LING 305W: Interview with Mr. Hamad Almukhazeem

Interview with Mr. Hamad Almukhazeem
When people think about civil engineers, the first thing that comes to mind is building and structural plans. But ask civil engineers like Mr. Hamad Almukhazeen from the Kuwait Oil Company what it means to be a civil engineer, and you will be surprised to discover that there is so much more to this profession. For one, in a huge company like Kuwait Oil whose main role is to "explore, develop and produce hydrocarbons without compromising the environment or our commitments to our stakeholders" (H. Almukhazeem, personal communication, March 2, 2016), civil engineers help ensure that the company is able to perform its function in a "compliant, profitable, safe and environmentally responsible manner" (H. Almukhazeem, personal communication, March 2, 2016). Civil engineers help ensure that the infrastructure being used to explore, develop and produce oil are appropriate, and that they are well maintained so that the company’s operations would run smoothly. Because of the complexity of a civil engineer’s job, people think that to be a great civil engineer, one has to focus only on Maths and Science. The reality, however, shows that writing has a special place in civil engineering. Through this interview with Mr. Almukhazeem, we shall gain an understanding of what a civil engineer does, as well as discover how writing is an integral part of this profession.
"As a child, I have always loved challenges because it tells me that I am learning every time I overcome them. I love my job because I get to deal with different challenges every single day. It has helped me feel confident about my own capacities. Today, I feel that there is no problem in the world I cannot solve", says Mr. Almukhazeem when I asked him what made him stay in his career for more than 10 years. While he is not the only civil engineer working for Kuwait Oil, Mr. Almukhazeen says that his job is crucial because a lot of important tasks depends on his capacity to complete his work. Delay in one of his projects means delay in the achievement of the overall goals of the company. When I asked him what his typical day at work was like, he answered: "In this line of work, there is no such thing as a ‘typical day’ because every day there are new issues to be dealt with. My role involves translating design drafts on to the operations site. But really, I am more of a ‘project manager’ than an ‘engineer’. I spend time between the office and the site because I have need to collaborate with other colleagues on project d...