Xert1492

Are you sure single female staff are given more priority than family? Will I have a say in not wanting to stay in NC2 perhaps? Could you clarify?

Diplo

Not according to the housing policy. I can’t share the details as it’s an internal document, but suffice to say, the priority is as has already been mentioned - the more kids you have, the higher you are, then couples with no kids, then everyone else in order of arrival.

I’m sure if you wanted to stay in NC2, you could.

Something I’ve heard anecdotally is that in NC1, there’s not much of a social scene as due to the accommodation being better, people don’t leave their cabins so much. In NC2, people get bored in their studio rooms, so tend to make more effort to go out and socialise.

Ldn2Ksa

Really useful info, thanks. Is there any childcare - nursery/schooling at Trojena?

Xert1492

Thanks for clarifying, Diplo! I'm just looking for as much info as I can get on the accommodation and living conditions. Just want to make sure I know what I'm getting myself into before I accept. Any help I can get will be great!

Pkingston

No, they are absolutely not given priority.
No, you have no say in accommodation matters. You get what you get and you stay there until they tell you to move.

BMH77

Hi all. I typically don't like tagging on to what others say since everyone here does such a good job, but I will for this one since everyone keeps asking the same question different ways, no doubt hoping for a different answer...

There are a lot of people here in Neom already who are placed in accommodation that they may not necessarily have been promised. The company is going to help these people first. Short of being a very senior exec, as Pkingston says, "you will get what you get" as you come in as a new hire. Family or no, director or junior analyst, you can't do anything about it.

Keep your expectations low -- think small hotel room in NC2 or a small studio apartment in Duba to start. Plan on this being the reality for at least the next six months. Probably the next 12. There are at least 600 current employees that are on the list to be re-accommodated. New hires who do not get the accommodation they are supposed to will be added to the end of that list.

The housing and community services departments have a very big and very uncomfortable job ahead of them; and, unfortunately for the new-hires -- who are justifiably looking for an exception that might get them what they want immediately -- the people in those departments have heard it all over the last year from all of the current employees looking for exceptions that might get them what they want a little quicker.

Plan for worst and plan on waiting. If you get lucky, great! But that is a low likelihood outcome. Neom is still hiring a lot of positions to support our growth and to backfill positions for people whose contracts have ended or people who did not want to wait for proper accommodations. It will take a while to sort this out as construction of cabins continues.

I don't like to sound negative but the truth of the matter is that there is a housing shortage and that it is not going to change for a while. Factor this in to your decision making process. You will most likely start out in a less desirable room and there is no way around it. Pack light, be flexible, and hope for the best while being prepared for the worst, and understand that it isn't just you. That is all anyone can do at this point.

Good luck.

GNK

There is no childcare or school in Trojena and I understand there are no plans for one any time soon.
Employees with families in camp are spending a few nights in Trojena and the remainder in camp.

Ldn2Ksa

Hmm that sounds a bit ‘challenging’ to say the least. But appreciate concrete info on this.

Cambs chic

Hi, what is actually at Trojena? I've been told the accommodation is like travelodge, but guessing this isnt the case.
what facilities are there?
Also, how far is trojena camp from the project site?

Xert1492

Thanks Pkingston and BMH77 for clarifying. I appreciate how you guys are communicating first-hand experiences throughout this thread to help out new hires prepare themselves for a life in NEOM. Thank you!

Pkingston

From NC1: 2 hours to the office. 2.5hrs to the Trojena camp.

Diplo

Just to clarify - the reason it’s different one way vs the others is that there’s almost no roundabouts or flyovers on the roads here. Traffic sometimes has to go in the opposite direction to your destination until you get to a U-turn and can turn around.