Job offer from the AETG

Hello SimaH

I have introduced your message in a new thread (in Riyadh forum) for more visibility! I hope that you will get some feedback soon about this company!

Regards

Hi Sima welcome to the blog

It's a good thing that you asked first, as this group has been quite notorious in terms of employment and warnings have been issued earlier.

Read this for better understandinghttp://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article37206.ece


Perhap's that's why they are offering very attractive packages.

Thanks slyshooter,

I think I'm going to turn down the offer, I'm a single female and would rather go with a company with a good reputuation even if I have to wait longer for an offer than take a risk with AETG, that article is pretty awful.

Do you know any companies that are good to work for? I'm looking to teach English. I've heard Jeddah is good for teaching but I don't know which companies to trust.

Thanks very much for your help.

eslcafe.com/joblist/

u might find it useful

I've read all the terrible things about AETG, and most seem to be located at PNU or World in Riyadh and seem to involve female teachers.

I expect an offer any day for either Dammam/Dharhan, Jubail or Jeddah, through a recruiter in the UK, m2r.

Does anyone have any experience working with AETG OUTSIDE of Riyadh?

I have also been offered a job at aetg, does anyone work for them now that can give me some advise. Thanks

Hello sane people seeking slef respectable work with decent upright human beings. Keep your sanity and avoid going anywhere near this AETG. There are amongst them some NOT ALL, crazy people!

saudi culture is controlling and non sensical (im a muslim male), but whats worse is that the westerners that come to AETG for work and remain are normally of three categories: 1. those who are western muslims and want to live a life in which practising their religion is easy. 2. those who are non muslim and are passing by on their travels around the world. 3. Those who wouldnt have a chance in the world of getting a job anyhwere else in the world because of reasons like there emotitonal or physical conditions.

We have managers from the west who have left there western morals. principles and values and have become just as dictators themselves.

Im happy im out of this nonesense! Stay away from RAFI AND JIM! Management has changed in the academy and its become worse than ever before!

There currently recruiting like crazy because the majority of the staff would leave if they found another opportunity elsewhere.

read this before accept any offer from this company
http://www.expatexchange.com/expat/inde … id=3348294

Good link, shmally.  Let's hope that the people who are working with recruiters (who are popping up like mushrooms, enticed by easy money) have searched out everything they can find before making a commitment.

Wow the comments reveal everything about this company. I have als been offered a teaching position there, but didnot accept it as the offer seemed ridiculous. Split shift and moving to other cities time to time when needed.

I want to tell you of my own experience at AETG.  I was placed there by World Education Group and they are no longer working with AETG.

I lasted five months, late April to the end of September 2011.  When I started they placed me down at King Faisal Hospital, supposedly to teach TOEFL.  But I was given no timetable (when would they take the test?) and was supposed to teach the same students a total of 20 hours a week - very disorganized.  There was no text to use, and the students themselves had no idea what they wanted - but they did want me to teach them ways to pass the test itself.  For ten weeks I struggled with no help at all from the administration and finally I was pulled back to the AETG office by Kahkany who was his all-smiles self, saying the students didn't like me, no explanation given.  For the next couple of months, I taught two classes without incident.  Then they wanted me to go teach for them down in Kharj, a very small city south of Riyadh.  I insisted on going there first to see it and Kahkany said I was not under obligation to accept the assignment if I didn't feel comfortable with it.  This never happened because of Ramadan, and one afternoon a driver showed up at my room and started taking my things out to drive me down there, with no warning and he spoke no English at all.  I sent him away.  And then Mr. RAFI ABDULLAH showed up and started threatening my job with AETG! Kahkany said it was OK, however, in his calming voice, but a few days later he quit, and RAFI took over his position.  Then JIM (forgot his last name, Irish guy) suggested I write an apology letter for not taking the job and "disrespecting Saudi culture" saying it would help me with the management.  Before I knew it, they had fired me and sent that letter to World Education Group as a "resignation" which was not the case.  WEG later told me that AETG stated I was "incompetent" as a teacher and that's why they fired me.  But they have fired a LOT of people recently because they have lost contracts and to save face, say that the teacher is always at fault.  Also, be warned that there is a director there named ESSA IBRAHIM BARAKATI that also treats Western teachers with disdain and works closely with RAFI and JIM to "weed out" Western teschers that don't do his bidding. 

Do yourself a favor and STAY AWAY from these awful people!  They are ignorant and rude, and really don't care about people at all.

hi,,, me from pakistan searching job in saudia arabia.. my qualification is MBA M.SC (ECONOMICS).. KINDLY HELP ME... I HAVE 5YEARS TEACHING EXPERIENCE.

hello every one, I have five years banking experience and 9 months sales experience.  I'm 29 and married, living in Ethiopia, Addis Ababa. I have BA degree in economics graduated five years ago. i speaks local languages and English too. I want to leave my country only because of low payment.
I hope my experiences and skill is an asset for companies going to hire me. so, could you help me in searching jog in Saudi Arabia?, on what job positions, when and where? Thank you very much.

with best regar

I'm trying to figure out at what point this forum became an employment site!

