The World as a work place

It is not always necessary to resign from your job in order to travel and follow your dreams. Frida Martinsson and Svein Magnus Halsne are spending a year experiencing Nepal, fully supported by their employer - Multiconsult.

4. November 2013

-I have been keen to work in aid for a long time and to have the opportunity to experience a different culture. When I learned about Multiconsult and FK Norway’s exchange programme I changed job and travelled out immediately,” says Frida Martinsson, who works as an Engineer within Hydro-power at Multiconsult.

Win-win situation

Martinsson has only just returned to Norway after working in Nepal for a year. She has been based in the capital Kathmandu at the offices of Hydro Consult Engineering Ltd (HCE). This is one of Multiconsult’s partner offices. Here she worked with her colleague Svein Magnus Halsne and 70 locals. The agreement with HCE is reciprocal and two of their employees have been working at Multiconsult’s Oslo office during the same period.

– It has been very educational to participate in a cultural exchange in which I had the opportunity to work on local projects in Nepal. We had a chance to challenge ourselves with different projects and visited several sites. The year has provided valuable experience that I believe both Multiconsult and I will benefit from in future. I definitely want to travel more going forward. The exchange opportunity is a win-win situation for all parties, says Martinsson.

Kick-start for international career opportunities

The exchange programme is partially funded by FK Norway, a government support scheme for the exchange of personnel between partner organisations in Norway and countries in Africa and Asia. Multiconsult covers Norwegian salaries for its employees.

Multiconsult wants to involve younger employees in international projects, thereby further developing their expertise. We have an increasing number of projects abroad.

– Multiconsult wants to involve and develop expertise in younger employees through international projects. We have more and more projects abroad. The exchange in Nepal is a kick-start for those looking for a future career within international hydro-power projects at Multiconsult, says Anders Gustav Pettersen, Head of Multiconsult’s Hydro-power section.

More young people want to experience the world

Multiconsult’s international hydro-power work is marketed via Norplan. The exchange programme, which is implemented every year, runs under this brand name. On 1 November, Viggo Arnesen and Hilde Sunde Tveit from Multiconsult will be setting off to Nepal. Arnesen will project engineer hydro-power plants and Tveit will work on geotechnical assignments associated with hydro-power developments.

– There’s a lot of young people today who feel a bit restless and who want to experience the world. It is valuable to have an employer that offers you the chance to work abroad, both in the short term and for longer term projects. I look forward to working under different conditions and experiencing a different culture, says Tveit.