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QP on the rise...
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zeke0606



Joined: 22 Oct 2007
Posts: 185
Location: East Outer Mongolia

PostPosted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 9:46 am    Post subject: QP on the rise... Reply with quote

I got this email today, 3 February 2010, from my friend at QP - he is a tech teacher from Oz. And one really nice guy that has been in Qatar since Jesus was baptized - I think - maybe longer!!!
I taught English at the 'bakery' in the south way back in 2006 and 2007 and there were 'problems' with the management company and Griffin Uni back then.

Here is a direct copy --------

Gid-day Cobber�s, I have been out of circulation, back in Aussie for a month. The weather was craze, 40C, 20C, rain, snow, storms, humid and just overcast.

Back to Qatar to get a few dollars! The Local seen, the Mafia was being retired off after they gave themselves many years� extensions and the D.A (Director 0f Administration) or 3rd inline to God in QP said enough boys it is about time to go home. But a few days ago a complete turn around, now the local guy overall manage of all QP training has left and the Mafia are staying on. That show how strong the Mafia from Khartoum have become over 30 years in this Middle East oil and gas rich State. A new Manager Director for training was appointed Sunday, a local guy an Engineer by profession with plant experience. We have met him but his Name was not give. The introductions went like, this is Joe blow he works as one of our technical teachers, Joe meet your new Manager of Training, no name given!

Other news, discontentment in the ranks, the English teachers on contract has not been paid by their previous contractor and the new contractor starts on the 1st of March. The English teachers are lift in limbo, so they have withdrawn their labour until some one sort the problems out.

This action has put the system into chaos now all technical teachers have the boys all day 6:30 to 14:30. These boys have a concentration span of 2 minutes in every hour at best. Now having to educate them in Process Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering and Electrical Engineering to the vocation TAFE competencies standards is a challenge. First is trying to stop them falling asleep, second trying to stop them using their mobile phones in lectures, third trying to stop them reading the news papers in lectures, fourth is trying to stop them from cheating in all the test, exams, assignments and practical demonstrations. In-sharla

It only gets more complicated, the guy who was teaching the Fire Men their trade of how to fight fire in the oil and gas industry, a very specialized field of study, had enough of the way the Technical contractor has an attitude towards technical staff, and resigned, no replacement, so today I had a class of Fire men who can not speak English, I can not speak Arabic, it is Q.P. (Qatar Petroleum) and S.E.C.( supreme education council) policies all technical and Hydrocarbon business must be conducted in the correct English Language. In-sharla.

Welcome back to the Middle East, nothing has changed since I have been away.

Take Care. CU In-sharla


enjoy
zeke
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globebouncing



Joined: 06 Feb 2008
Posts: 7

PostPosted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 8:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Over the past ten months QP was host to a number of lousy moments.

QP shut down in summer for an extra two to four weeks beyond the usual four. Teachers who had worked all year had only four weeks holiday set aside and so lost two to four weeks pay.

Contractor Griffith University, local sponser IMTIAZ and QP got into a contract dispute that resulted in the teachers not receiving payment for October, November and December until the end of December or early January. Teachers had not had a full payday or in some cases any pay since early August. Teachers quit because of the uncertainty and one because he could no longer afford the petrol to drive to work.

IMTIAZ terminated the whole staff effective 24 December. Merry Xmas. This appeared to be a ploy to force QP to concede to IMTIAZ's payment demands. That evening staff received a letter from IMTIAZ asking them back for another five weeks. Some staff left at this point, as they already had flights booked. Rumors swirled all that last week, and from hour to hour it was impossible to know if you were staying or going.

At the end of January the new short contract expired. Instead of a smooth transition to the new contractor, IMTIAZ left the teachers in limbo for a week while they bartered with the new contractor, as though at a slave market. After a week, IMTIAZ (illegally) evicted the teachers from the company apartments. For a week there was little progress. This week, papers have been signed and teachers will (likely) return to work this week. At this writing, teachers have been off work for twelve days.

IMTIAZ was legally bound to house the teachers, or repatriate them. So much for legalities. Moving out and paying rental fees for the days teachers stayed in the apartment beyond the end of January was the ransom price to receive their letters of no objection that allowed teachers to work for the new contractor.

Teachers who left at the end of December or January have not been granted a no-objection certificate. Despite being wanted by the new contractor, these teachers cannot return for two years because of this ban by IMTIAZ.

Will the fun and games continue with the new contractor?


Last edited by globebouncing on Sat Feb 20, 2010 8:32 am; edited 1 time in total
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scot47



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343

PostPosted: Fri Feb 19, 2010 1:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Skanky operators in a skanky set-up in a joke country.
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banana republic



Joined: 01 Feb 2010
Posts: 6

PostPosted: Sat Feb 20, 2010 8:54 pm    Post subject: Language Solutions Reply with quote

Hey Globebouncing

I see that you have previous history with Language Solutions in Kuwait- any advice to those of us who have signed up for "the Queen's Shilling" with them at least until July? We are supposed to start work tomorrow - Inshallah.

