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reflective2020
Joined: 24 Dec 2014
Posts: 3
Location: UK
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 Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2015 2:08 pm Post subject: Recruiters for Aramco |
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Hi,
Although this is my first post, I have been following this forum for a while, and would like to thank the regular posters for all the valuable information you provide.
I'm actively pursuing a job in KSA and noticed two recruiters have just posted vacancies with Aramco:
http://www.eslcafe.com/joblist/index.cgi?read=34092
http://www.eslcafe.com/joblist/index.cgi?read=34109
I'd welcome any advice relating to these offers. In particular, does anyone here have any experience of either of these recruiters - Prime Teachers International or TEFL Warehouse?
The salary offered is $3500 - $3700 plus all the usual benefits. This seems a little low, but I'd be willing to accept it for my first experience in KSA if it's likely to strengthen my application for something better next year. I have an MA TESOL with ten years post-MA experience, but no experience in the Middle East. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2015 2:34 pm Post subject: |
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The salaries are low because those positions are with contracting companies, which are essentially middlemen who employ teachers to work at various client sites. In other words, these companies get a cut of their employees' earnings.
You have the right qualifications for direct-hire opportunities (no middlemen involved). If you're in the UK and can hold off applying for positions until the next few months, consider attending IATEFL's job fair in mid-April (http://www.iatefl.org/); there will be recruiters from universities and possibly government contracts looking to hire teachers. Alternately, check out TESOL Arabia's site (http://tesolarabia.org/tacon2015/) for job postings; most of the major employers in the GCC do their annual recruiting during the conference each March. Not all of the job ads posted for TESOL Arabia state that applicants must attend the job fair in order to be considered.
That said, keep in mind that the governments of Qatar, KSA, and Kuwait presently do not accept degrees that included online/distance coursework. Also, the employment cut-off age for KSA seems to be 58 and above. |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2015 2:50 pm Post subject: |
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| The contracting companies get more out of the deal than the teacher. It is not "One for me and one for you". More like "Two for me and a weensy little bit for you." |
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Pikgitina
Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 420
Location: KSA
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| Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2015 2:59 pm Post subject: |
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| Those salaries are very low even for contracting companies. People who accept these positions need to be aware that they will be working alongside people who make two or three times that much. The one ad mentions Dammam which is weird seeing that Aramco's training centres are in Dhahran and Ras Tanura (amongst other locations). |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2015 3:05 pm Post subject: |
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| The jobs may not be in the Aramco Training Centers ! |
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Pikgitina
Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 420
Location: KSA
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| Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2015 3:09 pm Post subject: |
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| Exactly. Buyer beware. |
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reflective2020
Joined: 24 Dec 2014
Posts: 3
Location: UK
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| Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2015 5:37 pm Post subject: |
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| Thanks for all your responses. I'll be sure to check where the position is actually based, and consider the offer when I have a more complete picture. But as the consensus confirms my feeling that the salary is too low, I think I'm going to keep searching for something better, and might well take NS's advice to hang on till IATEFL in Manchester. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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LPKSA
Joined: 02 Mar 2014
Posts: 211
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| Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 3:40 am Post subject: |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
That said, keep in mind that the governments of Qatar, KSA, and Kuwait presently do not accept degrees that included online/distance coursework. |
I don't know why all the hype supposedly against online degrees. I know a lot of people who are working in KSA and Qatar, who have online degrees and they're doing just fine. Salaries aren't the highest, but they aren't crap either. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 4:14 am Post subject: |
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| LPKSA wrote: |
| I don't know why all the hype supposedly against online degrees. I know a lot of people who are working in KSA and Qatar, who have online degrees and they're doing just fine. Salaries aren't the highest, but they aren't crap either. |
It's an issue for those whose only qualifying degree (MA) was completed online. In KSA, it keeps them from meeting the requirements for the better direct-hire positions; their only option is to go with a contracting company that accepts unrelated BAs.
By the way, Qatar started rejecting online degrees in 2012. |
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LPKSA
Joined: 02 Mar 2014
Posts: 211
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| Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 5:12 am Post subject: |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
It's an issue for those whose only qualifying degree (MA) was completed online. In KSA, it keeps them from meeting the requirements for the better direct-hire positions; their only option is to go with a contracting company that accepts unrelated BAs.
By the way, Qatar started rejecting online degrees in 2012. |
This is not exactly true.
I know three teachers here presently in Saudi Arabia who have unrelated BAs, and online Masters Degrees in TESOL or Applied linguistics. Two are earning over 65,000 USD per year. All three came via direct hire. They aren't earning among the highest salaries, but they aren't complaining. Their hours are very low. Vacation time is alright for them. |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 9:43 am Post subject: |
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Ministry will not accept degrees that are purely online - but there are people working in KSA with a BA and an online MA. They just do not get recognition for the online award.
I knew quite a few teachers at KFUPM who did online MAs while teaching there. None of them were recognised by the Ministry. In effect they did all the MA work for nothing ! In one case the teacher used his online MA to get a post at a university in the UK. So it can pay off - just not in the Magic Kingdom !
Last edited by scot47 on Thu Jan 08, 2015 3:32 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2015 2:48 pm Post subject: |
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| LPKSA wrote: |
| nomad soul wrote: |
| It's an issue for those whose only qualifying degree (MA) was completed online. In KSA, it keeps them from meeting the requirements for the better direct-hire positions; their only option is to go with a contracting company that accepts unrelated BAs. |
This is not exactly true.
I know three teachers here presently in Saudi Arabia who have unrelated BAs, and online Masters Degrees in TESOL or Applied linguistics. |
Sure, if they were hired more than 18 months ago and likely didn't disclose their MA was done online. If that's how they "qualified" for the position, broadcasting to others that they have an online degree isn't very smart. The exception is if the degree was completed via distance learning while in KSA, but then, it's still not likely to be considered by the employer.
Anyway, since mid-2013, KSA's Ministry of Higher Ed requires verification from the job applicant's university registrar on the number of online credits completed toward his/her degree. This is for authentication/attestation purposes per the SACM. It's a requirement of the employment/work visa but not for a business/work visit visa.
There are several threads on this topic. |
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sicklyman
Joined: 02 Feb 2013
Posts: 930
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| Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 5:29 am Post subject: |
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| scot47 wrote: |
| The jobs may not be in the Aramco Training Centers ! |
they don't sound like they are to me.
1. There are no Aramco training centres in Dammam.
2. 15 students in a class? Usually 20.
3. The leave advertised does not match Aramco contracted teachers' standard package. It should be 42 + public holidays minimum.
4. Saudi Aramco doesn't train "Engineers" the majority at Dhahran (the closest Industrial Training Centre (ITC) to Dammam) are being trained for clerical positions. The most technical among others will be Technical Operators, but none are engineering positions in the true sense.
5. The salary is at the low end of the scale. It should have a 65% allowances package added to it too. Even so, for a base salary, this is low end.
In order to verify this is a bona fide position contracted to Aramco, you'll first need to get the name of the contracting company. This is NOT the recruiter who is advertising the position.
Working as a contracted teacher for Aramco is not perfect, but it can be a very good deal indeed. I speak from experience which most on this forum do not so bear that in mind when you weigh up the advice you get about being contracted to Aramco.
Get back to us with the name of the contractor that these guys are recruiting for and the specific name of the training centre where you are supposedly going to be working. |
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Pikgitina
Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 420
Location: KSA
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| Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2015 6:39 am Post subject: |
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It seems like this contracting company is using another contracting company to recruit!  No wonder the stated salary is so low. |
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