vol. 21 EDITION no.

3
quarterly magazine of SNCLavalin

Our Employees
OUR STRENGTH

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From Dubal to Emal: A Story of Employee Growth
Please send all correspondence to:

08
Creating the Right Conditions So People Can Be Their Best

Spectrum SNCLavalin Inc. 455 Ren-Lvesque Blvd. West Montral, Qubec, Canada H2Z 1Z3 Tel.: 514393-1000 Fax: 514875-4877 E-mail: spectrum@snclavalin.com We invite you to visit our website to learn more about SNCLavalin:

www.snclavalin.com

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Employees: The Pillars of WE CARE

Spectrum is published forSNCLavalin Group Inc. by Global Corporate Communications. Spectrum est aussi disponible enfranais. N.B.: All figures are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise indicated.

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Training a Better Workforce

Editor-in-Chief: Monica Bhattacharya, Director, ExternalCommunications Writing and coordination: Noel Rieder, Senior Writer Contributors: Marie-Claude Dubeault Etienne Plante Craig Segal Copyright deposit: Bibliothque nationale du Qubec. Articlesmay be reproduced, withattribution, upon request. Design and production: mosaic design Printing: LEmpreinte

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Shaping Tomorrows Leaders Today

16
Discussions with FourMaster Engineers

18
Diversity Is Our Strength

Paper made from recycled material

C102810

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Chief Executive Officers Message
Spectrum | Edition No. 3

Our Employees
This edition of Spectrum examines the core of SNCLavalins business success: our employees. Welook at some exciting HR initiatives that will benefit employees and the company, and the value ofdiversity in our workplace, particularly with women engineers in what was once considered atraditionally male profession. Also, some of our top engineers fromaround the world share what they have learned.
e often hear it said that a companys greatest asset is not its finances, buildings, equipment or services, but its employees. This is never more true than when the company is in an industry like ours, which relies on intellectual capitalthe vast sum of the knowledge, skills, experience and expertise of its people.

The last several months have been challenging for our company. However, we recognize that change can also be a positive force in the life of an organization.

But what distinguishes our employees beyond this? It is the passion and loyalty that our long-time employees share. It is the commitment and motivation that our newcomers bring to work with them every single day. And it is their collective will to do the right thing, follow the rules and live the values of our company. The last several months have been challenging for our company. However, we recognize that change can also be a positive force in the life of an organization. And in our situation, it will revitalize us and make us stronger and more responsive. All of our partners, especially our employees, deserve no less. It takes a great team of leaders and a terrific team of employees to go beyond simply getting the job done. We want to exceed our clients expectations and we are very lucky to have a team that can. Through our employees dedication and hard work, we continue to experience success on our projects around the world. This year, SNCLavalin was ranked one of the Top 10 Best Employer brands in Canada by Randstad, based on a large cross-country survey of workers. Wewere also recently presented with the CMAs Employer of the Year Award for 2012. Ithink both these honours are a fitting tribute to the talent and determination of our employees. Our employees commitment has made SNCLavalin a global leader and innovator in our field. As we move into our second century, our employees should be proud of their many accomplishments, which have helped customers realize their projects and dreams. We should also be excited about the future: many more chapters will be written in the years to comeour best yet.

Ian A. Bourne

Vice-Chairman and Interim Chief Executive Officer

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Feature Article
Spectrum | Edition No. 3

From Dubal to Emal: A Story of Employee Growth

SNCLavalin prides itself on being able to offer its employees exciting project opportunities, and few are more stimulating than the consecutive aluminum smelter projects the company has carried out in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over the last eight years.

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Spectrum | Edition No. 3

Feature Article

NCLavalin won its first contract in the UAE for Dubai Aluminums Dubal smelter in 2004. Following a string of successes, the company was awarded EmalI in 2007, the first phase of a project to build one of the worlds largest singlesite aluminum smelters in neighbouring Abu Dhabi, launched by Emirates Aluminum. Yet another excellent performance on EmalI has now won the company EmalII, the secondphase of the project. It is a remarkable success story in the engineering and construction world. For SNCLavalins project teams, it has been a story of opportunity and advancement. By demonstrating commitment and a willingness to assume additional responsibility, many employees have grown both professionally and personally through their association with the UAE aluminum projects.

