Job Discussion Forums

Gnome · Joined: 05 May 2004 Posts: 74

The CEC Network is currently interviewing across Canada for positions globally, including Oman and the UAE. I understand that they have something to do with the technical schools in the UAE, not the HCT system. Have you worked for them or do you have any comments, opinions or advice about their operations? What is their repututation?

holymoly · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 8 Location: UAE

Gnome,

Do you wonder why nobody has posted a reply to your respose? I will tell you now. First, I debated whether or not to post a reply for some time as I DID WORK for this outfit at one point. I also thought long and hard about whether I should post my experience here as I genuinely felt that if I did, my experience may impact somebody's decision as to whether to take a job with this outfit . Anyway, I have decided to let my views be expressed here and let the reader decide. CECN/Educonsult is a boiler room style-operation run out of Dubai. They do not monitor, advise or assist teachers whatsoever. You will be teaching the dregs of Emirati youth whose only reason for being there are to keep out from underfoot of their parents who need them to be elsewhere during the day. When September eleventh occured, the students in my class displayed cartoons of a plane crashing into the 2 towers on their handphones, Cheering. CECN will NOT help you in the least on the ground. You will be a punching bag for Anti-western sentiment, no matter where you are from because of the level of education/ignorance these males posess. So, nobody has answered because there is NOTHING positive to say. If you think I am havin' a lil' tirade then take the job and see what happens. 'Nuff said... PeAcE

Gnome · Joined: 05 May 2004 Posts: 74

Holymoly,

Thanks for taking the time to reply. The comments are very helpful.

Kizilbash · Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 2 Location: USA

Here's another perspective from an old veteran of the UAE technical school program: Yes, the students are more than a handful and you will have more classroom management issues than you can imagine right now.

But if you are a little thick skinned and at least somewhat culturally savvy, i.e., don't hate Arabs, Muslims, and all they represent, you can reap great benefits from this program. From a teaching point of view, if you can make it here you can make it anywhere. This is the school of hard knocks where your management licks will be majorly honed.

The free time and paid vacation time is hands down the best you will find anywhere. It is not a demanding job in terms of lesson planning, committee work, or extracurricular activities. While most of the students really do not care about English, you will find some diamonds in the rough who are keen. The vast majority of students are decent individuals (it's the mob mentality that takes over in the classroom).

To be honest the worst drawback was some of the other English teachers, many of whom were down and out, racist lushes with nothing better to do than gripe and wish they were back in the West. The "anti-Western" sentiment mentioned previously may be true to some extent, but most of this buffoonery is geared more towards monkey-wrenching classroom activities than jihad against your pork-eating Western hide. Don't make a scene of it, and they will move on to other mischief.

This job is a great way to get your foot in the Middle Eastern door. Be aware of the challenges beforehand, have the confidence that you will rise to meet them, and you will be fine.

byromaniac · Joined: 05 Aug 2004 Posts: 9

menace2society32 · Joined: 17 Aug 2003 Posts: 92

Listen to Holy Moly. He summed it up pretty well. I too had an experience there that I was happy to get away from. The majority of the students are good, but about 1/3 of the pupils will continually test you throughout the entire year. Worst of all, you will receive no support from CECN or the school administration. The teacher is always at fault. While I am from the West, lets just say I am not patriotic. So my dislike for this position is not at all due to social ignorance or a lack of global understanding, or a pro-western attitude (the last of which I definitely do not possess). I thought life in the U.A.E. was great (WHEN I WAS NOT WORKING). In fact, I enjoyed my social life a lot more in the U.A.E. then in the west. It is a very multicultural country and the experience is very rewarding. AND YOU WILL ENJOY IT EVEN MORE IF YOU STAY AWAY FROM CECN. HEED THE ADVICE.