Job Discussion Forums

[substance]

Has anyone worked for them before in either Jeddah, Riyadh or Dammam? What are your experiences if any? Rate of pay is around �16000 to �22000 with nothing included for kids schooling as far as I can tell. Whadday'all think about that?

[scot47]

This is their way of saying that if you have school-age children, you should not bother applying.

[substance]

O







K




then....



Perhaps I'll leave it at that

[Hector_Lector]

It�s general Brutish Council policy worldwide - employe young, inexperienced teachers, pay them peanuts and make them feel grateful for having a job.

[substance]

I mean, the 16K sterling is about 103,240 SR giving around 8000 a month... which is cool for a single person I suppose... but I got 3 kids, MA, tad of experience and I'm almost 34.

Whether or not they would consider paying me the full 22K sterling might make a difference as it'll be around 141,967.19 SR or 11,800 SR a month.

If I put the sprogs into a half decent international school at $3000 or 11,000SR a lick I might be cool on the higher wage - that'll be around 33,000 SR per year for schools out of 142,000 SR. Hmm.... I'm confused right now.

[scot47]

If signing up for the British Councul be aware that 'Upstairs, Downstairs' is what it is all about. As a classroom teacher you will be one of the menials, with inferior working conditions. The permanent staff - chiefly public school and Oxbridge - will be on quite different contracts !

[Bebsi]

Am I qualified for a permanent contract, then, with the BC?

I went to a public school, and have also been to Uxbridge.

The school I went to in the west of Ireland was very much open to the public, and I ended up in Uxbridge once when I fell asleep on the Piccadilly line. Am I a contender?

[substance]

^^^ lol

When you say 'permanent contract' what do you mean exactly, Scot? Like on some long-term 10 year thang?

[Stephen Jones]

There are two types of hire for the British Council - home hire and local hire.

Home-hired contracts work for the British Council in the same way as others work for the Civil Service or Foreign Office. Their contracts are with the organization in London, they do tours of duty abroad, and get a UK pension.

Local Hires are hired at local rates, and may be either temporary or permanent, part-time or full-time. Their salaries and conditions are signifciantly lower than for those in the first category.

[scot47]

The organisation was set up initially with the aim of projecting a positive image of Britain and its culture abroad. It was heavily subsidised by London and ran libraries and cultural events all over the world.

With the advent of 'Chicago Economics' under the evil Thatcher, it was decided that the BC should pay its own way. As a result it is now not much more than a language school, looking for 8 percent return on capital investment.

[substance]

I see.

I sent an email to their Jeddah and Riyadh offices, and the guy in Jeddah said that it's better to apply from here (I'm in the UK). So I'm assuming that I'd get a decent contract and be treated OK?!

[henry]

I recently approached the British Council in Riyadh with a request for information about courses and was treated like a polecat attempting to gain access to the Qeen's corgi house.
I detected a strong element of colonial style arrogance in the management and would never work for them- their pay scale starts at only 10,000 Sr per month and I have heard that the teachers accommodation is the servants quarters

[scot47]

There are better people to work for. The BC is fine if you can tug your forelock and accept that you place is DOWSTAIRS with the other servants.

Some employesr in KSA still pay education allowances ! Others (BAe) pay oodles of cash.

[Linguist]

[substance]