Ilearned that you need to have complete trust in your team. Atthe same time, you have tosupport them in the areas where theyre less confident, while letting them forge ahead where theyre stronger and surer of themselves.
Ramaneetharan Ramanathan
Project Controls Manager Emal II

A special skill set

Franois Lamarche is one of them. Hired as a young Technology Coordinator on Dubal, he is now the Engineering Manager on Emal II with 175 employees reporting to him. Like others, Lamarche benefited from the fact that large international projects tend to offer younger employees more opportunities to demonstrate and hone their abilities. Resources are limited on major international projects, so engineers are often assigned jobs that have a larger scope, and thats a great opportunity to show what you can do, he said. Iwas given considerable responsibility when Ijoined the team, and Imade sure Iused that opportunity to the fullest.

In addition to giving junior employees a chance to spread their wings under the guidance of more senior personnel, Dubal and Emal have allowed many to develop a special skill set. Dennis Rueckemesser worked his way up to Project Manager for Emal II from his first position as a Package Engineer for EmalI. He feels his experience on large international mining projects has greatly enhanced his ability to stay focused on key project priorities. You have to develop the ability to cut out the noise on mega projects because theres just so much of it, he said. After having worked on a few major projects, Ive developed skills that help me stay focused on where the project needs to go. For Ramaneetharan Ramanathan, who was hired for Dubal as an Intermediate Planner in 2005 and is now the Project Controls Manager for Emal II, it has been about acquiring management skills. He was shy about speaking in project meetings when he first arrived in Canada 10 years ago, but now enjoys the challenge of maintaining a dynamic and communicative environment within his team. Having to head up a team of 50 people has made me much more extroverted and has given me good insight into how to manage employees, he said. I learned that you need to have complete trust in your team. At the same time, you have to support them in the areas where theyre less confident, while letting them forge ahead where theyre stronger and surer of themselves.

capacity smelter

750,000 tonne-per-year
Emal II

Emal I

1.3 million tonne-per-year

capacity smelter

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Feature Article
Spectrum | Edition No. 3

A winning trackrecord
The secret to SNC-Lavalins staying power in the UAEregion has been its performance. Theteam hasconsistently completed its mandates for these projects ahead of time andunder budget.

A client relations university

One of SNCLavalins seven strategic pillars is building and maintaining excellent relationships with clients, and the Dubal andEmal projects are also success stories in that regard. Brian Murphy has played a key role in helping build that relationship. Hired in 2005 as Technology Coordinator for Dubal, he was named Project Manager of EmalI towards the end of the mandate, and is now Project Director for Emal II. He says that his long-term association with Dubai Aluminum and Mubadala Development hasallowed him to develop better client relations skills. Weve been very successful together, he said. Its been a tremendous relationshipthe kind you seldom see between a client and an EPCM service provider. Ive learned to be more diplomatic and to anticipate the clients specific needs. The client no longer has to ask us for what he wants; we usually know beforehand and can address the issues prior to the formal request. Pierre Ranger, Senior Vice-President, Aluminum, is a veteran of the business, and the primary contact for the client. He has had overall responsibility for the aluminum projects in the UAE from the first contract negotiations for Dubal in 2004. Ranger says the positive and mutually beneficial relationship with Emirates Aluminum is one that any employee would benefit from experiencing. When employees come here, they have an opportunity to see a really remarkable client relationship in actionwhat it takes to build it, and how you maintain it over many years, says Ranger. Thats something you cant learn in university and which you can only learn on a project like this. Emal II is shaping up to be another success story for the team. Theproject is ahead of schedule, and SNC-Lavalin has already mobilized approximately 400 personnel to the site.

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Spectrum | Edition No. 3

Feature Article

Highlights:

Increased Dubals productioncapacity

from 761,000 tonnes per year to more than 1million tonnes through various expansion projects. The expansions made Dubal the largest single-site smelter in the world.

Emal I

a 750,000-tonne-per-year capacity smelter, wascompleted within budget and ahead ofanalready ambitious schedule.

Emal II

will increase the production capacity byanother520,000 tonnes per year, bringingEmals overall production capacity to1.3 million tonnes, making it the largest single-site aluminum smelter complex intheworld.

