For Syncrude’s Wal Kur, it took determination and diligence, not to mention some helpful insider guidance.
Wal’s journey to Syncrude began in Sudan. Growing up, Wal had big dreams. He felt he had potential, he just didn’t have any opportunity to put it to use. After years of struggle, Wal decided to follow his dreams and move to Canada in search of new opportunities.
After working as a mechanic in Vancouver, Wal moved to Fort McMurray and took a job with a contract cleaning company. It was while working as a contract janitor for Syncrude that Wal’s remarkable work ethic and warm, friendly nature caught the eye of Syncrude hiring manager Rob Dow.
At the time, Syncrude was looking for process operators. Rob let Wal know about the opportunity and walked him through the education and training required for the position. With his trademark ear-to-ear grin, Wal thanked Rob profusely and promptly accepted the challenge. He hit the books – checking in with Rob from time to time – and, eventually, earned his 4th class power engineering certificate and landed a position as a process operator. And he’s been smiling ever since.
When asked about his role at Syncrude, Wal’s face lights up with a beaming smile as he thanks his team for their support and credits the Syncrude team for providing him with the opportunity, encouragement and guidance that helped him earn what he calls, “The best job ever!”
By bringing a positive, can-do attitude to all that he does, people like Wal keep Syncrude moving forward. Together, our nearly 5,000 employees have what it takes for us to succeed.
