Job Discussion Forums

lovehappens · Joined: 16 Dec 2008 Posts: 53 Location: Oregon

I'm having a phone interview tonight with these people and am concerned as Everything I read on here about this Kuwait co has been negative. Is there anyone out there who has not spoken up who has had a positive experience?

I really need a well paying job and have not worked in the Middle East as a teacher yet. I feel this may be a foot in the door in the M.E.

I have worked in the Middle East in another capacity so am very familiar with the culture climate etc. but don't have the ME on my resume as a teacher.

If I can survive at this job, get my paycheck and find a decent expat community I may take it----my choices feel limited.

Please email me or write on here if you have RECENTLY worked there. If it has been 10 years ago that you were there please don't send me negativity from back then. Thanks

15yearsinQ8 · Joined: 17 Oct 2006 Posts: 462 Location: kuwait

their 'glory days' were closer to 2000
and they lost all but one of their crown jewel contracts
there aren't that many teachers there now as 'back in the day'

Rommel · Joined: 01 Apr 2006 Posts: 121

middleastman · Joined: 19 Feb 2006 Posts: 73

A person

Sleepwalker · Joined: 02 Feb 2007 Posts: 454 Location: Reading the screen

My friend and I worked for another contractor alongside TQ staff about 10 years ago - they were paid on time but most were very unhappy.

About three years ago, she wanted to return to Kuwait and accepted a post with them. She started a contract and, after three months, arrived at work to find a DOS from another company installed.

Later that day, TQ management arrived to tell them that they had lost the contract. The staff were out of the country by the end of the week.

Starfell · Joined: 24 Mar 2010 Posts: 138

They may be based in the UK, but here, they are a "Kuwaiti'' company and play by Kuwaiti rules.

nodster · Joined: 13 Jan 2007 Posts: 8

I dont' know why TQLS get such a bad press. They are what they are - which is a company who bid for short term contracts and when they get them hire the staff for the work. When the contract finishes or doesn't get renewed - the staff are back on the street. It's in your contract - one months notice. That's just how it works. But as in intro into the Gulf to put 'Middle East' experience on your resume - there's nothing wrong with them.

My own experience was that I worked for them for about 18 months. They paid on time and in full, and the accommodation was pretty good. The quality of the work depended on which contract you were on. I taught one 4 months vocational English course that was as much fun as I've ever had in a classroom. Some other classes I taught were not fun at all. other than that I found the management approach a bit backward - but nothing that couldn't be put up with.

I really can't understand where all the grizzling about them comes from.

JoeRomano · Joined: 12 Jan 2010 Posts: 49

Most of it because of almost weekly firings/layoffs. It affects your morale greatly. How can you work with them if you see people getting fired all the time and disappearing? How can you plan anything? Also, now you need all sorts of documents to get hired into Kuwait- clearances and all that. It is an expensive process that they will not reimburse you for. And then, bang! you are fired! At will.
Yes, you need a well paying job but you will miss it if you go and work for them. You will lose time, money and will constantly be in the line of fire and then, you will just get fired.
They LOVE firing people, the sadists that they are. That is why they always have jobs. How can they fire you if they do not hire you first?

Middle East Beast · Joined: 05 Mar 2008 Posts: 836 Location: Up a tree

So, lovehappens, did you take the job? If so, how's it going?

MEB Cool

gharwell1 · Joined: 21 Oct 2004 Posts: 48

I worked for TQLS on a project for Kuwaiti Oil Training Center. KNPC decided they wanted to fire [b]ALL the American Teachers[/b].
They call you in at 2pm and tell you that your are leaving 'tonight'.....
I would stay away from KNPC contracts.

"They don't want you, you're fired and you are leaving tonight."
I would have liked a couple of days.

The problem is not with TQLS. It's KNPC that is the problem.
We want Communicative English::::
Use Headway Beginners Book:::::
and
The final exam is Grammar based Multiple Choice

The only sense of what is going fro, the Sr. Teacher from KNPC is that she wears pin stipped suits, has thin lips that never smile and scraggly hair. She never exhibited anyknowledge of teaching.

johnslat · Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 3:08 pm Post subject:

Dear gharwell1,

" . . . the Sr. Teacher from KNPC is that she wears pin stipped suits, has thin lips that never smile and scraggly hair."

Hairy lips, eh? That's never a good sign, especially in a female. Very Happy

Regards,
John

gharwell1 · Joined: 21 Oct 2004 Posts: 48

Oh you know her

gharwell1 · Joined: 21 Oct 2004 Posts: 48

Oh you know her

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

TQLS have been excellent so far.....a lot of the bad stuff here is balls. Accommodation is fine, the students are great, the DOS is excellent, the induction and meet and greetwas good, the admin has been fine and it's a good programme. Nuff said.