Staggering in its size and scope: EmalI

Franois Lamarche

Ramaneetharan Ramanathan

Brian Murphy

Dennis Rueckemesser

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Human Resources
Spectrum | Edition No. 3

Interview with

Darleen Caron

Executive Vice-President, GLOBAL HUMAN RESOURCES

Creating the Right Conditions So People Can Be Their Best

Achieving our aspirations will not happen overnight. It is essential to stay connected to all our employees throughout our journey.
Darleen Caron

When Darleen Caron joined SNCLavalin inJanuary 2011 to head up its Corporate Human Resources function, she was both excited by the challenge and surprised. She knew the company was highly successful, had a strong global presence and delivered remarkable projects, but she did not expect to find a genuine transformation opportunity in the field of HR.

Spectrum (S): When you joined in 2011, what was your appraisal of SNCLavalin and its HR practices?
Darleen Caron (DC): When Ijoined in 2011, SNCLavalin was a big and successful company, and it still is. It had experienced tremendous growth, had a strong balance sheet and a lot of very committed employees whod helped build its global reputation for excellence. The challenge was that the company largely managed its human resources like a series of small and independent units. There were gaps in a number of key areas when compared to the way world-class companies operate. Although I saw a wonderful transformational opportunity, I also didnt want to make changes that would adversely impact the elements of the companys culture that workedlike its entrepreneurial mindset, its speed of action, its client-focused approach or its high-quality execution of projects.

he way Caron saw it, SNCLavalin was (at the time) an almost 23,000 employee-strong greenfield opportunity in human resources. Its exponential growth over the last decade was forcing the company to move from highly decen tralized initiatives with pockets of excellence, to a longer term, company-wide approach for dealing with its human capital. This was all the more important in SNCLavalins case, since it is a human capital company that is only as good as its people. It has now been a year and a half since Caron came on board with a mandate to raise the bar in Human Resources at SNCLavalin. Spectrum recently sat down with her to find out what has been accomplished so far, and what yet remains to be done. One thing was clear, Caron is passionate about making SNCLavalin best in class when it comes to everything HR.

S: How did you proceed?

DC: During the first few months, Isat down with dozens of key business leaders and several members of the HR function, listened and tried to understand the organization and its needs. The HR leadership team then developed a three-year plan that would target the most impactful initiatives. We agreed that the heart of the plan would be six strategic pillars: Senior Leadership and Talent Pool Development, Enabling Growth, the Employee Value Proposition, Strategic Staffing, Training and Development and general HR functional excellence. We knew that if we could introduce a step change in those areas, we would greatly enhance the companys competitiveness and, at the same time, build a more committed and happier workforce.

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Human Resources
Spectrum | Edition No. 3

S: Youre now in the second year of your plan. What progress have you made?
DC: In a relatively short timeframe, we have introduced several large-scale initiatives across all business units, including Performance Management (already in use by 10,000 employees), a formal Onboarding Program for new employees, as well as the recently launched Internal Job Posting Program that allows employees to find and apply for positions across the company. Weve also launched our first company-wide leadership training program: the People Leader Development Program (see page 15). Itsdesigned to address the learning needs of new to mid-level people leaders at SNCLavalin, and is part of the companys larger leadership development strategy. During this time, we also conducted a Total Rewards study, consisting of 37 focus groups and more than 300 employees, which helped us identify and act on the drivers that lead people to join and stay with SNCLavalin. All these initiatives play a key role in the companys success, but first and foremost they demonstrate a commitment to our employees. Employees need the proper environment, tools and training to feel engaged and to deliver high quality work. We recognize that their sense of well-being matters; after all, The employee experience is not what we say it is, its what the employee says it is!1

S: Whats coming up in 2013? DC: We will continue to build on all the initiatives weve recently put into place, such as further deploying Performance Management throughout the organization and closing some of the gaps that were revealed in the Total Rewards study. We are also developing career paths for all critical positions within the company, as well as an alumni program for retirees and a company-wide referral program. The SNCLavalin Academy, which addresses company-wide learning needs, is another exciting initiative currently in the works, and will most likely beunveiled before 2013. Achieving our aspirations will not happen overnight. It is essential to stay connected to all our employees throughout our journey. This is why we look forward to conducting our first employee engagement survey this fall. The feedback we receive will be key to creating a high-performance environment where our employees feel passionate about their work and their company.

