Job Discussion Forums

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

You're such a pollyanna, dmb... personally I prefer retirement... Cool

VS

dmb · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 8397

It comes from being a Scottish football fan. we will win the world cup one day.( Ihad to look pollyanna up. I thought it was something to do with parrots)

Bindair Dundat · Joined: 04 Feb 2003 Posts: 1123

ckhl · Joined: 20 Aug 2006 Posts: 214 Location: SE Asia

Good question. Before the rush to the ME, they used to have to promise to take pretty good care of teachers to get them over here. Those days are gone, but the sense of privilege sometimes remains.

Could it be the career teacher's quest for a once-in-a-lifetime shot at an upper-middle class lifestyle, no matter how transient? Better to buckle under, save money and build up capital. Delayed gratification has its merits.

And VS...I checked with some old timers in RAK...it's never been a cake walk, at least since the mid 90s. The standard 18-20 contact periods has been in effect for a very long time.

Bindair Dundat · Joined: 04 Feb 2003 Posts: 1123

ckhl · Joined: 20 Aug 2006 Posts: 214 Location: SE Asia

The sumptuous dwelling

I love it. Too true.

Manny2 · Joined: 16 Mar 2006 Posts: 143

Going back a few posts here but Globalnomad2 after HCT and PI you went to George Mason Uni in RAK and your last post re that place was referring to mismanagement and non payment of holiday pay. Was this sorted out and are you still there ?

Mark100 · Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 441

Re Salary HCT

I remember doing the interview for the Higher Colleges in Abu Dhabi one year. It might have been 2000. When i asked about the salary they refused to answer any questions about salary. They wouldn't even give me a rough estimate. Pathetic really. Further when i asked where the job was they said it could be anyone of the 5 or 6 colleges strewn over the Emirates. I was only interested in Dubai or Abu Dhabi which i communicated and i was viewed incredulously by the panel who duly rejected my application in record time.

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

It has always been standard in HCT that they decided which college one went to and they have normally immediately rejected anyone who informed that they would only consider places X and/or Y. There are no other examples of employers in the Gulf who have many branches like this, but I would expect them to be the same. Managements are hiring people for their convenience, not the employee's...

Salary at HCT has always been pretty predictable. It is based on education and experience. Since not all experience is counted and an interview committee may not know, they couldn't give you an exact number. Foolish, but typical, that they wouldn't even give you a ballpark number. But, I knew the ballpark number... but I didn't know exact numbers until after I accepted and actually got significantly more than I was expecting.

HCT has always been notorious for having the most obscure and eccentric interviews and hiring policies in the Gulf... and I don't mean that in a good way... Laughing

VS

ckhl · Joined: 20 Aug 2006 Posts: 214 Location: SE Asia

I would venture to guess that most new hires start out at about Dhs 10,600 per month. I've heard that some are starting lower than that, in the range of 9,500-9,800. This could be rumour. Some start higher, in the Dhs 11,500 range. You currently cap out at Dhs 16,326.

Shakhbut · Joined: 14 May 2005 Posts: 167

holbrook · Joined: 14 Jun 2003 Posts: 60

From my experience and that of some friends of mine that have all been hired over the past few years, an MA with up to 10 years of experience starts at just under 11,000. There are rumors of an impending pay raise but who knows if that's true?

Annual ticket money is good if you are from a relatively far off place or have kids. With my annual ticket money (4 in the family) we could all go off to Thailand for the entire summer on the HCT, all expenses paid. But I'm from North America so that helps. Having two kids helps too, but only for ticket money.

In Dubai and Abu Dhabi it is now getting difficult to find adequate housing under the current scheme. Additionally, most of the better schools now exceed the HCT's educational allotment. I have friends in Dubai who have to pay a few grand extra to their housing and their kids tuition.

In terms of comparison to other places, the HCT is about average or a bit above. UAEU starts a bit higher but they don't get as much for housing, tickets or any annual raises. HCT gives about 7% a year. It's enough to at least cover inflation.

Buur · Joined: 18 Aug 2006 Posts: 26

I have heard that all new hired teachers (with M.A.) at HCT start with Dh 12,000 ?
Anyway, what is cuurent salary for new hired teachers at HCT if they have Masters or Ph.D's. plus 3-6 experiences.

Buur