Job Discussion Forums

[like2answer]

All HCT colleges are different. People like different colleges for different reasons. I have friends at all colleges and they all like where they are. Yes, even Sharjah!

The nice thing is, if you don't like the city where you are located, you can USUALLY transfer to another college after some time. I know many teachers who have.

Working for HCT is nice because you have options.

UAEU/UGRU = only Al Ain
ZU = Only Abu Dhabi and Dubai
George Mason = Only RAK
etc...
HCT = all over the country

[globalnomad2]

I came to Dubai in 1997 and stayed for five years. After that, Abu Dhabi and RAK have been awful. I suspect that the ones who love(d) RAK so much are the ones for whom RAK was the first assignment. I also suspect that if they had first spent some time in Dubai (despite the Bangkok-style traffic) they would also find RAK and Abu Dhabi a pronounced downgrade. Well--I say I suspect. I don't offer this up as something Moses brought down from the barren RAK mountains on a tablet.

[WD40]

Abu Dhabi is a great place to live, especially for kids. Even though it is the capital, it is like a small town as there are limited (but growing) things to do so you tend to cherish time with friends and family. Traffic is barely a problem and it is much more relaxed. I hate going to Dubai. RAK is OK - quiet yet rugged.

[globalnomad2]

D'oh!!

[willynilly]

Yes, I concur with the scribe, it's about time FO, director of Sharjah colleges was given his marching orders. Surely his 'wasta' with the Sheiks must be running out? Avoid these colleges, in any case Sharjah is a bum place to live, nothing worth doing there and getting to and fro Dubai is becoming increasingly stressful, traffic wise.

[adorabilly]

so where would you rank the HCT's RAK schools?

I have seen people rave about the rak being a nice place to live, and less stressful and crowded than dubai, but haven't really seen much about the HCT schools there..

any insight?

[globalnomad2]

See my posts for the negative side of RAK.

[globalnomad2]

Well, first of all, I have at least one friend who hated his Sharjah HCT college because of the bizarre director.
Second, the Petroleum Institute is a better package than HCT.
Third, I fail to see how teaching 20 X 55 mins. is some kind of paradise.
There are some universities that have been mentioned in this thread where the normal teaching load for Foundation is 14 hours (X 50 mins); 16 maximum, and where the salary is reasonable and subject to increments. And, furthermore, where we can come and go as we please as long as we do our jobs and are present for a couple of office hours and the few meetings we have.

[veiledsentiments]

So, GN2... all you are really disputing is his use of the word 'best' but I'd say that it is, in spite of the warts, still one of the best employers in the UAE, if not the Gulf - probably in the top 5, I'd say - with the advantage that it does a lot of hiring. So many of the better places don't do much hiring. (like PI and AUS or even ZU)

I'd agree with his list of pros, and with most of the various 'cons' that have also shown up here on Dave's through the years... some even posted by me. It is good that someone who is unhappy - and even a bit angry - about leaving HCT can still see the good things.

It's all about trade-offs and your own tolerance of the negatives of each employer...

VS

[globalnomad2]

Looks like it was deleted, VS. I think it was a load of horse hockey. There was a grain of truth in each statement, but as a whole it was grossly exaggerated, appearing to be a syrupy piece of coerced commercial.

[veiledsentiments]

Yup... looks like all his posts were deleted... by the poster I guess. Too bad because I thought that the last one was generally very accurate... but it was stated in a way that made it look like that director of Sharjah might have made him post it in the first place... or at the least it was an attempt to placate him. There is no question that many people can't get along with him.

I disagree that it was 'grossly exaggerated,' but your accusation of it's being so is... I would say that it looked at things through rose-colored glasses - he had already pointed out the negatives in his previous posts.

But... we are picking nits again, aren't we...

VS

[globalnomad2]

OK, VS--I'll go along with the rose-colored glasses...a heavy shade of rose, straight out of a brochure with curly-cue fonts resembling a JC Penny brochure

You are truly the devil's advocate par excellence! You devil, you...

[Shakhbut]

Likely the last post was a deal to clear final monies due. Once monies were received, the post was deleted.
Soon enough the poster will be reborn with hints of the truth coming through.
Just a theory, though!

[globalnomad2]

My thoughts exactly, from the beginning. It was a bizarre about-face, similar to US politicians flip-flopping on wars and abortions at election time.

[Dedicated]

I totally agree with what the HCT long-timer said : Fujairah itself is not a bad place to be, but if you are thinking of working for HCT, please give FMC and FWC a miss. The Director is not being renewed (Hallelujah!) but there is still no sign of an Assistant Director being appointed, and the FMC Gen Ed supervisor has herself been "non-renewed"(another Hallelujah!) The whole of FMC and FWC work on favouritism and cronyism -whether you belong to the cabal of blue-eyed bully boys who suck up to the surpervisor and belong to her religious, Bible-bashing group.

The whole organisation is permeated by fear and suspicion, particularly when you learn of the whole set of Deans in Central Services being frog-marched out of the building, like common criminals, for daring to suggest some valid changes.

Anybody who stays in the HCT system for longer than a year is signing their own professional death warrant. Professional academic organisations understand why people are stuck in this system - to make some money, to enjoy having a maid and a 4WD -nothing to do with being a good educator. Good educators get out as quickly as possible.