SNCLavalin Academy will be unveiled by

2013

1 Employee

Value Proposition, 2012 Towers Watson

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WE CARE
Spectrum | Edition No. 3

Employees: The Pillars of WE CARE

WE CARE embodies SNCLavalins key corporate values and beliefs: health and safety, employees, communities, the environment and quality. To celebrate the many WE CARE initiatives our employees undertake every single day, Spectrum provides a snapshot ofprojects that reflect each of the companys WE CARE pillars.

Engineers in the making? Children from the IGNITE initiative

Health & Safety

Checking Everything Twice Name: Doug Jennings Title: Integrity Services Technician, Hydrocarbons & Chemicals

Community

IGNITE-ing Young Aboriginal Minds Name: Jana Logananthan Title: Aboriginal Liaison Coordinator

WE CARE initiative: Doug Jennings was awarded the ExxonMobil Canada Presidents Award in January 2012 for demonstrating outstanding safety, health, environment and security performance on the Hibernia offshore platform integrity management project. Prior to commissioning and load testing the U-shaft winch located on Level 2 of the platforms M40 Utility Module, Jennings performed a Magnetic Particle Inspection (MPI) test on his own initiative. He found two cracks in the pad eye weld that could have resulted in personal injury and equipment damage.

WE CARE initiative: Over March break, Jana Logananthan, Aboriginal Liaison Coordinator, Karen Wiley, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Analyst, and Christine Grace, Environmental Engineer, held workshops in Ontarios Niagara region that promoted tech nology careers for 50 Aboriginal children as part of the IGNITE (Igniting Interest in Technology and Engineering) initiative.

Q: What made you want to get involved in this project?

Jana Logananthan (JL): There is a need to help Aboriginal students gain interest and skills in math and science and to increase high school graduation rates. It is helpful when corporate leaders in the Aboriginal marketplace participate ininitiatives to support the education of Aboriginal youth.

Q: What made you want to perform an MPI test?

Doug Jennings (DJ): The shaft winch pad looked fine, but due to several contributing factorsincluding the fact that it was a particularly heavy loadI determined we needed to take additional measures and requested the MPI.

Q: What does WE CARE mean to you?

DJ: WE CARE is a great program. It encourages people to improve safety and to take charge to ensure no one gets hurt.

Q: How did you feel about the experience?

JL: It was inspiring. If we taught even one student that they could achieve any goal they set their mind to, we achieved our goal.

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Spectrum | Edition No. 3

WE CARE

WE CARE NOUS VEILLONS

Quality

Q: Why is WE CARE important to you?

VD: It means we take into consideration the needs and well-being of everyone we work with in order to provide the highest quality possible and to exceed clients expectations.

Ensuring the SNCLavalin Standard Name: Vanessa De Bellonia Title: Quality Assurance Coordinator, Infrastructure & Construction WE CARE initiative: Vanessa De Bellonia, along with several project quality control teams, put together a Quality Control Toolkit to help employees and contract workers meet SNCLavalin quality standards on job sites. It includes inspection guides, videos and posters designed for particular activitiesfrom welding techniques to concreting safety parametersand has been adopted by some 500 people at 18project sites in 10countries.

Q: What is the motivation behind this project?

Vanessa De Bellonia (VD): We continuously pursue quality improvement by means of innovative training programs and other quality control tools that are part of our Quality Control Toolkit.
Vanessa De Bellonia (seated second from left) and the I&C colleagues who also worked on the Quality Control Toolkit.

Environment

The Man-made Forest Name: David Curtis Title: Resources & Communications Director, InterfleetTechnology WE CARE initiative: As part of its environmental and corpo rate social responsibility, the Interfleet Group supports the development of The National Forest in the UK, a new wooded landscape that is being established across 500 square kilometres of Central England.

Employees

An Opportunity for Every Employee Name: Michel Roy Title: Senior Vice-President, Human Capital Planning andDevelopment WE CARE initiative: As SNCLavalin continues to expand around the world, so do career opportunities for its people. To help them find and apply for job openings across the company, the Human Capital team (Corporate Human Resources), led by Michel Roy, created the Internal Job Posting Site.

Q: Why did you get involved with The National Forest?

David Curtis (DC): Derby is a railway town and close to an area that was deforested over the centuries through agriculture and industrialization. As a corporation we feel we have a responsibility to give back to the community.

