Job Discussion Forums

[Woody667]

Well, after a year of working there what can I say? The Institute is fairly good with respect to the pay and the accomodation provided. Native Speakers get a minimum salary of 450 Bahraini Dinars a month. Don't go for anything less...as with all institutes, business is business and these guys will try and get you for cheap. Some people can negociate salaries upwards of 550 BD...but you have to present a REALLY professional image before they fork out that kind of money.

The only single WARNING I'd give to anyone thinking of working there is to watch out for the REALLY BAD office politics going on. If you like soap operas and always wanted to be in one THEN take this job. There is a weird policy where teachers who produce material are in a major rush to stick their names on the hand-outs, exams, or even resource room notes. Don't think about working as a team here as a few individuals jealously guard their sphere of power and consider self-promotion a virute. If arrogant mercenaries get your nerves don't work here. Watch out for the middle management as they are the chief culprits...and watch your back.

Having said that, you will find the hours are very good. The students are friendly and provided you don't do anything outrageous like eating ants in the classroom you should be ok. Bahrain is a liberal gulf state but AVOID religion like the plague -- even if your students want you to talk about it.

The Institute has recently opened new branches right across Bahrain. So you might end up doing split shifts in one branch and then have to be shuttled off to another for a class you aren't going to make on time... the reason? Poor transportation. If on the other hand you can drive, take the rent a car option as it will save you time and your hairline.

Good Pay for Native Speakers [450 BD MINIMUM...negociate!]
Good housing - in city centre, very good location
Pleasant students
First class admininstration

Too much factionalised rivalry...need UN to go in a sort it out
Sometimes pay is up to a fortnight late
Resource room is woefully inadequate especially computer aided teaching materials
middle management,...wear garlic around your neck!

[Mark100]

The salary you mention is only marginally more than what you can make in somewhere like Thailand!!!
Quite frankly you can make triple that and more at Aramco and you could still live in Bahrain if you desired.
Accepting those sort of wages in a country which is relatively expensive just doesn't make sense.

[scot47]

The figures you quote here seem pretty low to me. Salaries on the other end of the casueway in Dammam/Dharan/Al-Khobar are twice or three times what you quote and Saudi Arabia is a cheaper place to live than Bahrain. Many employers here now give multiple-exit visas. So why work for pennies in Bahrain ?

[Stephen Jones]

450BD is a joke of a salary. 550BD is a joke, and you've got to look "really professional" for that. And on top of it they expect you to work split locations.

Remember that the minimum wage in England works out at around 420BD an hour. And the beer's cheaper in the UK.

[nimra_ghalat]

You make over $1,000 an hour as minimum wage in Britain? In the U.S. it's only $5.50 or so.

[scot47]

I am still amazed that someone would go and work in Bahrain for so little.
You would need to multiply this figure by three to attract me !

Work in the EP of KSA and you will make 10,000 riyals a month (equaling 1000 Bahraini Dinars) And you can still spend your weekends in Bahrain !!!!

[Cdaniels]

United States minimum wage- from wikipedia.org
"$10,300 per year ($5.15 per hour for a 40 hour work week based on 50 work weeks annually) for the last eight years (from 1997 to 2005)"
Certain states have higher minimum wages than the federal minimum
Service workers (waiters and waitresses) in the US, who can expect tips, can be paid less than minimum wage.
This makes Bahrain sound pretty good
About office politics- there is a old joke in American colleges and universities. "Why are the rivalries and fights so bitter in academia? Because there is so little at stake!" -this joke is much more humorous after you've experienced it first-hand.

[veiledsentiments]

Don't compare the salary for a non-high school graduate in the US to teaching salaries in the Gulf... apples and oranges.

This is slave wages... and an ancient thread from 2 years ago...

VS

[Cdaniels]

[scot47]

I am still puzzled as to why someone would choose to work for third-world wages in Bahrain while Saudi is offering a living wage that allows you to save !

[Stephen Jones]

I've just noticed the error. I meant 420BD a month British minimum wage. It's actually probably higher.

[tannhauser]

Hi,

I worked here and heard that the school closed after the owner Abdulaziz Jamsheer passed away. It would be nice to hook up with former staff of Cambridge Institute - if you are about PM me.

Tannhauser

[scot47]

Guaranteed income for a single pensioner in UK is currently 572 pounds a calendar month with reasonable housing costs covered. And a free bus pass, plus free medication.