Wo(r)k life balance in China

Since my last post, I’ve been on a new adventure with the Elkem trainee programme – this time travelling to Elkem Carbon China (ECC). Located in Shizuishan in the Ningxia province, the site is in the heart of northern China and far from any big city I knew before arriving.

Goodbye bread, hello baozi!

After the initial shock of moving across the world wore off, and accepting that my beloved Norwegian bread wouldn’t be part of breakfast anymore, I started enjoying mornings with baozi (filled steam buns) and tea eggs.

Soon, I discovered a city full of hidden gems, from cozy restaurants to bustling food stalls, and realized how convenient everyday life can be: endless takeaway options, next-day delivery for online shopping, affordable rides with Didi (China’s version of Uber), and so much more. With a good translation app, everything you need is just a tap away on your phone.

Digitally driven calcining

At ECC, I worked closely with the operations, focusing on the calcining process. This process involves heat-treating anthracite to achieve the required properties for products such as electrode paste and ramming paste. 

My work centred around digital transformations within calcining operations, improving efficiency, precision and enabling seamless data integration. I contributed by developing Power BI reports, designing a digital meeting platform, and being involved in the early adoption of manufacturing execution system (MES) phase 2.0. These projects required a solid understanding of core carbon processes, including calcining, mixing, off-gas treatment, lab work, and maintenance. 

I also collaborated closely with the carbon team in Norway on process optimisation and HSE improvements. This cross-site collaboration was a great learning experience and showed how knowledge sharing can drive innovation across borders.

Life outside the plant

Outside of the office, I’ve discovered Chinese culture through lively karaoke nights, after-work mahjong games, and exploring local spots, guided by younger ECC colleagues.

The plant also makes social life easy with team-building events and friendly competitions in badminton, basketball, and billiards. I quickly realised that my decent table tennis skills from Norway were no match for my Chinese colleagues!

Final reflections

During this outplacement, I’ve realised that one of the best parts of being a trainee is the opportunity to learn as much as possible. Everyone here has been eager to share knowledge and involve me in their work. My tip for future and current trainees: show curiosity and enthusiasm, and people will gladly bring you along! 

Lastly, a special thank you to my mentor, Linda, the ECC operations team, and to everyone at ECC for the warm welcome and for making Shizuishan feel like home. I am already looking forward to coming back for a visit!

With that, I’ll wrap up my travel letter with some interesting facts about Chinese work culture and a few pictures from my outplacement, because sometimes photos tell the best story. 

A peek into Chinese work culture

• Summer naps: Taking a nap after lunch in your office chair during the hot summer months is completely normal and surprisingly addictive.
• Lively discussions: What might sound like quarrelling is usually just a passionate and engaging discussion. No need to worry!
• Titles are important: Learning Chinese names is already a challenge for me, and then titles join the party. In Chinese work culture, titles often reflect age, seniority, and your relationship with the person, which means colleague can end up with several “names.” At one point, I even thought someone’s actual name was Engineer because everyone kept calling him that… turns out, it was just his title!