Q: Why is internal mobility important at SNCLavalin?

Michel Roy (MR): Our employees are the heart of our company, and we believe that offering them the possibility to change positions can only improve the quality of their careers. Internal mobility is central to SNCLavalins success: it enhances our employees engagement and fulfills their need for personal growth and career development. The introduction of the site is one of the ways SNCLavalin demonstrates its commitment to its employees.

Q: Interfleet both supports the project financially and actually plants trees. How do employees like getting their hands dirty?
DC: Its an amazing opportunity to get out of the office and physically help rebuild a forest. The employees thoroughly enjoy it and are keen to do it again.

Q: What message do you believe the Internal Job Posting Site sends?
MR: It makes clear to employees how much we value them. At SNCLavalin, we select the best. We want to do everything we can to help employees build their careers within the organization and become successful.

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Training
Spectrum | Edition No. 3

Training a Better Workforce

A company is only as strong as the knowledge and skills of its employees. Luckily, the information technology age is making it easier than ever to ensure SNCLavalins employees remain ahead of the curve.

NCLavalin is currently making extensive use of the technologies at its disposal for training, which include e-learning modules and applications that remotely link students to teachers. In the process, the company is finding that its people are eager to absorb what it has to teach. Training programs allow employees to gain a deeper understanding of their work, while quickly and conveniently acquiring new skills. That translates into better performance and more opportunities for advancement.

90 training initiatives 2,242

registrations
As a Junior Engineer, Ireally appreciate the opportunity to learn from various industry experts within the company and supplement my engineering training, said Daniel Herscovitch, who participated in last years event and works for the Infrastructure & Construction business unit in Toronto. The courses offered during the week give great insight into many aspects of engineering, construction and project management, and provide an overview of the work we do.

Learning @ Work
Each year, computer-assisted learning activities are carried out across the corporation in a variety of settings and circumstances. A successful example is the companys participation in Learn @ Work Week. Held each fall, the country-wide Canadian initiative has been embraced by SNCLavalins Project Management Systems department because it aligns with its own mandate of providing training for its project management tools. The department is using Live Meeting technology to reach the maximum number of employees around the world with increasingly good results. The last edition of Learn @ Work Week in 2011 saw 90 training initiatives in 15 cities worldwide, with 2,242 registrations: nearly a threefold increase over the previous year. In 2011, courses were offered on project, risk and construction management, public-private partnership contract structures and cost control. Some softer subjects, not directly related to project execution, but no less essential, were also included in the curriculum for the first time. Participants were able to sign up for classes on reducing stress, and how to cultivate interpersonal skills that support productive and positive team environments. Krikor Der-Ghazarian, the Vice-President of Project Management Systems, says that the growing popularity of Learn @ Work Week is directly tied to the thirst of employees for high-quality courses. To ensure its training is always as pertinent as possible, the Project Management Systems team taps into a network of subject matter experts across the company. We find subject matter experts who are highly respected for their knowledge of their fields, said Der-Ghazarian. And if we can, we collaborate with experts from different sectors for a single training module to ensure it has applications across the company. So Id say the success of Learn @ Work Week, and of the year-round courses we offer, is directly linked to the expertise of our own people.

A hub for on-line learning

An increasing number of clients are also becoming interested in SNCLavalins internal training capabilitiesclients like BHP Billiton, for which SNCLavalin is building a Potash Project Hub EPCM Centre of Excellence. The two companies have been collaborating on an e-learning program for employees from both organizations called Hub University. The modules will help ensure all team members are on the same page, no matter which of the Hub offices they are located at across Canada, or which organization they work for.

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Spectrum | Edition No. 3

Training

The Project Management Systems team is using Live Meeting technology to reach the maximum number of employees around the world with increasingly good results.

14
Training
Spectrum | Edition No. 3

We are trying to achieve consistency and alignment of work practices, while cementing relationships across the Hub, said John Pitkin, who coordinates all training initiatives for the Hub. We have people working from six locations across Canada, so thats clearly very important. Hub University is currently composed of 24 e-learning modules. The program covers building safety, the Hub Knowledge Management Portal, Quality Management, the importance of respect in the workplace and good business writing, as well as providing a primer on the potash industry. Other modules are in the works, including a series on Hub Operating Systems such as Supply, Finance, HSEC, Engineering Processes, and the Transition to Operational Process. Much of the e-learning know-how for Hub University has come from SNCLavalins Global Training & Simulation Services department, run by Vice-President Robert Beauchemin. The department has already created many successful e-modules for projects around the world.

