Jonela Kuro works as a Subcontract Lead at Aibel As, a leading service company within the oil, gas and offshore wind industries. The company provides to customers optimal and innovative solutions within engineering, construction, modifications and maintenance throughout a project’s entire life cycle.
– I’m currently working in one of the biggest offshore projects in the world where I follow up the subcontracts between Aibel As and the suppliers, she says.
Jonela’s daily work is about negotiations with suppliers, contract administration, and preparation of different legal documents. Ensuring the preparation and submission of variations and contract amendment requests are undertaken in accordance with contract requirements.
– I also work a with claims and one of my main tasks is to ensure and identify that the claims are submitted in accordance with the contractual requirements and defend our position against our suppliers, she says.
She explains that they have a lot of meetings because they have to coordinate with different disciplines in order to gather the relevant input and assess each case.
– Do you get to use your education background in your current job?
– Yes, I had courses such as Maritime Law – Contracts – which helped me to understand about contracts, process and analysis in relation to maritime contracts which I am currently working with, Jonela explains.
– However, I do not work directly in the shipping field, I work mostly with renewable energy and wind energy. All though my current job is not directly related to my studies, there are synergies between both fields, and the master studies helped me to understand about contracts, processes and analysis, Jonela says.
Published paper
Jonela has pursued a LL.M program in International Business and Commercial Law in England before she decided to take the Maritime Law Master’s program in Oslo.
– In the beginning, I found the program a bit challenging as I was used to a different education system, she says.
A part of the program was to write three papers.
– I must admit that research work was something I enjoyed a lot and with the support of my Professors one of my papers was published at the Scandinavian Institute of Maritime Law Yearbook “In Simply 2016,” she says.
Jonela also enjoyed that the program gave them the opportunity to visit different shipping companies and law firms and meet people that were very well known in the industry and discussed about their experience and challenges.
Networking is important
For other students that are interested in a career in shipping, Jonela considers that this LL.M program to be a good starting point.
– I believe that earning a Master Degree from the Scandinavian Institute of Maritime Law does make a job candidate more attractive in particular for the Norwegian market but also internationally as the Institute is well known, she says.
– It gives you a good background of the international and national legal framework in shipping. The program has very qualified professors with a lot of experience in the industry, combined with solid academic knowledge, she says.
If you would like to pursue a career in shipping, networking is extremely important according to Jonela.
– There are a lot of organizations in shipping that can help to expand your network and learn more about this industry. Youngship is one of them. Another advice is to participate in all the workshops and seminars that the institute and law firms offers you in the program, she says.
– What are your further career plans and dreams?
– I’m satisfied with my current job. Every day is different making my role interesting and flexible. The work environment is very international and positive. I feel appreciated for what I do, Jonela says.
She enjoys working in international projects and renewable energy becomes more and more significant worldwide and she would like to continue working for this sector.
She wishes to stay in Norway as long as she can.
– I feel I have a lot in common with this culture. During my time here, I have been surrounded by people that taught me a lot. Norway has given me a lot of opportunities, not only at work, but also in the personal life, she confirms.
Name: Jonela Kuro
Program: Master’s in Maritime Law, University of Oslo
Finished studies: 2018
Workplace and position: Subcontract Lead at Aibel As