also convert our existing recipes to workable recipes for the plant that will be constructed in future. In the long term, I work on the development of new materials. And one day per week, I work at our plant in Gelsenkirchen (Germany). So it's a very challenging job.'
Have you defined your career?
'No career profile has been created for me yet as I haven't been working for the company that long. My interest registration, a report on my first one and a half years here, will be generated soon. Because I already had a fair amount of baggage, I only took a basic management course for the time being, and a couple of safety trainings of course.'
Well done
'I started working fairly autonomously immediately, but you can always ask your questions at every level. The work culture is very pleasant, both professional and informal. I feel this company has its stuff pretty well together. Sometimes I go to a meeting of the Junior SABIC Professionals Association (JSPA). They organize fun excursions and it allows you to meet people from other disciplines.'
Women's position?
'While I was applying for the job, I did inquire about the position of women at SABIC. SABIC Europe is a totally European company, I was assured. And it's true. My position as a woman is the same as in every other European organization. And if our colleagues from Saudi Arabia visit, I am as respected as my male colleagues. There is really no difference at all.'