But, to try to help you, I suggest you go to the following websites to look for jobs and to post your cv's:

www.bayt.com/en/saudi-arabia/jobshttp://www.naukrigulf.com/ni/nijobsearc … obs-saudi/www.allsaudiarabiajobs.comwww.saudijobs.com

Best of luck.

hey everyone,
i was at AETG for over a year and the only positive out of it is that i now have something to put on my CV.
they are a bunch of unprofessional, inconsiderate and ridiculously bad liars.

i agree with cat.1 and 3...i come under category one and only met people from category 3....didnt meet anybody from category 2.

My advice to everyone is dont take the job at AETG or any teaching company in saudi unless you really MUST. if you fall in cat 1 then definitely take the job for their rubbish is certainly worth taking if you a practising muslim wants to live in an islamic land. and if you cat3 take the job you should be grateful someone gave you a job mate.

Expect nothing and you should be fine

It is a fact that they are losing so many contracts according to the unskilled marketing team or so.... but really they fired so many recently and Mr. Kahkany who was a really nice man quieted and the policy of administration has changed radically ...

Hi all ,

My  husband and I  have both  been  offered posts as ESOL teachers with AETG at the Riyadh campus. After the initial excitement ofthe offer  , we  went  on line to  do  our investigations on the company.

We  are  being place by World Staff Recruitment, based in the UK (consultant is Paul Myers of the Resource Team). The comments on the company are not  good, only one positive review.
I  would like to  know from  teachers currently   employed by AETG, if the conditions are  still  bad, and particularly ,experience from married teaching  couples based  with the group.

Our contract  will commence in September 2012, we are really  keen  for this opportunity , so I do not want this to cloud our judgement.

Any and all comments are  welcome.

SimaH wrote:

Thanks slyshooter,

Do you know any companies that are good to work for? I'm looking to teach English. I've heard Jeddah is good for teaching but I don't know which companies to trust.
.

I know some English teachers working for  Education Experets and they are fine with it.

Hi polkadot,

I am in exactly the same position...this guy Paul says these reports on blogs etc are all old news and management has been reshuffled and he's been hearing good things from teachers there now. But...who knows? it's always hard to tell whether- as he said- teachers have a problem with Saudi generally- or that particular school. Where are people coming from, in terms of expectations? I was thinking of going there with my wife and son- well, for them to join me later. Also was very keen on the idea before, but likewise having definite second thoughts on seeing this article and blog posts...didn't find the positive one yet! Would love to hear if you come across any more recent information!
By the way, I was also told that the September start date is a formality thing and one could start whenever. I imagine the same would apply to you, in case you didn't know.

Lou Well wrote:

By the way, I was also told that the September start date is a formality thing and one could start whenever.

That should tell you something right there.  If they are continually hiring, it means people are continually leaving.

Or that the company is doing well and requires staff to take on  new projects.

polkadot3 wrote:

Or that the company is doing well and requires staff to take on  new projects.

You know, that's an excellent 'glass-half-full' way to look at it, but this is a post from a couple days ago that I found interesting:

sallyann08 wrote:

Ed Ex don't take your passport away if you come on the 90 day Business work visit visa. Also, it began from the date I arrived & was renewed 90 days from then. Consequently, many people since I've been here have chosen to book a ticket & go home.  They've had no problems. They usually go just after pay day,so it's always interesting to see who hasn't turned up for work at that time.

Sounds like continually leaving to me and this from somebody who is currently working for them.

Hi  all

We  have accepted the offers with AETG and  arrive d in the kingdom  on the 15 /05, So far  so good, We were  collected at the airport, nice Driver , Delawar. They  put  us up into  a  hotel with long  stay  apartments, decor needs some help, but  it  is big  and  clean.

I  have to  go and  buy  some pots and  pans , but  the place came with  a fridge, Mic   and  gas stove. You  have to  ask for some of the stuff  not  provided.

I  have not  started  teaching  as yet. My  only  gripe is that  I  will not  be based  at  a Uni  but  at the academy  teaching  all levels of  English. The  staff at the ladies  academy  all seem professional  and  I  kep  my  fingers crossed that  all  continues  well.

We  are  enjoying Saudi  so far. Good luck to  all.

Saudi's are  irrational  , so  everybody  needs to  have "Wasta" - influence  with  some body :-)

Best of luck, polkadot!

Fingers and  toes crossed

Hi polkadot3,

I've also been offered a job with AETG and having read the reviews am apprehensive to say the least. I've gone through World Staff and they are telling me that everything is fine now and they've had a big change-up. I know you haven't been there long, but what's your initial reaction and what advice would you give?

Thanks

THe  crap  thing  with the company  is that  they  have most teachers working  a split  shift as  it  is nearly the end of the year and  there projects at the universities  have ended.  Split shift hours are 8 - 12, then you  go  home and the guys go  back to the mens academy   for a 5-9 shift.

We  are  having to  get  used to the hours but  it  can  be a killer  and not  advisable.

