Job Discussion Forums

[tillymd]

Hi All,

First, I would like to express my gratitude to all the veteran members of this message board who take the time to patiently answer the newbies repetitive questions.

I have been reading many threads in the KSA forum concerning qualifications for ESL and University jobs, however, being a slow learner slacker hippy type, I still need some clarification.

Are there more ESL or specific subject teaching jobs in the UAE? Are the University classes taught in English?

The reason I ask is my husband and I have extensive ESL experience, mostly teaching adult conversation and basic grammar. We are by no means Literature teachers. We do have more current areas of expertise. Should we be focusing on our current skills, or on our ESL experience?

Husband: MA in science education
Four years high school classroom (bio, chem, physics)
Six plus years ESLing in Asia
I feel pretty confidant he would be able to find a decent job in a University or Secondary school.

Me:BA in Allied Health
Associates Degree in Veterinary Science
State Certified Veterinary Technician (equivalent of certified nurse
practitioner)
Six plus years ESLing (Berlitz and other crappy little schools)

What are the chances I could get a job teaching in a health science college/nursing school without a teaching certificate? I have three official looking documents, and they are not forged.Does anyone work for Dubai Medical College for Girls? Medical terminology is my middle name.

Are we out of our league? Should I pack it in now?

Thanks again for all your help, Tillymd

[veiledsentiments]

Perhaps someone might have some suggestions for you... but I fear that the interesting collection of degrees that the two of you have don't really fit very well in the UAE. Most of the Gulf employers want to see those academic bits of paper that match what they are hiring you to teach... even though you might be just the right person. So, if they are hiring you to teach EFL, they want to see preferably an MA in TEFL or Applied Linguistics or a BA+CELTA. To teach science or literature in the university, they would want to see a PhD in the field.

There are some international schools that would likely hire your husband to teach science, but the best of that crowd want to see a teaching certificate from your home country. So, if he gets a job at one of those schools, you would probably still be in the crappy little schools category.

Hopefully someone knows something about the Dubai Medical College... or why not just apply and see what happens... the worst they can say is no... or not even respond.

VS

[adorabilly]

tilly.

With the MA your husband should be able to get jobs at the international grade schools in the UAE. W/out an MA in applied linguistics, or a DELTA it is rather slim that he would be teaching english at a university. There are some universities which may have need of his Science background so it is possible for him.

There are serious issues with you teaching at a medical college. The big one is that you would expect a higher salary than any phillipino nurse who comes in to teach. I know several registered nurses who are teaching at local medical colleges who are phillipino who make no more than 8000 AED a month (and that is with over 20 years of experience, and tons of teaching experience). so you would be competing against people who will take amuch smaller salary for the same job.

now it is possible, and at the very least you can look and see.