By the way, Zeke, if your friend ever wondered why he could not communicate with the trainees, perhaps he should look at his own use of the language, as illustrated in his email to you. No offence, but it doesn't quite hit IELTS 8 in my book.
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zeke0606



Joined: 22 Oct 2007
Posts: 185
Location: East Outer Mongolia

PostPosted: Sat Mar 13, 2010 1:23 pm    Post subject: what Reply with quote

BR
My friend is not an English teacher, he is a tech teacher -- pumps and valves and all the equipment they need to know how to operate is what he is an expert on. In the first line I stated that he was a tech teacher - they don't need 'proper English', but they do need all the technical experience to operate an entire refinery. And that is something I know you cannot do!

I have sat in on his classes and he has the rapt attention from these guys --- much better than I have ever seen in any English class and that includes mine!
So, my dear sir or madam, throw stones if you must, but remember it is karma that will bite you in the end.

Zeke
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lollaerd



Joined: 03 Jul 2009
Posts: 337

PostPosted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 8:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

globebouncing wrote:


Contractor Griffith University, local sponser IMTIAZ and QP got into a contract dispute that resulted in the teachers not receiving payment for October, November and December until the end of December or early January. Teachers had not had a full payday or in some cases any pay since early August. Teachers quit because of the uncertainty and one because he could no longer afford the petrol to drive to work.

IMTIAZ terminated the whole staff effective 24 December. Merry Xmas. This appeared to be a ploy to force QP to concede to IMTIAZ's payment demands. That evening staff received a letter from IMTIAZ asking them back for another five weeks. Some staff left at this point, as they already had flights booked. Rumors swirled all that last week, and from hour to hour it was impossible to know if you were staying or going.

At the end of January the new short contract expired. Instead of a smooth transition to the new contractor, IMTIAZ left the teachers in limbo for a week while they bartered with the new contractor, as though at a slave market. After a week, IMTIAZ (illegally) evicted the teachers from the company apartments. For a week there was little progress. This week, papers have been signed and teachers will (likely) return to work this week. At this writing, teachers have been off work for twelve days.

IMTIAZ was legally bound to house the teachers, or repatriate them. So much for legalities. Moving out and paying rental fees for the days teachers stayed in the apartment beyond the end of January was the ransom price to receive their letters of no objection that allowed teachers to work for the new contractor.


Will the fun and games continue with the new contractor?


This was disgusting situation and too many teachers were victimized by both Griffith and IMTIAZ. Griffith made piles of money from this sweet deal and walked away. IMTIAZ lost money and was sore at having to pay from their coffers. Griffith did not pay the monies owed and IMTIAZ was left in the lurch with the rental contracts. They figured the best way to deal with this was to charge the much abused and misused teachers.

Langsols seems to be playing games too - certainly nothing fun with them.
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wilberforce



Joined: 27 Dec 2008
Posts: 647

PostPosted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 3:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lang Sols got rid of some good people who survived the IMTIAZ purge.
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lollaerd



Joined: 03 Jul 2009
Posts: 337

PostPosted: Sun Dec 19, 2010 11:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'd say it was Lang Sols on the rise now. They sure are packing in the bucks with their penny pinching ways.
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idaho_potato



Joined: 09 Feb 2012
Posts: 57

PostPosted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 2:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

lollaerd wrote:
I'd say it was Lang Sols on the rise now. They sure are packing in the bucks with their penny pinching ways.


Lang Sols is out and Edgewater is on the rise now. Lag Sols has lost the conract. Actually their mother ship lost the control so Lan Sols has to close down operations Malarky Mal was able to undercut Lang Sols and its sponsor, a construction company. They are offering NOC to the tachers but not if they are going to the competition, i.e. Edgewater. Teachers say Lang Sols was a minimally adequate employer given the contraints it was under. So Malarky Mal gets to take over the Villagio classrooms and the infrastructure Lang Sols set up. One very smooth takeover operation. So Malarky goes from strength to strength - QAC, Imtiaz and now Edgewater. Hmmm.
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the lowlander



Joined: 10 Oct 2010
Posts: 171
Location: The Oort Cloud

PostPosted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 1:28 am    Post subject: QP Reply with quote

Qatar Petroleum has a very long history of indiscriminate mass hirings, and mass firings.

I know, because my own professional, and family life, was seriously shaken to the core, after being hired and fired along with everyone else through no fault of my own, during the end-phase of Language Solutions contract with QP.

Seriously, QP is one to avoid.

1. Their track record of "mass executions" could rival Joseph Stalin. Check Dave's for previous posts.

2. The industrial trainees in the "Gulag" are an experience all to themselves. If you want to watch 30 unruly oil workers with more "wasta" than you, ignore you while you try to teach them, as they play on their i-phones and talk to each other in Arabic, then this is the place to go.

3. I have over 14 years of teaching experience (including other Gulf countries) but Qatar, and QP is by far the worst place/employer I have seen so far.
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idaho_potato



Joined: 09 Feb 2012
Posts: 57

PostPosted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 4:38 pm    Post subject: Re: QP Reply with quote

the lowlander wrote:
Qatar Petroleum has a very long history of indiscriminate mass hirings, and mass firings.

