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British Training Institute/CfBT
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carnac



Joined: 30 Jul 2004
Posts: 310
Location: in my village in Oman ;-)

PostPosted: Sun Sep 05, 2004 3:15 pm    Post subject: British Training Institute/CfBT Reply with quote

Does anyone have any information on this employer? I have heard they are looking for evening teachers. How are conditions, pay, etc?
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Signor



Joined: 07 Sep 2004
Posts: 66
Location: Qatar

PostPosted: Sat Sep 18, 2004 11:58 pm    Post subject: Look elsewhere Reply with quote

Saw your post and thought I'd investigate (Oman being my latest port of call) - I went in one evening around 6.30 and there were as many teachers as students.

I spoke to a very nice receptionist who offered to take my CV but it doesn't look busy.
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oh_lucky_me



Joined: 25 Sep 2004
Posts: 19

PostPosted: Tue Sep 28, 2004 3:43 am    Post subject: Careful Reply with quote

BTI's a British charity, but I'm afraid that's where is stops here in Oman. My friend worked there, and she wasn't even introduced to the staff, let alone manager. She was never given books or shown where anything was. She did say that the students were great though.
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carnac



Joined: 30 Jul 2004
Posts: 310
Location: in my village in Oman ;-)

PostPosted: Tue Sep 28, 2004 5:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Since my original post, I've heard some disturbing things about this company, such as all the students having left. I think I'll look elsewhere for now. What is going on there, do you suppose? I am told they had a good reputation but that there were recent financial and staffing problems, and I don't know anyone who has direct knowledge.
Are there any new schools starting up with a need for well-qualified teachers, does anyone know?
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travellingtefler



Joined: 05 Sep 2004
Posts: 36
Location: Finished one contract - travelling to another

PostPosted: Tue Sep 28, 2004 2:25 pm    Post subject: I've heard Reply with quote

I have asked around about work in Oman and was told that most of their teaching staff have left - this is in the British Training Institute itself - I don't know about the other posts people tell me they have outside Muscat.

Maybe CfBT and the British Training Institute are different things - one may be a local franchise. Anyone know?

Also heard something about evening class teachers having to wait for money.

Seem to be problems there but I'm not sure of details.
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oh_lucky_me



Joined: 25 Sep 2004
Posts: 19

PostPosted: Fri Oct 01, 2004 7:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I asked my friend, and she said there were delays in getting paid, but that it was probably more of an administration problem, than a finance problem because the full time staff were getting paid and lending money to the part-timers. She wasn't sure, but said that she thought all the night staff were part timers.
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travellingtefler



Joined: 05 Sep 2004
Posts: 36
Location: Finished one contract - travelling to another

PostPosted: Fri Oct 01, 2004 10:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Doesn't say much about them - does it? They should pay all their staff at the same time. It's also a bit unusual that there is no full-time staff presence at night.

I'd stay clear.
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carnac



Joined: 30 Jul 2004
Posts: 310
Location: in my village in Oman ;-)

PostPosted: Sun Oct 03, 2004 10:29 am    Post subject: hard to understand Reply with quote

I'll take your advice that there are too many problems with it to consider it. Why I am a little surprised is because when you go to their website, http://www.cfbtoman.com/aboutcfbt.htm , it seems like a far-flung, very legitimate operation with solid roots in the UK and with University affiliations. Is the whole operation shady or is at a local thing or what, anyone know? I was also looking at the Brunei thing, but not if it is like the Oman operation sounds.
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Signor



Joined: 07 Sep 2004
Posts: 66
Location: Qatar

PostPosted: Sun Oct 03, 2004 7:41 pm    Post subject: Strange Reply with quote

Until recently, I was working with a teacher who had been in Brunei with CfBT - she said that sometimes the support was almost paternalistic but that this was not necessarily a bad thing. She enjoyed her time there.

From what's been said above - it doesn't sound like the same organisation - I begin to think that travellingtefler has something - maybe this British Training Institute is a franchise.

We've all read how companies who have fairly good reputations worldwide (eg ELS) can go wrong in one particular part of the world - just because the sponsor or the management is bad. If this is the case - then I wonder why the main company do nothing about changing things or if they even know things are bad (but then the number of students should tell them something!)

But then again - I may be wrong (even about ELS!) - does anyone out there know?
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veiledsentiments



Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA

PostPosted: Mon Oct 04, 2004 4:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It is one of those mysteries of our field. But, I know that ELS knew about the problems as the headquarters were the ones who kept advertising for directors over and over again.

VS
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oh_lucky_me



Joined: 25 Sep 2004
Posts: 19

PostPosted: Mon Oct 04, 2004 4:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I worked for ELS through the first 3.5 directors, and made some great friends. The teachers were super! We all left, but some of us are still in touch.

There is a rumour that a new centre is opening near Carrefour, and that it might be ELS. Does anyone know?
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Signor



Joined: 07 Sep 2004
Posts: 66
Location: Qatar

PostPosted: Mon Oct 04, 2004 2:56 pm    Post subject: ELS/New centre in Seeb Reply with quote

If you don't mind - will start another thread on this one because things get confused when we change topic half way through a thread.
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Signor



Joined: 07 Sep 2004
Posts: 66
Location: Qatar

PostPosted: Mon Oct 04, 2004 3:07 pm    Post subject: Getting confused Reply with quote

I looked up the site that Carnac mentioned and there are vacancies in Qatar, Malaysia and Brunei. There are no vacancies in Oman so I couldn't check if they were CfBT or from this local institute.

These vacancies are for fairly specialised people and they don't square with what we've read above.

I may be wrong (again) but it seems very straightforward to run night classes judging from the cars outside several institutes in the area.

Something must be wrong in this centre. It would be nice if someone with firsthand knowledge would post.
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travellingtefler



Joined: 05 Sep 2004
Posts: 36
Location: Finished one contract - travelling to another

PostPosted: Mon Oct 04, 2004 3:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've been asking around - there are a number of ex-Oman staff around me and they say that CfBT have regional teacher trainers working with Omani ministries and in Omani schools with Omani teachers.

The biggest problem with these posts have been the remote locations (which is outwith the control of CfBT) although there were a few remarks about the admin support being poor and there being problems with a manager who was removed.

So - the stories about this British Training Institute don't seem to fit in with the overall picture. But - as a charity - CfBT wouldn't leave staff (or staff of a franchise) in such a bad situation? Or do I over-estimate what can be expected from a charity?
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Signor



Joined: 07 Sep 2004
Posts: 66
Location: Qatar

PostPosted: Mon Oct 04, 2004 7:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I liked your questions - I do strongly believe that we expect more of companies who have charitable ties or are founded for reasons other than profit eg the British Council or CfBT.

Staff join these companies expecting job security, development and to be part of a thriving concern.

I wonder what went wrong here? I wonder why they did not step in earlier? I wonder if they realise that this reflects badly on them? Look at ELS and their ME reputation.

If this British Training Institute is part of CfBT, I'd certainly think twice about working for them - especially in Oman.
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