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sicklyman
Joined: 02 Feb 2013
Posts: 930
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 Posted: Sat Jan 11, 2014 8:06 am Post subject: |
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| Grammar and methodology were both questioned in detail for about 20 mins. Best way to prepare for the interview is to do a DELTA exam. Also be prepared to talk about your integration of technology in the classroom and your approach to and experience of discipline. |
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SENTINEL33
Joined: 19 Jan 2014
Posts: 112
Location: Bahrain
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| Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2014 6:06 pm Post subject: Re: ARAMCO |
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| USAMATHMAN wrote: |
I am also 100% sure that the ARAMCO Public School does all of their hiring through a recruiting team called SEARCH ASSOCIATES. Search Associates has a bunch of job fairs throughout the year and Aramco was at a few of the ones that were held in Jan & Feb. Starting salary for a teacher with a bachelors and 4 years teaching experience was listed at $70,000+.
Salary was in addition to all the usual perks.  |
Primary and Secondary school teachers are really in another category than is your regular quotidian ESL "teacher". As USAMATHMAN has said, salaries are normally in the $70,000 range and they usually want only married couples and preferrably teaching couples so the couple is bringing in nearly $150,000 per annum).
But the fact is, they deserve it. For one thing, they don't ONLY have a BA....they're also credentialed in one of the 50 states which means they've undergone an extremely rigorous and expensive post baccalaureate training period usually lasting at least a year. I know because I was once credentialed in the great state of AZ - and these credentials have to be constantly kept up and so on. (A credential is also quite easy to lose.....one wrong move and baby, you're out).
Just thought I'd mention this because it appears many ESLers are under the mistaken idea that "anyone" could teach at the Aramco "schools" and similar places. You can if you got the training and papers to prove it. But even a PhD won't do...you need that state certificate and it must be valid and course/grade specific. |
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pooroldedgar
Joined: 07 Oct 2010
Posts: 181
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| Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 9:48 am Post subject: |
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"extremely rigorous"
I wouldn't quite say that. Medical school is extremely rigorous. The Marines are extremely rigorous. Teacher certification weeds out only the overtly hapless. Or so said the guy on NPR the other day. |
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SENTINEL33
Joined: 19 Jan 2014
Posts: 112
Location: Bahrain
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| Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 10:11 am Post subject: |
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| pooroldedgar wrote: |
"extremely rigorous"
I wouldn't quite say that. Medical school is extremely rigorous. The Marines are extremely rigorous. Teacher certification weeds out only the overtly hapless. Or so said the guy on NPR the other day. |
Well, we can quibble about the details, but in general, you're right. "Extremely rigorous" might be an overstatement.
However, you didn't finish your thought. After washing out of "teacher certification programs", what do these educational losers do?
You got it....they drift into TESOL by the boatload and truckload. This is one reason TESOL as an academic field of study and as a career are not really taken seriously by the vast majority of academics and employers....worldwide.
In fact, *I myself* don't take it seriously....which is the main reason I've made it my career.
