Job Discussion Forums

HS123 · Joined: 23 Sep 2014 Posts: 8

Hi,

I'm considering a move to the UAE next year with my husband and children (who will be 1 and 3 when we move) and would like to ask some questions about finding work.

I have CELTA, a PGDE in ESOL and an MA in Applied Linguistics, and I have 3 or 4 years experience teaching EAP at foundation level. Would I have a reasonably good chance of getting a teaching job in a foundation department at Zayed, HCT, UAEU or perhaps one of the branch campuses of foreign universities? What would be some of the advantages / disadvantages of working for any of these places?

Also, when and how would I start to apply for positions for Aug / Sept 2015? I live in Manchester, UK and the IATEFL conference and jobs fair is being held here in April. Are any of these institutions likely to be recruiting at the jobs fair? Would it be sensible to wait until then or will the universities advertise positions on their own websites / elsewhere before then?

Also - a very general question. If an employment package includes an education allowance, do you know if that allowance can usually be spent on nursery fees for young children? Or are the allowances only paid for school-aged children?

Thanks very much for any info you can provide.

MuscatGary · Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2014 9:56 am Post subject:

A lot of the really good jobs get advertised at TESOL Arabia, some employers will only consider applications from people who attend.

HS123 · Joined: 23 Sep 2014 Posts: 8

Thanks. Hmm, I was kind of hoping that wouldn't be the case. Do you know anything about the IATEFL jobs fair and whether the UAE institutions are likely to be represented?

nomad soul · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world

Fatboy · Joined: 23 Aug 2010 Posts: 66

The education allowance is only for children attending school. You cannot use it for nursery education.

Also, I would apply to universities directly. You can start around December which seemed to work for me. I wouldn't rely on the TESOL Arabia Job Fair.

nomad soul · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world

Ditto that. There's a list of UAE universities on Wikipedia.

Also check the following sites:

http://www.unijobs.ae/

http://www.higheredjobs.com/

https://chroniclevitae.com/job_search/new

HS123 · Joined: 23 Sep 2014 Posts: 8

Thanks everyone. This is all really helpful. By apply directly, do you mean to respond to adverts placed on their own websites or is it worth submitting speculative applications? If the latter, it seems a bit difficult to find the right people to contact - any advice? Also, if my husband was to find a job first (he is a secondary maths teacher), would it maybe be easier if I then just looked for work when we arrived?

nomad soul · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world

HS123 · Joined: 23 Sep 2014 Posts: 8

Thanks Nomad Soul.

HS123 · Joined: 23 Sep 2014 Posts: 8

Just coming back to ask about adjunct teaching as I'm wondering if that wouldn't be such a bad idea. I get that the job comes with no benefits but would I really be entitled to them / need them (especially the big one which is housing) if my husband already had them on his contract? Plus, it might be better to know where we were going to live and assess childcare options etc before I found work. However, are there realistically many of these jobs to apply for? Is the hourly rate of pay reasonably good? And are they useful as a foot in the door to better permanent positions?

Fatboy · Joined: 23 Aug 2010 Posts: 66

If your husband gets a job, this does not mean that you should get a "real" job instead of an adjunct position. Sometimes you can claim money instead of taking the actual housing. Put the money in your pocket.

hamergirl · Joined: 17 Sep 2007 Posts: 32

In my opinion, it would be better for you to get the university job first and then have your husband get a job while he is under your sponsorship. Most of the secondary schools offer a much lower package than the universities. For example, ADEC does not offer any educational allowance. Some schools will offer your children a discounted space, however then you do not have any choice in where they go to school. Most schools do not offer yearly plane tickets for the family either. Housing tends to be better with the universities as well. Your husband should have no trouble getting a job as the school will not have to provide him a package and he will be a very desirable hire.

That being said, jobs are lean right now with all the talk of the foundations programs closing. It's tough to say right now if UAEU or Zayed will be doing any hiring in the foundations programs next year.

helenl · Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Posts: 1202

Just an FYI, nearly all of the tertiary institutions have a strict policy of not duplicating benefits already being paid by a spouse's employer. If caught, any overpayments will be clawed back.

You don't want that hassle - especially if you won't be renewed as a result.

HS123 · Joined: 23 Sep 2014 Posts: 8

Thanks for more helpful responses Smile

I suppose the best thing to do would be for one of us to get a job before departure with all the benefits and the other to look once we are there. I'm pretty sure we can't advantage of the educational allowance anyway as our children are not yet school age. I will look out for postions with Zayed, UAEU etc but if no luck, then my husband can hopefully get something with ADEC or ADVETI.

nomad soul · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world