Anyone work at ARC Resources or Husky?

[charmin]

Looking at working for 1 of the 2. The entry engineering position is very different from one another (SAGD vs conventional). And I'm also not too sure how different they are in terms of corporate structure considering Husky is a lot bigger than Arc Resources with only ~500 employees.

Anyone have any experience with either company?

[JDMMAN]

I work in the same building as ARC. I've heard some really good things about them. (Benefits wise). If you get in the ground floor of a smaller company there's more opportunity to grow into multiple roles. Also can be quite financially rewarding if you get options/shares especially if they get taken over.

If this is your first job, go with a bigger company. On the job training is what will benefit you down the road in roping better gigs.

[idriveabox]

Mom works at ARC, Dad at Husky. Pick ARC.

As mentioned, better benefits (gym, free breakfasts), more chance to move up, employees tend to stay longer IMO

Husky - lay-offs?

[msommers]

SAGD would be sweet to get into.

One thing to consider is where the industry is heading ie: the future of vertical (conventional) wells.

[w_man]

+1 for ARC ... Good environment and you'll probably have better opportunities to move up.

[JBreaks]

I'm working at Husky (there at this moment)

and I can tell you that I started off at a smaller company (not in engineering, but its really all the same..) and the compensation is slightly better at the bigger companies. Its very very very unlikely you are going to get any stock/option compensation in your first job. I would suggest going with the larger company purely to bank skills and experience that will allow you get the better position/compensation/stock package that will come from a experience based position at a smaller company later.

Also for eng people, dont you have to bank a certain amount of experience and what not to get your P.Eng?

Husky would be the kind of place I would work toward my P.Eng and then start look elsewhere as soon as those letters where imminent.

[R-Audi]

Im currently at ARC as a consultant, and they treat their employees very well. Beyond the normal stock options/health benefits they also have a private gym, pool table, ping pong tables, HUGE TV lounge and breakfasts every Wednesday!

[ExtraSlow]

ARC has an outstanding reputation for treating thier employees well. People who work there, stay there.

The only downside is that they are very slow in thier hiring process. It can take three or four interviews and six months or more to get an offer. Maybe this is faster for entry level, but it will still be somewhat slow.

I had two interviews there about three years ago, got introduced around to the other team members and then didn't get the job. It was very frustrating, because at any other shop, that much time would only be spent on a person who they planned to hire.

[tenth]

In my audit days, I spent time at dozens of companies in town, and ARC was the best run and had the friendliest/happiest employees. I'd work there in a second.

[HK2NR]

Husky is going backwards in terms of growth and benefits for employee retention. Poor processes in place and poor accountability by management. Place is pretty bad since John Lau stepped down.
Stick with ARC

[sabad66]

Do you already have an offer from both companies? Or are you looking and have just narrowed it down to these two postings?

[realazy]

Originally posted by sabad66
Do you already have an offer from both companies? Or are you looking and have just narrowed it down to these two postings?

Exactly what I wanted to ask. I'm at Husky and I'm not aware of any new grad engineer postings.

[bunzofsteel]

Hey,

I got an offer to work at ARC Resources as an accounting summer student this upcoming summer. Their office is definitely nice - moved into the new office at Jamieson's place, private gym, towel service, etc. It makes you really feel work is just home away from home.

I agree on the part that they take a long time to hire. I got 2 interviews, one at school and one at their office. The 2nd one the two interviewers showed me around all 7 floors of their office before I got to see the controller, but keeping in mind that I didn't receive any offer at that time yet. So they do put a lot of effort and time in picking out the suitable candidate.

I have also heard a lot of people wanting to go back/stay after getting their designation; they currently support the CMA designation, but not CA.

As for P.Eng etc., I'm not too sure about that since I'm not an Engineering student. I have also never worked for Husky so I can't comment on their management styles, etc.

Hope this helps in giving you some background about ARC though!

[JBreaks]

Jamieson Place sure looks all "baller, shot caller" in the lobby ect. but word on the street is they are "open concept" floor plan aka: cubicles upstairs.

Contact at Taqa North confirms such things....

[sputnik]

Originally posted by JBreaks
Jamieson Place sure looks all "baller, shot caller" in the lobby ect. but word on the street is they are "open concept" floor plan aka: cubicles upstairs.

Contact at Taqa North confirms such things....

That depends not on the building but rather how each company chooses to develop their space.

[malcolmk14]

My girlfriend currently works for ARC as an engineering intern student.

She's really enjoying her internship. She's been exposed to a ton of opportunities. She goes on a lot of training courses, there's opportunities for field experience.

The building is as amazing as everyone says (I've been there, it looks space-age, so cool). Everyone gets offices, IT people get cubicles.

Everyone's really friendly and approachable. Every Wednesday morning there's a hot breakfast for everyone to encourage networking and socializing.

Monthly flex days, lots of time off at Christmas, stock options as a full employee.

[Mskye]

TAQA is open concept, but like it was mentioned the company can develop their floors how they like.

[ExtraSlow]

TAQA is a big bowl of shit compared to every other company in this town. The only good news, I hear they are hiring, for pretty much everything. They have eighteen posting on their website currently for Calgary office staff. Last I hard they have at least four separate recruiting agencies working for that.

[R-Audi]

Originally posted by JBreaks
Jamieson Place sure looks all "baller, shot caller" in the lobby ect. but word on the street is they are "open concept" floor plan aka: cubicles upstairs.

Contact at Taqa North confirms such things....

Pretty stupid comment... every pocket of office space in CALGARY can be built out to the tenants choice. Just because TAQA has open concept certainly doesnt mean every other floor in the building does.
The only pocket of space that is open at ARC is in the IT group and office services and thats by choice. Everyone else is in 10x15, 15x15 or 15x20' offices. (So 1 floor out of 9!)

[JDMMAN]

Trust me, the TAQA cubes are MUCH better then the Shell cubes in Shell Center.