(Hope I didn't step on any toes here). |
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jaffa
Joined: 25 Oct 2012
Posts: 403
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| Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2014 10:38 am Post subject: |
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| That's all very well, but who knows what the Direct Hire Aramcons get that is better than a contractor gets? |
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cnthaiksarok
Joined: 29 Jun 2012
Posts: 288
Location: between a rock and a sandy place
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| Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2014 12:54 am Post subject: |
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| jaffa wrote: |
| That's all very well, but who knows what the Direct Hire Aramcons get that is better than a contractor gets? |
As all things in life, there are bound to be exceptions and special cases, but...I have come to believe that once a contractor unveils the deeply hidden secrets and mysteries of the inner-sect's bizarre rituals and furiously guarded traditions, an Aramconian may expect such additional benefits (possibly) including but not limited to:
* a shiny aramconian car
* a fuel allowance
* some input on location
* more access to managerial/admin/supervisory positions, IE; less teaching hours
*housing on a (if not "the") prestigious compound
* more holiday time
* All Saudi holidays (whilst contractors report to otherwise empty buildings)
* largely discounted global travel options (usually group tours/packages...uggghhh...not for me, but I'm sure families save BIG-time)
* inner-circle social theme-based events of varying types
* incremental raises in salary after an initial "BIG one"
* apparently an aramconian whom has served for 10 years as a direct hire, may be entitled (and its dependents) to life-long global health coverage at 100%. Isn't the ongoing joke that they'll NEED it,....ya know....for psychiatric therapy) 
* prestige
* the ability to tell contractors what to do and how to beg, scramble and yelp for more status Ie; haze others
* job security
* own office
* a secret handshake
* a false sense of omnipresence
to name a few.... |
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plumpy nut
Joined: 12 Mar 2011
Posts: 1652
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| Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2014 5:43 am Post subject: |
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| Keep up the information. I may be applying to ARAMCO in a year or so. |
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sicklyman
Joined: 02 Feb 2013
Posts: 930
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| Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2014 12:43 pm Post subject: |
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of cnthaiksarok's list, the following can be had by contractors too:
* some input on location - I specified exactly where, and only where, I was willing to work and got it
* more access to managerial/admin/supervisory positions, IE; less teaching hours - show yourself adept at something and you can get hours off teaching to do this kind of stuff
* more holiday time - actually, you get 6 weeks a year paid leave on bachelor status visa. In addition you can add considerably to this if you are willing to take unpaid leave.
* All Saudi holidays (whilst contractors report to otherwise empty buildings) - contractors get Saudi holidays. They just don't get the additional Aramco holidays on top of them and end up reporting to empty buildings for those.
* inner-circle social theme-based events of varying types - many of these can be accessed by contractors if you network well
* incremental raises in salary - same for contractors
* job security - same for contractors
* own office - can be had as a contractor
As I see it (from a contracted hire's POV), the benefits of direct hire are housing and benefits for the spouse/kids. Other than that, at the top end of the contractor salary scale, there's not a lot of difference for those doing EFL. |
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cnthaiksarok
Joined: 29 Jun 2012
Posts: 288
Location: between a rock and a sandy place
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| Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2014 2:00 pm Post subject: |
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Nice additions sickly. Very interesting.
After all, I was only going off of ONE person's account who went from contractor to direct.  |
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jaffa
Joined: 25 Oct 2012
Posts: 403
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| Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2014 11:02 pm Post subject: |
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Bravo you two! Fantastic info, taking over a month to weed out  But having just got back from Dammam airport arrivals my patience is just about intact.
I was offered DH, having been a contractor 10 years ago! No idea why although I have turned it down. |
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PeterParvo
Joined: 18 Dec 2011
Posts: 103
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| Posted: Sat Feb 01, 2014 4:45 pm Post subject: Re: ARAMCO - I give up! |
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| riyadh1974 wrote: |
| EFL teachers are two a penny in the Gulf |
As I've always said, English teacher-the Bangladeshi of the Westerners. |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Sat Feb 01, 2014 6:48 pm Post subject: |
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I see that Mr Parvo again raises his grievance that he is not treated as a white man when in the Middle East, on account of being a mere English teacher.
Am I alone in being disturbed by his view of life ? |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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| Posted: Sat Feb 01, 2014 6:56 pm Post subject: |
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Dear scot47,
No, all we other Bangladeshis are, too.
Regards,
John |
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PeterParvo
Joined: 18 Dec 2011
Posts: 103
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| Posted: Sat Feb 01, 2014 10:57 pm Post subject: |
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| I didn't give a rip about my status in KSA. I got my money and got the hell out of that place. |
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plumpy nut
Joined: 12 Mar 2011
Posts: 1652
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| Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2014 6:45 am Post subject: |
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| PeterParvo wrote: |
| I didn't give a rip about my status in KSA. I got my money and got the hell out of that place. |
No kidding. I wonder what event is going to make the whole rotten building structure collapse?  |
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