Job Discussion Forums

[Gnome]

Aussieteacher:

Interlink is actually Al Yamamah Private College, a new September start-up in Riyadh. The pay, working and living arrangments are very good. Check out their website, which they stated in their ad.

It is an American outfit out of the University of Mines in Golden, Colorado. They anticipate 250 students to start with, and will be teaching a "hearts-and-mines" curriculum to Saudi youth, 19-22. I suspect their real agenda is recruiting Saudis for various intelligence organizations, which are in dire need of Saudi Arab recruits right now. If you think that is farfetched, then consider how intelligence officers are recruited in the States, notably through Universities.

The MA is just a stated requirement. I don't have one and I was offered a position there. They are having a very difficult time finding teachers who share their teaching philosophy. Again, check out their website.

[veiledsentiments]

Gnome,

Very interesting. I just visited the website and couldn't find any mention of the University of Mines. Not that I am doubting your word, but apparently they are being quiet about it? (or did I just miss it? I do recall hearing about this tie-up before.) As to whether there is a recruitment motive, who knows anymore - hard to interpret that from the website. Common sense would say that this is going on all over the Middle East.

I wasn't that impressed with the pay in relation to the stated requirements, especially with the added security risk. If I were a man with all the credentials they listed, I would head to the Emirates and make more money without having to look over my shoulder. But, it is apparently a 'wish' list.

VS

[Gnome]

VS,

I actually did decide that the risk was too great. I was offered the position at the time of the beheadings and felt that working for so blatantly an American institution would be like wearing a large target on my back. As I have said, I was also suspicious of the true intentions of the college and had no desire to die for George Bush et al.

I am surprised that there wasn't any mention of the University of Mines on the website. A link was prominantly displayed there a few months ago. They were very proud of the connection and all the applications were being vetted by one of their faculty members. I wonder what happened.

[veiledsentiments]

Gnome,

Well, probably little has changed but discretion may be called for? The removal of the link is probably more for their student recruitment purposes. I expect that the apps are still vetted, but that is very common in the Gulf. So many of the institutions are tied in to Western unis.

To be honest, I don't expect that the tie in made you any more vulnerable than just being a western male face in the crowd.

But, that would be enough of a risk for me, and I expect that you made a wise decision to pass on it. Hopefully you can find (have found?) something better.

VS

[wannago]

[veiledsentiments]

Hi Wannago,

Oh, we've established that one -- the interesting detail is that this interesting detail seems to have been removed from the website.

VS

[scot47]

Well they would hide it wouldn't they ?

[veiledsentiments]

Hey Scot

Haven't seen you for awhile

And yes, it is certainly an indication of the changed times.

VS