Job Discussion Forums

skeptic · Joined: 30 Jun 2004 Posts: 73 Location: USA

Does anyone have any experience with this outfit? They've been around since 1972. I'm particularly interested in the branch in Al Ain.

Thanks in advance,

skeptic

ntropy · Joined: 11 Oct 2003 Posts: 671 Location: ghurba

I just tried to e-mail an application in on the address given in their ad and it bounces back as undeliverable. It's a hotmail address so I suspect their box is full already.

Can the person who posted the position or anyone else with info let us know where we can send applications? Please?

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

I was waiting to see if anyone knew anything about this place. I too read that it had been there since 1972, but I have never heard of it, nor in my many years of teaching over there did I run into anyone who had taught there. Perhaps they have not been hiring many native speakers? (just speculating here) Considering the minimal educational requirements, I suspect that the pay is very low.

That doesn't mean that it isn't a legit place, but I just found that strange. Not too many people are reading the boards in August, but I do wish someone who knew of the place could come on and give some details for those who might be interested.

VS

High Plains Drifter · Joined: 27 Jul 2004 Posts: 127 Location: Way Out There

It's always a red flag when a school can't even get it together enough to post a functional e-mail address. That's a sure sign of a screwed up, low-paying Mickey Mouse operation.

abudhabi · Joined: 02 Jul 2003 Posts: 34

You folks haven't read the stickty message at the top of this forum, have you - apparently this is where Dave works!

To quote:

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

Ha Ha!! Are you serious that you actually thought that message was 'from' Dave? I met Dave in Al-Ain one year at TESOLArabia, but he has never taught in this part of the world. That message has been there for a few years. It was posted in 2002 and personally I never read to the end of it. (since I am not job searching) Dave has posted entries like this at the beginnings of many threads.

So, one voice has been heard from who was happy there a couple years ago. I wonder if she is still there. It would certainly be nice to have an update. It didn't mention which 'branch' she was in either. Pay scale is still a total mystery.

VS

skeptic · Joined: 30 Jun 2004 Posts: 73 Location: USA

ntropy · Joined: 11 Oct 2003 Posts: 671 Location: ghurba

Yeah, I noticed the sticky too and did notice it wasn't from Dave. It is in fact the same person whose e-mail was attached to the ad so she's still there.

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

Now that is interesting. The woman who wrote the good words on the sticky is now doing the hiring? I can't decide whether that is good news or bad news. Confused

I guess we'll just have to watch this space.

VS (veiled something---)

ntropy · Joined: 11 Oct 2003 Posts: 671 Location: ghurba

What I should have said is the two people's initials are the same so I assumed it's the same person. But you know who you make an a s s out of when you assume things.

Looking closely at the sticky it was written long ago and mentions the nursing institute so briefly it could hardly be a troll to get people to come.

Cleopatra · Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2004 8:05 am Post subject:

I also thought the sticky was from Dave until I examined the poster's info.

Personally, I do think it is a bit confusing.

abudhabi · Joined: 02 Jul 2003 Posts: 34

Thanks VS for pointing out it wasn't Sperling Embarassed

- but in my defence, it does state at the top Dave is the author ... and LWR could have been his initials? Er, no, probably stretching it a bit much there. So why didn't LWR write under her own name?

Writing to a Hotmail account for a genuine job at a supposedly non-dodgy institution does seem a bit of a puzzle.

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

Abudhabi,

Don't worry, it is easy to see how you were fooled by the post. Dave has posted these 'sticky' messages on lots of the boards, but usually he puts at the top 'from the job information journal' where he apparently copied them from. If you read that section of the site, you will note that some people post anonymously, some partially anonymous, and others give their names. On a couple of the boards, the sticky starts out with "I worked at blah blah blah" which is rather confusing. Smile

But, I did get a chuckle out of the idea of our Dave teaching at some obscure nursing school in the hinterlands of the UAE at this point of his career. He is in California, by the way.

I agree that using a Hotmail address for applications rather seems unprofessional, but it could also means a smallish school that doesn't have the resources to support a tech department with their own servers. Which doesn't mean that it is a bad place to work, but may suggest that the salary will also be low.

VS

Tuttifruitti · Joined: 07 Oct 2004 Posts: 75

There are institutes in Abu Dhabi (head office), Al Ain, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah.

The advantages:
The students are very nice and generally hard working.
The hours are 7am to 2pm

Class sizes are large - generally anywhere between 25 and 50 students in the larger schools. The salary isn't great, and with the exchange rate so bad now, it would be difficult to save any money unless you're married, and your spouse is earning. There are no promotional prospects for English teachers, and increments are unheard of! Most of the management have nursing backgrounds, and their emphasis is very much on nursing. Definitely NOT on English.

There are some computer facilities available, depending on the institute. Other than that, the budget for English language resources is practically non-existent. The majority of the students attending the institutes are expat Arabs, and the Ministry of Health pays for their tuition in return for service in a government hospital on completion of the Diploma. Therefore funding for English resources comes very low on their list of priorities.

Professional development is virtually non-existent, apart from the odd regional conference. You get 45 days holiday a year (weekend days included except for first and last weekend) plus 2 weeks in January.

As a woman earning a second salary, especially if you have kids(short days), it's an ok option if you don't think about it too much. But if you're looking for a good career in ELT, I'd give it a miss.

Mad

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

Hi Tuttufruitti

Thanks for coming on with more details about this place. It sounds pretty much the way I expected. Would you mind giving us a general idea of what kind of salary range they pay? For an American who isn't as affected by the exchange rates and who needed that elusive first job, it could work out. Do they provide housing?

VS