Paul Clark, Arabian Explosives Company LLC

Working abroad is a great experience, allowing you to work with other nationalities, cultures, languages and attitudes.

It’s somewhere out of your comfort zone but it’s a great opportunity to develop you both professionally and personally.

”Coming from a mining area and a family with generations of miners, I was always intending to go “into the pits”. With the decline in mining, I had to look further afield. Quarrying seemed the perfect alternative for me, so I studied a Quarrying and Road Surfacing HND at Doncaster College.

“After graduating, my first job  was with Tarmac as a Management Trainee, progressing to Quarry Manager. From there I then joined Explosives Developments Limited for three years as an Area Manager, where I helped to set up and manage a depot in Ireland. I then moved to EPC-UK as an Area Manager for Blasting Services, before transferring to AREX, an EPC-Group JV company, in 2005.

“The idea of working abroad wasn’t planned. The position of Factory Manager at AREX in Dubai was available within the EPC Group. I had the chance to look at it, and haven’t looked back. As well as the excitement of being in a different country, the people I work with make my job very satisfying. We work as a team in a harsh, often difficult environment with tight deadlines and timescales. Everyone pulls together and supports each other, in and out of work, as we are all away from friends and family. It’s like a home away from home!

 “Living in Dubai also means that I’ve been able to take up some exciting new hobbies, including off road 4x4 desert driving - no chance of that in the Peak District...

“Working abroad is a great experience, allowing you to work with other nationalities, cultures, languages and attitudes. I love the position my career is in at the moment and look forward to working more on developing and adapting the business to meet the ever-changing demands of the explosives industry in the Middle East environment. 

“Quarrying is an industry that will always be in demand, it's strength lies in its ability to continually adapt and modernise. This dynamic environment means you can never stand still with your skills so investing in continuing professional development is a must. There will always be opportunities for you to progress, enabling you to reach your full potential."

“To everyone who works in quarrying, those who are just starting out, and even to those who are just beginning to consider quarrying as a career path, I would definitely recommend taking opportunities to work abroad. It’s somewhere out of your comfort zone but it’s a great opportunity to develop you both professionally and personally."

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