Job Discussion Forums

destionable · Joined: 11 Aug 2009 Posts: 46 Location: wherever

I would recommend all job seekers to avoid applying to Al Shabakah at KFU in Al Hasa. Shabakah is operated by 3 brothers who have a reputation for failed operations. Their illegal contracts which do not respect Saudi Labour Law( example no vacation pay or end of service gratuity) have been challenged in the Labour courts....some still not settled. Furthermore, Shabakah has used UCW(University Canada West) as their proxy...which has filed for bankrupcy(read all about it in the Victoria Times Colonist). This plus all the scandals at KFU. OOF!

sheikher · Joined: 13 Jul 2009 Posts: 291

Al Shabaka Training Establishment, in conjunction with University Canada West, recruited eighteen teachers for a new program at King Faisal University in Hofuf / Al-Hasa.

By the end of the first semester, seven teachers apparently passed through Departures. More were to follow, indicating severe maladministration in human resources.

Recent reports in another thread indicate that by the end of the second semester, seven teachers who survived the year expressed no desire to seek another contract with Shabaka.

Al Shabaka maintains its roster of teachers by using the illegal 3-month business visa scam, not unlike M-Trading in Khobar.

wanna_teach · Joined: 08 Jul 2009 Posts: 36 Location: Canada

Thanks for that info. I applied for a position and they seemed kinda shady..
I applied for a position and they emailed me back right away. They said they really liked my resume (I don't really have that much experience) and asked for the photo page of my passport.
I responded that I didn't feel comfortable sending that info until we progressed further. I haven't heard from them since.

pegycove · Joined: 07 Aug 2009 Posts: 17 Location: saudi arabia

Hi

I was asked to send in my passport scan copy. Should I?

pegy

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

After reading the posts above, why would you want to?

VS

lrnoue · Joined: 06 Mar 2009 Posts: 25

I have been getting conflicting versions about KFU Hofuf. I am a close acquaintance of one of the master instructors there and he suggests that the prep year program has been a wonderful opportunity for him. Even though English is not his L1, he's managed to move up the KFU echelons quickly.

Now, it seems the only primary information source on KFU is 12 Monkeys. In a previous thread, he mentioned having worked there and revealed his insights into his pejorative sojourn in Al-Hasa:

sheikher · Joined: 13 Jul 2009 Posts: 291

Sacrebleu!! An Al Shabaka Training Establishment "master instructor" whose first language is not English "managed to move up the KFU echelons quickly"?!? Wot?

The advertisement you quote indicates a 9-month contract. You would be paid for summer holidays after you fulfilled your optional commitment to teach summer session classes. An ample supply of students for July and August is determined by a director who makes the requisite adjustments to students' grades at the end of June.

"Paid Holidays" refers to Eid and semester breaks only. Al Shabakah's reduced the salary by $300 a month, apparently not consistently paid on time.

Be aware that the end-of-contract "Bonus" advertised (amount conveniently not revealed) is an obvious manipulative tactic to keep you in place. Last year $2500 was paid out after three months, by which point many teachers made their way to Departures. Al Shabakah pays less throughout the contract, but with the supposed Bonus payment the salary over nine months is the same as last year. Thus, compared with last year's Bonus, what seemingly is now a Bonus is not truly a Bonus. Think "Bogus" when dealing with Al Shabaka offers.

Al Shabaka does not pay two legally required obligations: vacation pay and end-of-service gratuity entitlements paid at the end of 9 months or at the end of 11 months, both of which amount to considerably more than $2500.

pegycove · Joined: 07 Aug 2009 Posts: 17 Location: saudi arabia

I have done some digging and got some inside info on the recruiting process. It is not being done by the third party "Can. West" but by the Middle Man "Shabaka". Since the 10th of August (October edited) 2009 there have been over 300 applications (men's side) for the positions there and 100 applications (women's side).

I've read the previous posts and that of a certain 12 Monkeys and have confirmed that what he says is legit. My sources tell me that the head of the department will have final say on who will stay and who will go and who will get hired/rehired. A 9 month contract at 3250 is less than 30K a year, so a one year contract at 2900 would be 34.8K. I am inclined to go for a lower monthly salary and w get paid for 12 months plus one of those months is a paid holiday and there will be end of service payment too.

Bait is set, the offer is appealing but the math doesn't work out too well.

PC

rigel · Joined: 17 Apr 2009 Posts: 308

I'm heading back to go back to school. I can't decide between which two majors to study, though. Somebody help me out here. One major is the study of the abacus. Rumour has it that this machine will be in high demand in the future. Another major could be the design of film cameras. Both majors are kind of pricey. We're talking 30,000 USD for each associate's degree. Not to worry. I've been told the future is bright in both fields, and I believe it.

Grendal · Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 3:22 pm Post subject:

Hı PC

I like your insight and the fact that you have informants scares me a little. Thanks for the math tip. It makes cents.

Now where's my mead?

Grendal

lrnoue · Joined: 06 Mar 2009 Posts: 25

You mean 10th of August?

Grendal · Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 7:17 pm Post subject:

Let me try to do the math.

If I were to get a contract for one year at 2900 x 12 = 34800
Then if I were to get an end of service bonus = 2900
The sum total would be 34800 + 2900 = 37700

This is much more betterer than 3250 x 9 = 29250
Adam Smith's first observation on the division of labour is all I know about economics. That being said I would take 37700 over 29250.

G

moonapali · Joined: 12 Nov 2005 Posts: 8

I deeply appreciate this thread. Cheers!

Chthon · Joined: 03 Jun 2009 Posts: 54

I currently work at KFU in Hofuf/Hasa, and am employed by Al Shabaka. This posting out here is not for everybody, as the country is a tough environment and the management style is a more straight laced, top down type that teachers used to more liberal academia may not like. If anybody is interested in coming here, then make sure that this is really a good decision for you.

There are some things I feel I should respond to, though. I suppose that some people just like to gripe - a satisfied former teacher has less incentive to create an account and come on Dave's. But I was the second teacher to arrive here and witnessed the whole school year, and much of what destionable and sheikher are saying consists of intellectual dishonest and even bold-faced lies. I am not saying that this is the dream job; but even if you feel you have been wronged, you should still be just.

Regarding the OP:

Chthon · Joined: 03 Jun 2009 Posts: 54

Let me just state again that I am not here to promote Shabakah or KFU. I like my job here, other teachers didn't. Some had legitimate reasons to leave, some should have been fired (a number of the supposed departures mentioned here actually were). If you have any doubts about this job, then it is probably not the right job for you.

However, much of what has been said here by the two individuals who appear to be former teachers is absolutely false. And if they were former teachers, then I have a feeling I know specifically who those two are - troublemakers who should not have been hired in the first place. That was one legitimate mistake Shabakah made.

Please leave personal vendettas at home. People need to make professional decisions about their job choices. And the last thing we need (especially here at KFU) are more divas with axes to grind.