Elkem technical trainee program: Out to explore the world

I joined the Elkem Xinghuo plant in May 2020, as a MCS (Methyl chlorosilane) synthesis process engineer. My first three years in Xinghuo were mainly dedicated to learning the silicone industry, and upstream process knowledge. Because of the epidemic, during those three years, I had basically no business trips; in the stage of education, I was only in China, and I had never left my home country before.

In March 2023, a notice was posted internally about the recruitment of Elkem Global Technical Trainees. After communicating with the department leader and discussing with my family, they all encouraged me to sign up for the program. After several rounds of interviews, I was honored to be able to join the 2023 Elkem Technical Trainees.

In August 2023, I attended the first Elkem Technical Trainee kick-off meeting. This two-week kick-off meeting gave me a lot of first-time experiences: the first time I came to Norway, the first time I was trained in English and the first time I communicated and collaborated with colleagues from different countries. It was a short and wonderful time.

I chose the Xinghuo site as my first stop, and after returning from Trondheim, Norway, my role changed from MCS Synthesis Process Engineer to MCS Synthesis Lab Trainee, which went smoothly with the help of my local coach.

The Xinghuo MCS synthesis lab was established in February 2023, and its first mission has been to evaluate the catalyst test for the Phoenix project and develop and evaluate suppliers for the new silicon needed after the expansion project.

In October 2023, I attended the Elkem Business System (EBS) University in Yong Deng. Even though I had already learned part of the EBS knowledge before, this course gave me more experience. Colleagues from different factories in Elkem met and divided into groups for the EBS course, which deepened my understanding of other factories in Elkem. At the end of the course, we used the A3 tools that we had learned to analyze specific problems in the Yongdeng factory.

At the end of October 2023, our laboratory encountered the problem of baseline deviation. I applied the knowledge I learned in EBS University to analyze this problem. We chose Ishikawa and 5why analysis methods to analyze the five aspects of laboratory materials, personnel operation, online chromatography, chromatographic analysis method, and temperature and humidity of the laboratory environment. Finally, it was found that the baseline fluctuation of the online chromatography was due to failure of a filter, which would lead to water being brought into the online chromatography. Subsequently, we formulated an action item to check the filter every month.

In May 2024, I started the second rotation of my training in Lyon, France. In fact, it was also the first time for me to go abroad alone for training. I was a little nervous and excited before I started. With the help of my fellow trainees, I had no difficulties in my first days in France, and gradually adapted to work and life here.

Living in Lyon for three months was a relatively long time and gave me time to think about how to arrange my training project and to experience different cities' cultures.

The second rotation of my training was to assist in the RON-2022 commissioning. The RON-2022 project is the biggest investment in the Roussillon plant in the last ten years. This project enables to upgrade silicone intermediates capacity from Elkem’s upstream plant in France. Before I came to France, I participated in part of the commissioning of the Phoenix project. The new mill has been successfully applied in the Phoenix project in Xinghuo, and the experience will help us to implement the RON-2022 project in a safer and quicker way through communication between both sides.

I would not have had the opportunity to live and work in Europe for a long time if I had not participated in the trainee program. The trainee program gave me that opportunity, which has enriched my life and provided me with a foundation for future mutual understanding of cross-border technical communication and cooperation.

I would like to thank all my colleagues and friends for their help during this period, and I will cherish this opportunity to explore more unknown things.