E-learning modules are efficient because people who need training dont have to wait for a formal class to be organized, said Beauchemin, who spent the first part of his career in the education field. Another advantage is that students can come back to their e-learning modules again and again to refresh theirknowledge. Alireza Eskandarzadeh, one of over 500 employees who have already completed six or more courses created for Hub University, particularly likes that aspect of the e-learning process. E-Learning is a very good tool, he said. Ilike the fact that you can come back anytime and go over the subject again. My favourite module was the explanation of the potash process because it was simple yet packed with information.

The future of e-training at SNCLavalin

SNCLavalin is now looking at taking its training and e-learning activities to the next level. Led by Corporate Human Resources, several programs are currently in the works that will make use of e-training modules. According to Michel Roy, Senior VicePresident, Human Capital Planning and Development, Corporate Human Resources, the move to further expand SNCLavalins internal training capabilities signals a fundamental change in the way the company views talent development. We are moving towards a talent building approach as opposed to a pure talent acquisition approach, he said. There will be new training programs with an e-learning component for the companys Code of Ethics and Business Conduct, for example. Also in the works is a Knowledge Management Portal being developed by the companys Knowledge Management Group. The goal of the Portal is to capture and convey less tangible best practices and lessons learned, or what is often called tacitlearning. While formal learning programs like what we are doing for BHP Billiton are important, of equal value in a company like ours is the ability to transmit knowledge gained through experience, said Beauchemin. Many organizations, SNCLavalin included, are realizing the great importance of that. As the company steps out ahead of the curve and embraces new training technologies, acquiring skills and enhancing career opportunities is getting easier than ever for employees at SNCLavalin. Indeed, while the company benefits greatly from its ability to transfer top skills to its people, it is obvious that the clear winner is its employees.

E-Learning is a very good tool. Ilike the fact that you can come back anytime and goover the subject again.
Alireza Eskandarzadeh

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Spectrum | Edition No. 3

Leadership

Shaping Tomorrows Leaders Today

A few years ago, Dale Clarke, at the time a Project Sponsor on a major international job, madeone of the most important decisions of his career. Greatly concerned about theprojects health and safety performance, he opted to stop all work at the site until hewas sure there were no unsafe conditions.

n temporarily shutting down a multi-billion dollar project to protect its workers, Clarke demonstrated traits that SNCLavalin looks for in its leaderscaring for employees, and having the courage to do the right thing no matter how difficult. Earlier this spring, Clarke was asked to sponsor a pilot session for Corporate Human Resources People Leader Development Program in Toronto, where he shared this and other pivotal moments in his career. The People Leader Development Program is being developed to meet the needs of individuals who are moving from the role of an individual contributor, to one where they are leading people, said Darleen Caron, Executive Vice-President, Global Human Resources. Even the best project director or expert does not automatically become a good people leader. Understanding human behaviour, as well as knowing what drives performance and how to get the best out of people and teams, are skills that require a deliberate effort to acquire.

Having competent and respected leaders allows acompany to more effectively attract and retaintalented personnel.
Michel Roy, Senior Vice-President, Human Capital Planning and Development, explained that the need for such a program is directly tied to a simple truth: having competent and respected leaders allows a company to more effectively attract and retain talented personnel. One of the biggest risks any company faces is not being able to attract and retain good people, he said. We know, for example, that when employees leave a job its not usually because they dont like the organization theyre working for. Its most often related to the work climate in the team, opportunities for development and their relationship with their supervisor. On the other hand, leaders who are very well trained can create a positive work environment, and build talented teams that are dedicated and willing to go the extra mile for the company and its clients, added Roy. Those are the kind of employees we want at SNCLavalin.

The new program will be available to new and mid-level leaders. The knowledge and experience of executives like Clarke, as well as seasoned external consultants and internal subject matter experts, will be transferred to the new people leaders through either a classroom-led or a webinar-led facilitation method.

