Job Discussion Forums

zzz · Joined: 24 Aug 2013 Posts: 8

The last meaningful post on this school was back in 2007. Does anyone have some recent information on what it is like to work there? Offer 3200 plus the usual. Terrible things written about them in this forum but that was a long time ago. I'd greatly appreciate any news. Thanks!

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

If no one has posted about them since 2007 that suggests that they haven't been hiring in 6 years.

Do they even exist any longer? Or do they just hire non native speakers?

VS

zzz · Joined: 24 Aug 2013 Posts: 8

I am fairly confident they exist. Recently sicklyman, an Aramco contract teacher, posted:

"There are technical schools that Aramco has seconded its trainees to because the Aramco Industrial Training Centres are at full capacity. It might be that they have a contract to supply staff to one of these. Bassam and SPSP are two that I know of near or in Dhahran (not sure of exact locations). So there may be one in Khobar. But that is not being contracted to Aramco."

So I think they are doing overflow work for Aramco.

phonologist · Joined: 10 Nov 2012 Posts: 17 Location: Banjul, Gambia

I have contractedbyo Al-Bassam Institute and they informed me that I would be working for Saudi Aramco. The problem I have is that I am about to be stranded in Dakar, Senegal! I am married to a Gambian national and Virtual Visual Solutions is getting my visa out of Dakar. It was ready on Aug. 31. however, I was informed after arriving in Dakar that they close visas, except for Hajj visas during September and October. The coordinator of Virtual Visual Solutions said the Saudi Embassy in Dakar would open October 8th. Come October 8th, and the embassy was not open. They said that they would open on Monday, October 13th. I hope they are correct.
The problem I have, is that to get me to sign the contract, i was told that I would be given transportation funding to travel from GAmbia to Dakar. When it came time to leave, they reversed themselves--saying that their supervisor will not allow it. I had to reject the contract. Once ?I was able to get a loan for travel expenses, I contacted them again, and they said that they are holding the job for me, and would still be happy to have me.
I am in Dakar and running out of money. i am praying that the embassy will open on Monday and issue my visa so that I can be on my way. i h ave bankrupted myself staying in Dakar for one month. There was no offer to put me up in Dakar or pay my expenses there. I am being housed by a family from my husband's family's hometown in the Gambia, but this is very tight and it is really an imposition on the family. I am very worried. I have been working on an African salary for the last two years conducting linguistic fieldwork sans funding and am really low on cash.

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

sicklyman · Joined: 02 Feb 2013 Posts: 930

It would be cheaper to travel Gambia/Dakar a few times rather than staying there for weeks on the off-chance. I know, I've done it.... albeit a long, long time ago.

Working at Al Bassam you would be NOT be working for Aramco. If Al Bassam is your employer as per your contract, you won't even be contracted to Aramco.

You will be working for Al Bassam at Al Bassam. Working conditions there are not great but they're not awful either. The closest you will get to Aramco is attempting to teach their trainees who are overflow for the main Industrial Training Centres of Aramco. In other words, you're teaching those who didn't get into ITCs. Enough said on that score.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

I wonder if the unfortunate "Phonologist" ever made it from Banjul to Al-Bassam !

phonologist · Joined: 10 Nov 2012 Posts: 17 Location: Banjul, Gambia

When I finally got to the Saudi Consulate, the papers provided by VVS were insufficient/wrong. They did not actually do the visa as required by the Consulate in Senegal. When I let them know, they stopped communicating with me and essentially left me me stranded there. I called up another contractor for a different teaching situation, who got me the right papers, and, after another decent wait, I was off to Saudi.
Traveling from my passport country was not an option at that time. And, there was no Saudi consulate in The Gambia. I was a resident of The Gambia by virtue of my marriage, and had been living there.

jobsworthjohn · Joined: 28 Sep 2014 Posts: 22

Is there actually always a choice for someone residing in a 'non-passport country' to process the visa and travel from there if they so wish (and are willing to put up with some possible hassle) or is that not usually an option?

cnthaiksarok · Posted: Sun May 17, 2015 2:43 pm Post subject:

^ I've witnessed (and been informed of) quite a few more fails than successes, myself.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

It is difficult to generalise. I did it twice with two different employers, but that does not mean you will always be so lucky.

Hals- und Beinbruch !

jobsworthjohn · Joined: 28 Sep 2014 Posts: 22

Seems experience advises against. Not worth gambling on then.
Mucha mierda!

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

EFL Educator · Joined: 17 Jul 2013 Posts: 988 Location: Cape Town

Al Bassam is always hiring EFL teachers.....they have an extremely high turnover.... they use multiple recruiters because they can't keep staff...do not work for these people my colleagues in Saudi tell me!!!!! Shocked

ogio · Joined: 25 Oct 2013 Posts: 8

Googling Al Bassam will probably find you a very interesting and recent post (on another forum) about the place.

Suffice to say, nobody should work there. Especially women.