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Filmstar
Joined: 13 Dec 2012
Posts: 21
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 Posted: Fri May 10, 2013 7:11 am Post subject: Protech |
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Has anyone had any dealings with Protec recruitment ?
http://www.protectechnical.co.uk/
Is this a real job ?
English Teachers
Location: Saudi Arabia
Salary: USD $72,000 to $108,000 (~ �46.5k-�69k as of 25 Apr 13)
Type: 12 month fixed term contract
We are currently looking for male British English Teachers to work with a very large and well-known Saudi Arabian company.
Any advice or experience with this company appreciated.
Thanks !  |
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sicklyman
Joined: 02 Feb 2013
Posts: 930
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| Posted: Fri May 10, 2013 7:34 am Post subject: |
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It's more than likely a recruiter fishing with large bait for contractors for Aramco in various locations across Saudi.
Those figures are not fantasy but, unless you have top drawer quals and experience, don't expect your offer to be anywhere near the top of that range.
Also, bear in mind that the figures will include your accommodation and transport allowances. For that, read: find your own accommodation and don't even think about getting on an Aramco compound. |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Fri May 10, 2013 8:00 am Post subject: |
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$6.000 (US) is SR30,000. Probably from that you have to pay flights, accommodation and medical. And you will be working 48 weeks out of 52.
AT KFUPM I got a BASIC of us$4,300 with opportunities to ean more through overtime and summer schools. I had free accommodation within walking distance of work, medical cover, married staus if I wished, education allowancew and good holidays. And return tickets paid.
And with my emplopyer there was less stress and it was not a toxic workplace with high staff turnover.
I know which is better !
Last edited by scot47 on Fri May 10, 2013 2:37 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Filmstar
Joined: 13 Dec 2012
Posts: 21
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| Posted: Fri May 10, 2013 8:16 am Post subject: |
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Thanks both of you.
What's KFUPM and how can I get a job there? |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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sicklyman
Joined: 02 Feb 2013
Posts: 930
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| Posted: Fri May 10, 2013 3:25 pm Post subject: |
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| scot47 wrote: |
| Probably from that you have to pay flights, accommodation and medical. And you will be working 48 weeks out of 52. |
ah no.
accommodation you do have to pay for. But included are three return flights a year, Bupa medical insurance and you have 6 weeks leave a year split into three two week periods which you have some flexibility about when you can take. This on top of Saudi holidays (which aren't that frequent!).
Note that this is just for you. It's a single, not married status contract.
There are always better deals in Scot's version of Saudi  |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Fri May 10, 2013 3:33 pm Post subject: |
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There are always better deals - largely because there are so many cowboys out there recruiting for truly toxic set-ups !
My point was that you should always examine EVERY aspect of the job. Finding your own accommo0dation - and paying for it could be a major hassle, especially with no knowledge of Arabic and no contacts. How will you get fropm your accommodation to the work-site ? An outsider cannot even BEGIN to imagine the horror of driving to and from work in a Saudi city.
My deal with KFUPM was not great but certainly a LOT BETTER than what is on offer from the cowboys who mcontract out your labour to the big boys. For KSA I was in the unusual position that I could WALK to work ! |
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dragonpiwo
Joined: 04 Mar 2013
Posts: 1650
Location: Berlin
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| Posted: Sat May 11, 2013 8:36 am Post subject: erm |
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| I think it looks like a good gig. If I wasn't on a rotation, I'd apply! Scott's out of touch with the offers in Saudi these days. In the oil and gas sector there are some really good.....often not advertised.....offers around...but they will demand their pound of flesh. I think KFUPM is good long-term....and married status....if you really want to take your wife and kid to such a place. I'd rather suffer the rotation and let my partner live in a world in which women are treated equally and with respect. Just trawl through Dave's to get an idea of the hassle and disrespect women go through in the Gulf. In Saudi, where a woman can't even drive and has to wear a headscarf it really must be a 'Papillon' experience, while you're putting in the overtime. Then you've got the Gulf brat syndrome with the kids. |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Sat May 11, 2013 10:17 am Post subject: |
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Rotation and oil jobs (single status) is not for everyone. Too much like being in the merchant navy or on an oil rig for my taste ! I liked thge laid-back lkife at KFUPM and the looooooooooooong holidays.
