Job Discussion Forums

Longton · Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 148

I have applied to both and got a phone interview with IAT next week. Still waiting to hear from HCT.

The sites don't give salary info but am I right in assuming the monthly salary will be about Dh10,000 ? I have 5 years experience and an MA but NOT an MA in TEFL.

Does anyone have an idea about which place will offer the best working environment and benefits package ? I am flexible about where I work in the UAE.

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

Is the MA in education? That could make a difference. IAT is the new name for their CERT program which is doing contract teaching for the military or whoever. Hopefully it is the same pay and benefit package as HCT. Since this is a newish venture with them, it is hard to predict conditions - expect a certain amount of uncertainty... if you know what I mean. I would question things like where will you live and where will you teach... and how are you expected to get back and forth? Some of the military teaching tends to be off the beaten track. If you are single, this is likely not as big of a problem...

If you read on this board searching MLI and CERT, you will find lots of bad press on the CERT program - most of the really nasty threads got pulled as things got very heated. It may be a bit unfair and not necessarily a predictor of how it would be to work on the program in the future. The MLI debacle tarnished the HCT/CERT program's reputation a bit. But there are some good people there yet and I wouldn't refuse an otherwise good offer from them based on that situation alone.

There is plenty of information - pro and con - about HCT if you do a search. They definitely have one of the better pay and benefit packages, but the working conditions depend a bit on which branch you teach in. Supervisory and management people can vary. You would have no input into where you are placed, they assign teachers where THEY think they need you.

Good Luck on the interview...

VS

Longton · Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Posts: 148

VS

Many thanks for your very helpful comments.
My MA is in Finance. I will trawl for details about MLI and CERT but both names are new to me. I have no idea where I will be based (assuming I pass the interview) and am happy to start whenever I'm sent. I'll let you know how the interview goes and what I decide to do.

Afra · Joined: 02 Feb 2003 Posts: 389

The Institutes of Applied Technology are not the new MLI or part of CERT. They have replaced the old Technical Schools which were so abysmally bad and are in new custom built facilties, at least in Dubai and Sharjah. Their aim is to improve the standard of secondary education because the CEPA is now an entrance exam rather than a placement exam for HCT and the universities.
The MLI students are now studying at HCT but are part of CERT and do only English so they are pretty much apart from the other students. However, the teachers are managed by the HCT supervisors.

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

It seems to get more and more confusing, doesn't it Afra? (I must chastize my source!!)

So, is there any news of the working conditions at IAT? Is it the same contract as HCT? Is it HCT managed? Is it a crapshoot for someone to take a job there as to what they are getting into?

VS

Afra · Joined: 02 Feb 2003 Posts: 389

Your source may be a little out-of-date. Some years ago, there was a rumour that HCT was taking over the running of the Technical Schools and teachers would be seconded to work there, no choice given. However, for whatever reason that was dropped, much to everyone's relief. The IAT are not part of HCT. I met someone who was part of the start-up and was happy with what she was offered - not a 'local' hire, the full package.

verity · Joined: 31 May 2006 Posts: 19 Location: WestCan

My only source for any of this is what Google can provide.

Here is what I just pulled up. Feb '05 is quite recent, and HCT hasn't removed it from their site.

HCT's Institutes of Applied Technology to Power Development
February 16, 2005
http://www.hct.ac.ae/newsevents/archive/0502/iat_at_idex.htm

Afra · Joined: 02 Feb 2003 Posts: 389

How interesting! But 18 months is along time here. There is a new Vice-Chancellor at HCT, Sheikh Nahyan is no longer Minister for Schools . . .

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

I suspect that this may be the source of how I got the information.

So, Sheikh Nahyan isn't the Minister of HIgher Education any more?? Although I might not have agreed with every decision that was made from his office, I found him a very impressive, hard-working professional who always tried to do what he thought was best within the limits of his society.

VS

Afra · Joined: 02 Feb 2003 Posts: 389

No, he is still Minister for Higher Ed. but for a short time, he was also Minister responsible for pre-tertiary, Junior and Secondary, education.

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

I bet that was good news for him. Laughing

Handling higher ed is enough...

VS

Afra · Joined: 02 Feb 2003 Posts: 389

I think so!

NadiaK · Joined: 27 Jul 2006 Posts: 206

IAT salaries are likely to be slightly lower than HCT salaries. At least that was the case a year ago, when HCT had taken over IAT and were recruiting (believing that they would be running the schools...which never happened as the military stepped in at the beginning of the academic year and took over).

Starting salaries for HCT faculty are usually 10-12,000 Dhs/month, depending on qualifications and experience. A relevant MA and experience should put you at the top of the starting scale. Not sure about an MA in finance, sorry (maybe you should apply for a job teaching Business - your MA would count, and you'd get bonus points for being a certified EL teacher!)

Good luck!

grand fromage · Joined: 16 Jun 2003 Posts: 131

First-hand info from someone I know who applied recently:

waited about 4 months from applying till offer of interview; interview was on the agressive and pretty unprofessional side (prob. HCT influence as one of the heads is an ex-HCT Head of Instruction); followed by weeks of silence from a pretty incompetent secretary who never really answered questions asked in messages to her; offer was very low (around 8K) by UAE standards and the housing allowance pretty meager too (60000).

If you really need a job here, this may be an OK starter. However, there are many better ones here.

stoth1972 · Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2006 4:03 pm Post subject:

Wow...8,000 sounds too low...though a few years ago, my friend was hiring along with his wife at HCT. She had the MA TESOL at the time, and he was only a dip. I think he earned around 9500, and once his degree was finished, he got the increase to around 11,000.

Whatever happened to HCT providing the actual accommodation? Those same friends had a 2 bedroom behind bank street provided when they first started the contract. 60,000? What will that get you in Dubai? Better look at life in Ajman...