Job Discussion Forums

[Capricorny]

I work for a training program in Dubai. The salary package is good, the housing allowance is unrealistically low.

As many UAE English teachers may have observed, private colleges or universities are springing up like weeds (or Starbucks).

I have been offered a position at a fairly new college with more modern classroom facilities in a smaller emirate. The package is not quite as good but the hours are much better.

OK. Having said all of that, would anyone care to offer up their opinion on this teachers' market here where these sparkling new campuses with great facades and state-of-the-art equipment are desperately trying to fill slots as students will be arriving for initial placement tests in about a week's time.

Obviously these schools don't have a recruitment budget, hence in the last few weeks the locals newspapers have been running full page ads begging for teachers--full time, part time--they need warm bodies and they need them now.

What sort of job security do these new schools offer? A door could be opening for me and perhaps someone with experience and great insight could clue me into whether or not there is a lady or tiger behind that door.

[cam]

[Capricorny]

Good observation cam. The job pays well enough considering contact hours are fewer. The last minute ads in local newspapers also say something about H and R departments and their experience with education. I don't think they know about this site.

My current job is a government job. Here that means do the paper work, clock in, clock out on time, fly below radar and keep putting the cheques in the bank each month. Short of walking into a classroom naked and preaching the gospel while eating a ham sandwich, government jobs do offer security.

The explosion of private higher education institutions throughout the Gulf has received few if any good comments on this discussion forum.

[Anytime now]

Hi Capicorny,

For the money, I'd say you were in a typical place to work. Where do I apply?

Anytime Now

[veiledsentiments]

Capricorny,

My take is that these private places springing up are a risk... New places are always a mess which usually ends up dumped on the teachers. (sorry we don't have the money right now for enough desks and no one remembered to order the books... and and and). It is obvious that they are looking to hire teachers on the cheap by local hiring of the vast majority - qualified or not.

Personally, I'd stick to the devil I know... unless, of course, you enjoy this type of challenge and change... accepting the risks for vague possible rewards. (fewer contact hours, but will you end up having extra duties that haven't been mentioned because they don't know what the heck they are doing?)

VS

[Capricorny]

V.S.--Thanks for reinforcing my gut feeling. Throughout Abu Dhabi and Dubai there are many enormous billboards and 10 story banners advertising a new Emirates College of This, Dubai University of That. I think I'll keep clocking in and out with the government post, filling out the reports that nobody reads and doing my best to teach the ubiquitous 10% of the students who seem to earnestly want to learn.
The private higher ed scene here reminds me much of the Korean Hagwan (institute) scene of the 80s and 90s.

[Buur]

Copricorny,

Is government training program located at Abu dhabi or Dubia. Can you tell me its website?

[Capricorny]

They're in Dubai and they don't have a web site.