Job Discussion Forums

[zeke0606]

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 The English teachers are lift in limbo, so they have withdrawn their labour until some one sort the problems out.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

[globebouncing]

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?

[scot47]

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

[banana republic]

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.

[zeke0606]

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

[lollaerd]

[wilberforce]

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