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Expertise
Spectrum | Edition No. 3

Discussions with Four Master Engineers

Engineers tend to be logical and highly curious individuals who enjoy discovering how things work, and then improving upon them. At SNCLavalin, engineers are the brains who drive innovation and support the companys global reputation for technical excellence.
Spectrum recently spoke with four senior SNCLavalin engineers who have earned that distinction. During their 123 years of collective experience, they have accumulated valuable lessons that they are eager to pass on to a new generation. Here are three key pieces of advice from each of our master engineers.

NCLavalin has a large number of engineers on its payroll around the world. Talent and commitment are obvious prerequisites, but SNCLavalins engineers are also noted for their thorough knowledge of the discipline. By working on projects of diverse types in different countries around the world, engineers eventually develop industry-leading expertise, and become masters in their fields.

Cameron Harris
Years in the business: 25 Title: Vice-President of Technology Business unit: Global Mining &Metallurgy

Albashir Alawa
Years in the business: 27 Title: Engineering Manager atSNCLavalin Arabia Business unit: Hydrocarbons &Chemicals

Key advice:

I think the vast majority of what you do as an engineer centres around communication, so you should listen to everyone with equal respect. Always keep in mind that you can sometimes get truly excellent ideas from unexpected people and places. If you are a process engineer like me, take the opportunity to read well-written reports and learn from them. You may have brilliant ideas, but if you cant communicate them clearly and concisely, theyre not worth very much. Get international experience as soon as you can. By travelling the world and working on projects in different countries, you will learn that theres more than one way of solving a problem. That flexibility will be very useful for you in yourcareer.

Being able to adapt to new environments and project assignments is a challenge, but its an essential skill for an engineer. The key is to be receptive, and to never get too locked in to one particular mindset or approach. Health and safety is crucial in the hydrocarbons and chemicals sector because you are dealing with volatile compounds, but theres no engineering domain where it is not of prime importance. If you have even the slightest question about the safety of your design, step back and consult your peers. Never take chances with health and safety. Focus on an area of engineering that you are passionate about. Istarted as a mechanical engineer with a specialty in gas turbines. These are monstrous pieces of equipment weighing as much as 100 tonnes, but Ithought of them as my children and really enjoyed working with them. Ibelieve that level of fascination and interest, coupled with proper training, has made me a better gas turbine engineer.

Carl Quist is currently working on the Te Mihi geothermal project in New Zealand, among others.

Engineers

4 Master

collective experience

123 years of

Carl Quist
Years in the business: 36 Title: Senior Vice-President ofOperations for SNCLavalinThermal Business unit: Global Power

Yves Gauthier
Years in the business: 35 Title: Director of Design for the McGillUniversityHealth Centres GlenCampussuper-hospital Business unit: Infrastructure &Construction

Engineering is a science-based practice, so we need to stay abreast of the various technical developments in our fields. Being part of technical societies like the American Society of Mechanical Engineers will help you do that. The vendor community is another good source of information for new developments in the industry. When we get our first job after graduating from university, we have a tendency to believe we know everything about our field. The truth is that youll learn the most important things about engineering on the job, so stay humble and open to new insights. With a good basis in one engineering discipline, you can branch out into other areas if you have the desire and are willing to put in the extra time. My degree is in Electrical Engineering, for example, but Ive been able to pick up a working knowledge of process, mechanical and instrumentation engineering through collaborating with other engineers, spending time in the field and asking the right questions. That has benefited me greatly in my career.

You must get to the bottom of things when you are doing engineering work. Do not leave anything undefined, and ensure that you have fully understood all aspects of your assignment. There can be no vagueness and nothing can be left to chance. At the same time, you must know when to stop researching a specific problem and make a decision. Ive known people in my career who kept studying and studying and were not able to offer solutions. If you study a problem eternally, nothing ever gets done. Consult others when necessary and do not keep everything to yourself. If you have a problem, do not be afraid to ask your colleagues for help. Theres no shame in not knowing how to solve a particular design dilemma, as long as you seek assistance and learn how to deal with it the next timeit arises.

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Diversity
Spectrum | Edition No. 3

Diversity Is Our Strength

The engineering disciplines have historically had more difficulty attracting women than other scientific fields. Over time, the perception of engineering as a career has not changed much. To delve further into this perception and examine the reality of women in engineering atSNCLavalin, Spectrum talked to three of the companys female engineers.

he first woman engineer appointed to a managerial position in the company was Carole Burnham, who was named Director of Environment at SNC in 1973. Today, while women engineers remain a minority, many play important roles and hold high-level positions within the company.