OIut of touch ? Don't think so. I retired 2 years ago but keep tabs on things. |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Sat May 11, 2013 2:14 pm Post subject: Re: erm |
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| dragonpiwo wrote: |
| Just trawl through Dave's to get an idea of the hassle and disrespect women go through in the Gulf. In Saudi, where a woman can't even drive and has to wear a headscarf it really must be a 'Papillon' experience, while you're putting in the overtime. |
Bit of exaggeration here, I'd say. Outside of Saudi, other than stares, as a single woman, I had nearly zero problems living in the Gulf. I dressed as I wished, but respected the culture and dressed conservatively. I normally had my own car within a few days of arrival and drove everywhere. I was neither hassled nor disrespected in Kuwait, the UAE or Oman - other than the occasional male with maturity issues... same as in my own culture. That is just part of being a woman that one deals with everywhere in the world.
The restrictions of KSA are why I avoided teaching there, but I have friends who dealt with them more easily than I would have and they taught there for a few years with little problem.
VS |
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Filmstar
Joined: 13 Dec 2012
Posts: 21
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| Posted: Sat May 11, 2013 2:20 pm Post subject: working in the Middle East |
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Thanks guys, all interesting reading...  |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Sat May 11, 2013 2:37 pm Post subject: Re: erm |
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| dragonpiwo wrote: |
| Just trawl through Dave's to get an idea of the hassle and disrespect women go through in the Gulf. In Saudi, where a woman can't even drive and has to wear a headscarf it really must be a 'Papillon' experience, while you're putting in the overtime. |
Yep, having to wear an abaya and hijab and not being able to drive is the ultimate insult and hassle. Terrible, actually.
Seriously, I'm with VS; this is an exaggeration. You'd be hard-pressed to see much about these 'issues' posted within these forums. Many expat women, myself included, manage just fine with these minor inconveniences. |
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sicklyman
Joined: 02 Feb 2013
Posts: 930
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| Posted: Sat May 11, 2013 3:42 pm Post subject: |
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| scot47 wrote: |
| Finding your own accommo0dation - and paying for it could be a major hassle, especially with no knowledge of Arabic and no contacts. How will you get fropm your accommodation to the work-site ? An outsider cannot even BEGIN to imagine the horror of driving to and from work in a Saudi city. |
I admit that I cannot speak for anywhere except Khobar, but none of what Scot describes this is even remotely difficult here.
There is a glut of decent affordable accomodation for both single men and those with partners/families... tons of it. On the salaries that OP quoted, there would not be a problem paying for it.
How will you get from your accommodation to the work site? Er... taxi? There are billions of them and they're reasonably priced. It's not hard at all to find yourself a regular taxi driver until you are able to get a car. Getting a car is pretty pain free too.
And it's at least a tad patronising to say that no one can "BEGIN to imagine the horror" of driving here. It's not pleasant but it's not unimaginable horror. In fact, sometimes a whole day goes by without anyone at work dying in an accident.
I won't even begin to suggest that your contractor might help with some or all of this because some of you might not believe that a contractor would even bother to meet you at the airport when you arrive 
Let's not forget that when you arrive at work, you immediately join a community of teachers who have done exactly what you are doing at the time: learning to live in Saudi. They are an invaluable resource and many will go the extra mile to help you settle in.
At least, that's been my experience in Khobar. I can't speak for the rest of the country but it might help the OP (and me!) if there are any major differences between my situation and elsewhere. |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Sat May 11, 2013 6:50 pm Post subject: |
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If you are commiitted to working for a longer period, I would recommend KFUPM or one of the other Government Universities.
Avoid ANY contractor, including those who act as pimps for ARAMCO. They hirse teachers enhineers etc on the basis of "One riyal for you, and one for me....." |
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sicklyman
Joined: 02 Feb 2013
Posts: 930
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| Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 3:34 pm Post subject: |
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| scot47 wrote: |
If you are commiitted to working for a longer period, I would recommend KFUPM or one of the other Government Universities.
Avoid ANY contractor, including those who act as pimps for ARAMCO. They hirse teachers enhineers etc on the basis of "One riyal for you, and one for me....." |
KFUPM don't seem to be currently advertising for English Instructors.
http://tinyurl.com/cxwuzkf
... is a link to a package description posted in 2011. I was shocked at how little remuneration there is in comparison to some I'm aware of through contractors to Aramco. Even the top salary range is just over half what I know some contractor salaries are at Aramco. Granted this wsa two years ago, and could it be that Scot knows of other positions that pay significantly more?
What KFUPM offers that contractor Aramco positions don't is:
free accommodation (presumably for your dependants as well)
school fees for dependants
holiday in one long summer block of two months
a two year contract
annual flights for your family
Aramco contractor positions offer:
higher salaries
yearly contracts
three return flights a year
So, on paper at least, if you have dependants, and particularly if you have children, KFUPM offers substantial benefits in the family department including that long summer holiday. If you want more cool hard cash, the freedom to choose how much you spend/save and more frequent but shorter holidays, Aramco contractors give you that.
swings and roundabouts |
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