1. Their track record of "mass executions" could rival Joseph Stalin. Check Dave's for previous posts. .


From the former teachers I met at TESOL Arabia, QU has had a similar track record.
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veiledsentiments



Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA

PostPosted: Wed Mar 21, 2012 5:17 pm    Post subject: Re: QP Reply with quote

idaho_potato wrote:
the lowlander wrote:
Qatar Petroleum has a very long history of indiscriminate mass hirings, and mass firings.

1. Their track record of "mass executions" could rival Joseph Stalin. Check Dave's for previous posts. .


From the former teachers I met at TESOL Arabia, QU has had a similar track record.

Not true... there was a year - about 3-4 years ago now - that a larger than average number of teachers were "not renewed" which many referred to as getting rid of some problems and dead wood. People who make too many waves often end up gone. So it goes in the real world...

Absolutely not even close to what QP has been doing for the last years.

VS
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sharter



Joined: 25 Jun 2008
Posts: 878
Location: All over the place

PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 6:35 am    Post subject: erm Reply with quote

Veiledsentiments, have you ever worked for QP? I have. I was first a contractor and then direct hire on married status, so I've seen both sides of the coin. Happily, I left of my own accord. You are wrong.

Contractors have always been treated like cattle at QP. It's got sweet FA to do with teachers being good or bad, knuckling down or expressing themselves. The practice of not renewing contracts or firing people willy nilly is commonplace 'pour encourager les autres' or just so some incompetent middle manager can make it seem like he's doing a good job on the quality control side. The big contracting biscuit Malmull has no loyalty to anyone except himself and is, in fact, the biggest cowboy this side of Texas. When QP do their random stuff you won't get any support from him. However, he's a survivor which speaks volumes for the wasta he's made over his many years there. Good luck to the old git.

The direct hires get culled because of Qatarization targets in departments and because those on the two-year contracts simply aren't renewed for the same reason. Some also reach retirement age.

QP is about the money and nothing else, always has been always will be. If you see it as a benefits programme for unemployable Qatari youth, you'll never get up tight about the 'teaching'. Take the cash. Admire their driving skills as they do doughnuts in the car park. Tick the register and repeat 5 times daily, 5 days a week for as long as you can stand it. And, don't listen to others in the Middle East telling you they have better positions etc because wherever they are they'll be passing every one and kidding themselves that what they do is somehow of great importance to mankind.

"Treat every pay cheque as if it is your last"-Peter Crossley aka 'Muttley', 2001, QP Gulag, tea hut. Wise words indeed from the 'Old Monk' midget.
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bulgogiboy



Joined: 23 Feb 2005
Posts: 803

PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 12:11 pm    Post subject: Re: erm Reply with quote

sharter wrote:
Veiledsentiments, have you ever worked for QP? I have. I was first a contractor and then direct hire on married status, so I've seen both sides of the coin. Happily, I left of my own accord. You are wrong.

Contractors have always been treated like cattle at QP. It's got sweet FA to do with teachers being good or bad, knuckling down or expressing themselves. The practice of not renewing contracts or firing people willy nilly is commonplace 'pour encourager les autres' or just so some incompetent middle manager can make it seem like he's doing a good job on the quality control side. The big contracting biscuit Malmull has no loyalty to anyone except himself and is, in fact, the biggest cowboy this side of Texas. When QP do their random stuff you won't get any support from him. However, he's a survivor which speaks volumes for the wasta he's made over his many years there. Good luck to the old git.

The direct hires get culled because of Qatarization targets in departments and because those on the two-year contracts simply aren't renewed for the same reason. Some also reach retirement age.

QP is about the money and nothing else, always has been always will be. If you see it as a benefits programme for unemployable Qatari youth, you'll never get up tight about the 'teaching'. Take the cash. Admire their driving skills as they do doughnuts in the car park. Tick the register and repeat 5 times daily, 5 days a week for as long as you can stand it. And, don't listen to others in the Middle East telling you they have better positions etc because wherever they are they'll be passing every one and kidding themselves that what they do is somehow of great importance to mankind.

"Treat every pay cheque as if it is your last"-Peter Crossley aka 'Muttley', 2001, QP Gulag, tea hut. Wise words indeed from the 'Old Monk' midget.


From the way I read her last post, I think you both seem to be in agreement, and you may have misunderstood her point. I think she was saying QU got rid of some dead wood/problematic teachers, and that this is no comparison to QP and their shameful mass-firing practices.

By the way, I completely agree with you about QP. The management at that company is both ruthless and callous. No wonder all the workers there, direct hires included, tip-toe round as if they are walking on egg shells.
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sharter



Joined: 25 Jun 2008
Posts: 878
Location: All over the place

PostPosted: Thu Mar 22, 2012 1:16 pm    Post subject: ok Reply with quote

Point taken.....misread it......apologies all round.
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