Melody Kratsios
Title: Senior Vice-President, Global Security Corporate department: Integrated Management Systems Years in the business: 27

On-the-job reality
The focus of all engineering activities remains the jobsite. Karen Sobel began her career with assignments on projects in far-flung places, many of them overseas. Without hesitation, Sobel says that she never felt she was treated differently at project jobsites. As her career progressed and she was assigned to positions that were more management-oriented, she was often the only woman in her peer group. The experience taught her to trust her skills without letting herself be overly influenced by the opinions of others. Indeed, Sobel has always let herself be guided by her ability to make decisions and seize opportunities, which allowed her to demonstrate leadership and helped her climb the corporate ladder. That feeling is shared by Melody Kratsios, who also has extensive field experience. She says she has always felt she was in the right place, and that SNCLavalin supported her career solely because of her skills. In her work, she has consistently made integrity a priority, focusing on achieving objectives through teamworkkeys to success for men and women alike. Marie-Andre Morin agrees that there are no major differences between men and women in the profession. You cant be afraid of a challenge. You need to have confidence in your abilities and avoid putting up barriers where none exist, whether you are a woman or a man.

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Spectrum | Edition No. 3

Diversity

Value added by women

The presence of women engineers undeniably contributes to the diversity of work teams. For Sobel, any type of diversity geographic, cultural or gender-relatedis beneficial. Since every individual has his or her own way of approaching a problem, a highly diverse group is likely to have far more chances of finding the best available solutions, she said. This advantage is something that SNCLavalin makes good use of. By supporting its women engineers at key moments in their lives, such as by allowing flexible schedules during certain times, the company is rewarded with long-term loyalty. Sobel believes that women tend more often to approach situations with the aim of contributing in a way that benefits the whole. It is an attitude that she feels can sometimes make it easier to support certain strategies. As for why women often choose careers in professions such as medicine and law, Kratsios says its because they are attracted to fields that improve the lives of others. But she says that can also apply to engineering, which is not just about building structures; it is about building societiesa concept that women are more inclined to buy into. Meanwhile, Morin feels that women generally show less interest in the profession because they know very little about it. She believes engineering work is often perceived as purely technical in nature, when in fact it can open doors to a variety of opportunities that could be of interest to young women. Engineering offers numerous prospects for working abroad, experiencing different cultures and developing a wide range of complex projects, she says. The work itself requires strong attention to detail, communication skills, creativity, and the ability to adapt to cultural differences and to work as a team.

Any type of diversity geographic, cultural or gender-relatedis beneficial.

Karen Sobel
Title: Senior Vice-President, Business Optimization Business unit: Hydrocarbons & Chemicals Years in the business: 25

Promoting the profession

Engineering offers infinite possibilities with many positive social spinoffs, but remains a misunderstood profession among young people, especially women. For this reason, SNCLavalin works hard to promote the profession across all groups to ensure it canhire a diverse range of skilled employees. The company is banking on its ability to offer a multitude of opportunities to its people, regardless of whether they are men or women.

Marie-Andre Morin
Title: Vice-President, Technology and Studies Business unit: Global Mining and Metallurgy, Montreal Years in the business: 21

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE SNC-LAVALIN TEAMS THAT HAVE RECENTLY ACHIEVED THESE IMPORTANT HEALTH AND SAFETY MILESTONES

1,000,000
A LOST TIME INCIDENT
IN SAUDI ARABIA REACHED

IN JORDAN REACHED
PERSON-HOURS WITHOUT

JIFCO ACID COMPLEX PROJECT

JABAL SAYID COPPER PROJECT

4,500,000
A LOST TIME INCIDENT
PORTAGE IV OPERATIONS
PERSON-HOURS WITHOUT

IN QUEBEC REACHED
WITHOUT A RECORDABLE INCIDENT

AND MAINTENANCE PROJECT

5 YEARS
Printed in Canada, July 2012

AT SNC-LAVALIN, WE CARE ABOUT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR EMPLOYEES, OF THOSE WHO WORK UNDER OUR CARE, AND OF THE PEOPLE OUR PROJECTS SERVE.

WE CARE NOUS VEILLONS