Job Discussion Forums

[Rennenkampf]

Does anybody know exactly how harmful the chemical pollution and toxic
discharges in the area of JIC are?

[Stephen Jones]

No chemical or toxic discharges that I know of. Plenty of people regularly eat the fish they catch themselves on the beach just in front of the college, and the town has a thriving fishing market.

You're upwind of the factories. If the factories are on shutdown and are burning gas as a result then the air quality can be tricky in the Al-Baha area. However I have not known this happen long term since summer 1999.

There is a team that monitors the air quality at least twice daily. Both the equimpment and the monitors are German.

[007]

I have read a lot in this forum about people posting about Jubail Idustrial College (JIC) and University College Jubail (UCJ).
What is the difference between the two? And why two colleges in the same area? Are they different in their programs? and are they controlled by two different bodies? Or under one body??

[Stephen Jones]

There are actually three institutions involved, all under the auspices of the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu.

The parent institutions are Jubail and Yanbu Industrial Colleges. They were founded twenty-seven years ago to provide training for Saudis who would then work in the industries in the two cities. They had a preparatory year in which the students were taught, in theory at least, sufficient English to allow them to do their next two years of study for their diploma in business or engineering subjects in English.

About three years Jubail Technical Institute was formed. Whilst JIC was intended to fill lower management and foreman and supervisory roles in the factories (KFUPM and other universities were to provide the management and senior engineers) JTI was intended to train plumbers, electricians and other tradesmen for the same employers. Absurdly, it was decided that all training in the Technical Institute should be in English, so the students do a preparatory English year, and then a one year diploma course (taught officially in English but by Saudi instructors who were sent on a years' training to Canada so they could speak to fellow Saudis in English!).

The University College of Jubail is the latest entrant to the fray. This interesting institution - it is a university college that does not belong to any university -- has both a male and female section, and is intended to provide university education for students in Jubail and surrounding areas. Once again it has a preparatory year, followed by four years leading to a degree.

To add to the confusion, from this year JIC is offering degree courses to those who have passed the diploma. I don't have any details as to how this works.

All offer basically the same payscale, which is standard for the Royal Commission, and follow the same academic calendar. There are some differences in housing and of course in timetabling.

As to which is the best, I would say that the order is as expected. That is to say the University College is probably the most pleasant place to work, and the Technical Institute the one people prefer to avoid, though I would not say the feelings are too strong in that respect.

I am a good friend of the person in charge of English at UCJ, and would say that you are likely to find yourself in a professional working environment (though of course the flip side of that is that you will be expected to work quite hard). However UCJ has only been going ten weeks, and is still in provisional accomodation, so it is too soon to make a definite judgement.

Also, do bear in mind that as I left Jubail in June, I no longer have up-to-date first hand information, though I obviously have good contacts and am likely to find out anything extreme.

Hopefully, this has cleared up some of your doubts.

[007]

Thanks Stephen for your detailed explanation.

[Stephen Jones]

[Rennenkampf]

[AGATHA]

I 've tuned into a lot of Arabic conversations recently when they have been saying really bad things about US/UK teachers.One guy said they need a new recruiter.Steve Jones was the best.

[Rennenkampf]

Yes indeed.In stark contrast to his successor in the recruitment role Mr Jones was at least truthful and above the perpetration of foul innuendo and blatant
lies.
He could also spell the longer English words.

[dmb]

[Rennenkampf]

MOD edit

This is certainly a valid hypothesis.The purges took place without regard to procedure.The new Managing Director did not know the people who were purged and their personal files contained assessments describing their performances as either 'excellent' or 'very good'.He was in regular contact with members of the English Centre ''Inner Circle'' who frequently descended to the use of pernicious gossip,malevolent misrepresentation
and utterly scabrous rumours.One of their number,now in Turkey,once said that ''If you want to get on here,get in with us''
These coven is still at the JIC which might explain why certain people hear administrators discussing further purges.
However,whilst nobody knows the extent and power of their verbal toxins
it is arguable that by conniving at your dismissal they are really doing you a favour;they are liberating you from a profoundly unhappy workplace,
rescuing you from industrial pollution and probably lengthening your life.

[Van Norden]

Well written Z man. Seems a fair and balanced view.

[Bin Shafted]

Agatha,

You seem to have some knowledge of who is who on this forum from JIC in terms of nationality 'Pole with a Hebrew name' (sic) but what I'd really like to know is what nationality you are hiding behind��.

I've got you pegged as some wining, bitter Brit, correct me if I'm wrong.

Are you really trying to have us believe that some JIC teachers have died of cancer as a direct result of the pollution in Jubail����..have you been to LA recently buddy?..............in fact have you spent any time on the planet earth at all?

[Rennenkampf]

This is the central question:why would anyone be so obsessive in defence
of the indefensible?
Is his annual increment his personal monarch?