Unlocking Career Opportunities: Amar's Secondment Experience

Over the past 50 years, we've helped shape cutting-edge ideas in Saudi Arabia; from large infrastructure projects to mixed-use masterplan developments. 

King Abdullah Financial District, Riyadh Metro and King Abdulaziz International Airport are among some of the flagship projects where we've proudly supported the Kingdom's Vision 2030 and its economic diversification agenda. 

Amar is a Project Architect at AtkinsRéalis based in the London office and recently spent ten weeks in Saudi Arabia on a secondment. We caught up with Amar to learn more about his work on the King Abdullah Financial District project and how it has opened the door to new opportunities. 

How did your secondment in Saudi Arabia come about?

A call was put out to architects within the business to help mobilise a team in Riyadh in support of a masterplan development called the King Abdullah Financial District. 

There were several roles available and the project consisted of 88 partially built / derelict skyscrapers, five of which had been awarded to us to fully review. This included reviewing construction drawings and checking what had been built on-site, as well as acting as the client advisor on any Requests for Information (RFI's).

My job was to take ownership of one of the towers, a 31-storey residential tower with an 11-storey retail podium. 

It was an engaging and challenging role that involved reviewing over 500 drawings, as well as specifications and reports against local building codes and compiling all of our results into a single report for our client to best understand how they could complete the building I was working on as well as the other towers. All within the space of ten weeks!

Working for a global organization like AtkinsRéalis is a passport to unlocking a world of career and project opportunities. 

The sheer reach of our operations, spanning over 50 countries across six continents, opens doors to diverse experiences and projects on a global scale. 

Whether it's contributing to infrastructure developments in the United Kingdom, collaborating with international teams, or embarking on secondments closer to home, our global presence offers an array of exciting prospects. 

Why did you put yourself forward for the secondment?

"I strongly believe that going outside your comfort zone is key to strengthening your career progression. I knew that moving from working in London to working in Saudi Arabia would have its challenges, but I figured the experience would be worth it."

What did a typical day on your secondment look like?

Employees had flown over from places such as Dubai, Egypt, India and Jordan to work on this project, and as we were all staying at the same hotel, a minibus would take us all to the site first thing in the morning, and we'd conduct our site visit in the towers whilst it was cooler.

When I was on site, my time consisted of checking construction package drawings, walking around the towers checking for defects, and attending client /contractor project team meetings to advise on how best to proceed. 

Some project meetings would have 30 people sitting around a board room eagerly awaiting our recommendations – quite a contrast from how things are done back home in London. 

The evenings were then spent with the team, looking for the most appealing restaurant to eat in! The local shawarma wraps are highly recommended.

One of the remarkable aspects of joining AtkinsRéalis is that you're never alone on this journey. Many colleagues have been and are in the same position as you, and they're more than willing to share their experiences and lend a helping hand. 

From day one, you'll find support from colleagues, mentors, and friends who understand the excitement and uncertainty that comes with working in an unfamiliar environment. 

What did you enjoy about your secondment?

What I enjoyed the most was the network that I developed, both internally within AtkinsRéalis as well as with colleagues from our client team and contractors. 

There were people from all over the world in Riyadh, and you can learn a huge deal from the way they work, how they interact with one another and how they behave within a professional environment.

Collaboration is one of our core values which means we work together and embrace each other's unique contribution to deliver amazing results for all.

Would you recommend working on secondment to a colleague?

Secondments are a great way to broaden your horizons, open new doors, see how other parts of the world work, and then bring that value back with you.

Throwing yourself at something that might seem daunting can pay off in ways you wouldn't expect, so always keep your mind open to new opportunities.

Finally, do you have a role model who has inspired you during your career?

I've been lucky to work around a multitude of senior architects since finishing university. Both within AtkinsRéalis and in my previous practice. 

I've always endeavoured to reach out to people within the office who are open to offering advice and help, not only on technical queries regarding my job role but on wider aspects of my career too. 

I find the most inspiring leaders are ones who can relate to you on an individual basis. Everyone has their own path, and sometimes a good leader can help to unlock your potential by pushing you in the right direction and offering you or encouraging you to seize new opportunities.

See where a career with AtkinsRéalis could take you

Being part of AtkinsRéalis is a chance to be a part of some of the most exciting projects around the globe. 

Browse all our current architecture jobs, or learn about a day in the life of an architect at AtkinsRéalis to find out more about the different types of projects you'll be involved with.

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