Job Discussion Forums

[dragonpiwo]

I see this company is trying to recruit for a 42/21 rotation. I worked there for many years. If you want to pm me feel free. The place is totally run down. You won't even have the net. There isn't even a coffee shop or gym these days.

Good luck if you're brave enough. All the old Brega hands have said no to returning. When we left in 2014, we had death threats posted to us on the camp.

And that rotation? These days, you leave when there's a plane.

The contact name on the add on tefl.com is a complete chancer who didn't even finish 6 months there first time round. The Libyan boss has been contacting all of us old timers recently and must have finally dug up this guy's address, a guy who knows so little about Libya, he's still calling it the Jamirihya, which is was what Gadaffi called it! Nice way to get shot! He was 1 of those who wanted to run the show from the day he got there even though some staff had been there a decade and knew more. Not a bad teacher in fairness but not the man to run the show and that's why he's gone back before anyone. The qualifications for the job ie CELTA grade B and a degree in English/Applied Linguistics and the lack of a need for experience teaching Arabs is all just dumb but makes sense if you know the chancer has almost no experience in Libya and an MA. The thing that post needs is people who know about teaching Libyans in that context ie KET, PET and IELTS. In the decade I was there, countless people left or ran off after a short time because they couldn't handle the place. Most of the old timers there, nearly all of whom were under 50, did their CTEFLAs 20 odd years ago and had 6-10 years experience in Libya, not to mention other Gulf states. This guy, a bit of a hothead, standardised all the Headway tests with really badly written assessments (which he thought were great and some sort of revelation), didn't interact with any of his colleagues and now as the only expat, seems to be advising the Libyan boss. Take heed if you arrive there as a green horn this guy will try and give it the big one. Just remember that he ran before 6 months was up last time and has minimal Libyan teaching experience.

I'm not going back to Libya any time soon if ever. I earn double Sirte Oil's salary in the SAFE UAE. If I did, I'd have something to say to this guy. It's totally irresponsible to be encouraging teachers to go there due to the situation on the ground; it's not safe and Sirte Oil need to get their act together on sticking to agreements and providing accommodation fit for purpose. There's also NOTHING to do there. The locals throw stones at your house in the compound and one teacher had his car smashed up. Also, remember, you still have to get to and from the airports and the emphasis on the qualifications, not experience, is something this cornhole has dreamt up and was never what SOC focussed on in their recruitment. SOC used to have some really, really good teachers. I'd suggest, it's because he has very little Libyan experience ( a word he can't even spell on the ad). Desert jobs need the right people and that means people who can hack it and work in teams. This guy couldn't do that. The industrial training centre also needs people who know about oil and gas. Development training is a General English programme ending in IELTS for a rare bunch. Brian got the best results out of all the teachers not this chancer. The problem with standardization at SOC was always because the 3 different training centres never cooperated due to Libyan office politics.

Your rotation won't be on time and you'll be lucky to get paid on time or even within months. The accommodation will be awful and you'll find yourself thumbing lifts on a daily basis.

I'm still in contact with old Libyan colleagues there, who tell me it's dangerous. I'm also in touch with Smart Specialists CEO who actually has the contract to supply all services, including teaching staff to SOC. The guy on Tefl.com is going to be in the shyte soon as he doesn't have the authority to recruit people. Smart were always up front about the salaries. 'We'll discuss it at interview'? Yeah right. This chancer's trying to make a name for himself in the absence of the old hands.

The salary last time was about 3,200/month GBP for the new guys, 12 months of the year. You should be on way more now. The chancer wasn't on rotation before as he came on a 6 month fixed contract and left a few weeks early if I remember. The fixed 6-monther guys got 5k a month and no rotation-madness and that's why 3 of them went really weird, including this guy (he didn't interact with any of the other teachers). TBH the Libyans always find 1 mug who'll do all the stuff they should be doing and the chancer's it.

You've been warned. If the rotation isn't on time and the money is late why go there to live in squalor, in a war and kidnap zone and work with weirdos? /the 'golden era' of Brega with bbqs, bars and lots of expats is over. There's noone left and loneliness does weird things to people. I'm still in touch with all the old direct-hires and we've all been contacted recently asking us to go back. Not 1 direct-hire guy is going. You gotta be really desperate, skint or mad (or all 3) to go there now in 2017.

[dragonpiwo]

And as if by magic, the ad on tefl.com's been pulled. Smart Specialists are the only people who recruit for SOC. The CEO used to be a big cheese in Um Al Jawaby. You need to have experience to know things like that. Smart recruit you in a proper manner. That means flights and visas are sorted out etc etc.

The reason the really experienced staff are not going back is because the place is dangerous and the security doesn't exist. Add to that late payment and delays in going on leave, appalling accommodation, no net, no facilities and dire food and you start getting the picture. For example, those of you who worked in Iraq, imagine not being picked up at the airport. There you go.

Reading between the lines in the ad, it seems that 1 teacher, who was there for all of 5 months before, has returned. Obviously thinking he can get ahead, he's tried to recruit some teachers. He doesn't have the authority to do it. Furthermore, in asking for inexperienced teachers he clearly sees a role for himself as some sort of senior teacher, a position which doesn't exist on the company chart. He wants to take some lessons in how SOC actually works. He also needs to realize why, especially at this time, it's essential that any recruits know Libya well. As a bit of professional advice, Andy read some books about formative and summative assessment and then rethink your standardized tests. Also read up one the advantages of collaborative teaching. There are no stars in remote areas.

Finally, know that the locals will always give you enough rope with which to hang yourself. It's zero sum; the more you do, the less they have to do. Noone will ever thank you or give you a pay rise.

Are they still holding onto your passport for 6 weeks at a time?