Jim at the mens Academy  is the Head  of  English and  is Irish  and  is an  amazing  guy. He has helped  us move apartments andd  facilitates  when and  where  he can.

I  personally  do not  think irt  is a bad  company to  work  for, but  I  am  an  easy going  person. I  have had  my  issues  with  the way that  HR  slow  at  doing their  job  at the womans campus , but  I  think that it is the culture of HR at  all  companies. Some say  it  is best  if you  apply  directly to  a Uni  and  not  through  an English Academy.

Good Luck

Good Luck

Lanara_27 wrote:

Save yourself and find a different recruiting agency. I have recently been screwed over by them. They promise you reimbursement for expenses like visas and they never to; they promise ppl to bring their families over and never do. They owe me 18000SR. They messed up my visa renewal and I was stuck in Bahrain and they wouldn't help me get an important document from Saudi Immigration to get me out of Bahrain. I had to have my friends drive over to break into my apartment to look for the document in my files. The compound they put  you in to live on is barely maintained- holes in ceiling, our refrigerator broke 3 times in 3 months and we lost food each time. You don't have a key to the gate at the compound and men security guards have to let you in. You don't have a key to your front door only your bedroom so anybody can walk in at anytime. I HIGHLY DON'T recommend AETG. They simply don't care about you and see you as a number.

Jeeze. What a nightmare!  You still in the Kingdom?

Lanara_27 wrote:

It was stressfully and emotionally draining!!!

I'm in Dubai at the moment. I have a job lined up in Riyadh for the fall.

Where are you working?

I'm in Riyadh.  Why would you leave Dubai to come back here?!?

Yes. I know someone who knows them inside out.

I am absolutely stunned and terrified about AETG now !!!!!!!!!!!!!! i have already signed the contract and am supposed to join next month. I want some real advise from somebody there............plz plz tell me about the latest..............anyone..........

Yes I too have been given a job offer by AETG but havent accepted. All the above seems quite self-explanatory... ie it's not really worth it.... I guess it's just the money.... it really seemed like a fantastic opportunity:(  I would like to hear a bit more from polkadot.... but i guess im just in denial.... i shouldnt be thinking about this:(

get your contact in the agency to put you in touch with someone who is actually there. I am in a similar situation. No disrespect to anyone but you never know the whole picture through the internet and experiences of particular people whose back story and details of their particular experience you don't know. I simply cannot believe the woman above is owed 18000 SR. What is that about? One definite impression I am getting from the various scare stories on here is that if you are a woman, you will definitely find it harder. But there are a lot of people working for them I believe who are by other accounts quite happy with it. I feel one needs to be positive as possible and highly adaptable.. Send me a mail if you want, ghoufran[at]yahoo.co.uk ..I would also love to hear more, especially from anyone now working there, though it is possible that they might not be on such a forum since now not looking for work or out of it and feeling bitter. You have to remember your experience will be unique and not let your impression be coloured by someone elses account of their unique experience. People also like to make a drama getting into putting places down and discouraging people... That's how it seems to me anyway. Good luck...

I have been offered a job, can anyone tell me what it is like working for AETG please.

I  have not worked  at  another company in the Kingdom, so  do not  know what  the admin  and  management  is like elsewhere. AETG   seems to pay the lowest salary, Unless u  negotiate  hard  with them.

If you are  new to the Kingdom, the apathy of  management  will  drive u to tears, but the teachers and  students are  lovely.

Look  around before u accept any offers.

Im on an employment visa and refused to accept the Iqama. The company is telling me that I have to accept the Iqama in order for them to grant me a final exit visa.

Also im resigning during my probation period which is 3 months. I have only been here a month and a half and I am being told that i need to pay 2000 SAR for visa costs, a months salary and purchase my own ticket home. This is just not right!!!!

Can anyone shed some light on this...?

polkadot3 wrote:

Im on an employment visa and refused to accept the Iqama. The company is telling me that I have to accept the Iqama in order for them to grant me a final exit visa.

Also im resigning during my probation period which is 3 months. I have only been here a month and a half and I am being told that i need to pay 2000 SAR for visa costs, a months salary and purchase my own ticket home. This is just not right!!!!

Can anyone shed some light on this...?

Yeah, this is what happens.  You're free to leave during your probationary period but if YOU resign, you have to foot the bills and repay them for their expenses.

I've seen people who want to leave do really bizzare, crazy things so that they are FIRED.  That way, they don't have to pay for anything!

Alliecat wrote:

I've seen people who want to leave do really bizzare, crazy things so that they are FIRED.  That way, they don't have to pay for anything!

I completely agree with you, In our company one of the guy went on emergency paid leave and eventually never returned back, that too after taking the salary for that month !!! 

MAGIC KINGDOM

BTW, do you remember way back when I said hiring every month meant people were leaving and there was a reason for all the turn-over.  You replied that perhaps they were doing so well they needed to keep adding new hires.

Can you share with us the details of what has driven you out?  As you know, this forum is constantly being questioned about teaching jobs and it's good to have up-to-date information on the situation to refer them to.

Thanks, polkadot, and the best of luck to you.