Muscat, June 24th 2014 - OCTAL, the world's leading clear rigid food packaging material supplier, will welcome 25 students from Universities and Colleges across Oman this summer as part of the company's annual three-month internship program. Designed to supplement education with workplace experience, students majoring in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Instrumentation and Control, Logistic Operations, and Admin and Finance have been selected based on their field of study and academic achievements and will join various departments at OCTAL's PET Complex in Salalah.

The internship program runs from 15 June until 14 September, with interns joining in batches ranging from 8-10 students at a time. During the program, each student will receive mentorship from an experienced OCTAL supervisor who will act as a role model to help the next generation of professionals take their first steps towards a successful career. Participating educational institutions include Sultan Qaboos University, Dhofar University, , , College of Applied Sciences Salalah and Salalah College of Technology.

Kamal Eisa, OCTAL's Head of Training & Development, said, "Our goal is to support the students' education with practical first-hand professional knowledge and structured learning goals. The summer placements provide interns with real work assignments and access to accomplished professionals in their field in order to give them an up-close and personal insight into what it would be like to work with us in the future. All activities will be monitored by OCTAL as we guide talented young Omanis towards successful careers by teaching them the necessary skills to take leading roles in this highly-specialized PET industry."

OCTAL is one of the largest employers in Salalah and and the number one exporter from the Port of Salalah, serving local, regional and multi-national companies in more than 75 countries around the world. Through educational partnerships and programs aimed at training local workforce in Oman, OCTAL has provided more than 70 internships to local students from Omani universities and technical colleges as the company develops into a global brand that is committed to education and training to drive innovation at its best.

About OCTAL
Oman-based OCTAL has emerged as the largest PET sheet producer and integrated packaging company in the world. Operating from the Salalah Free Zone, the company has successfully harnessed its strategic location with access to East-West shipping lanes and favorable trading regulations coupled with its unique-to-the-world manufacturing capabilities to meet the breadth and depth of customer demand.

Manufacturing PET resin and the first and only direct-to-sheet polyester sheet in the world, DPET™, the company's state-of-the-art plant was purposely designed and built to yield superior quality products with waste and cost reduction benefits, increased productivity for thermoformers and unmatched environmental advantages.

OCTAL's expansion to its existing facilities has added 600,000 tons per annum of PET bottle grade resin to the company's current production capacity to reach 1 million tons per annum, making it the largest in the world on one site.

For more information, please visit: www.octal.com

For press inquiries and images, please contact:
Shaza Taher
TRACCS Public Relations
Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
Telephone: +968 24 649-099
Fax: +968 24 649-088
Email: shaza.taher@traccs.net

© Press Release 2014