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Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
Originally Posted by JLFS
(Post 8430007)
A lot of the menial jobs as in hopsital cleaner, porter, street sweeper, postman, in fact all local authority workers, are very hard to get.
There are exams called "opositions" that you have to pass. You need to go to an academy to study the course work, and then the list of vacancies is published. Then you have to pay a fee to sit the exam, sometinmes there are thousands of "opositores" and only a dozen jobs. If you are not successful, try again next year. This system applies to all types of Civil servants, but onec you get the job, it is yours for life. I've always thought the "opositions" are a very democratic way to get a job. You take an exam and the top x% get a job, gives everyone hope :) They should make it easier to sack public workers though for poor performance, I've heard horror stories of people not being able to be sacked so turning up to work but effectively refusing to do anything as they are "too busy". More accountability is needed! |
Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
here is a forum for people studying for these jobs
http://www.buscaoposiciones.com/foro...08-2643597.htm and another to be a an auxiliary nurse. http://www.oposiciones.de/buscador/b...0&option=exact Here is one for the exam to become a postman http://www.buscaoposiciones.com/foro...-4-3695000.htm You couldnt make it up could you???????????? I think it is harder to get one of these jobs, than it is to become a brain surgeon.:confused: |
Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
Originally Posted by cricketman
(Post 8430025)
I've always thought the "opositions" are a very democratic way to get a job. You take an exam and the top x% get a job, gives everyone hope :)
They should make it easier to sack public workers though for poor performance, I've heard horror stories of people not being able to be sacked so turning up to work but effectively refusing to do anything as they are "too busy". More accountability is needed!
Originally Posted by JLFS
(Post 8430036)
I think it is harder to get one of these jobs, than it is to become a brain surgeon.:confused:
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Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
Originally Posted by jackytoo
(Post 8415203)
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Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
Originally Posted by cricketman
(Post 8430025)
I've always thought the "opositions" are a very democratic way to get a job. You take an exam and the top x% get a job, gives everyone hope :)
They should make it easier to sack public workers though for poor performance, I've heard horror stories of people not being able to be sacked so turning up to work but effectively refusing to do anything as they are "too busy". More accountability is needed! I know an English teacher in Galicia, best English speaker I know,studied for year, he has the univercity degree, scores really well in the exam, but does not have a hope in hell of success. He lived in England for 8 years. One of the reasons is that extra points can be earned, that are added to the exam score. If you have done a Gallego course, or one in photograpy, then extra points are added on, how this makes you a better English teacher I will never know. Also the panel that judge the applicants could be someone who has passed the opositions only a couple of years before or 30 years before and have not practiced much, and their standard of English may not be as good as the candidates level. I know this particular friend of mine fell down because, the "examiners" did not understand some of the things he said. He used the word joiner (as in the building trade), but noboy understood what he meant, and because of their interpretation of the word, his composition did not make sence to the examiners. A**holes, and due to their ignorance he did not get a high enough mark and Galicia lost the chance to have one of the best English teachers ever.......... As each candidate has to pay on average about 40 euros to sit the exam, and tens of thousands to it every year, it is a great money spinner for the goverment and agencies that run this highly organised scam.:thumbdown: |
Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
Is there any parts of Spain with a big city that I don't have to speak a language other than Spanish that doesn't get to 100 degrees in the summer? Lol, doesn't sound very likely does it?
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Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
Originally Posted by JLFS
(Post 8430066)
It is a crappy way to get people into jobs, What exam could a postman need, surely a nice manner and to be quite fit, would be more of an asset than, a miserable old sod who can hardly walk, who gets a higher exam score.
I know an English teacher in Galicia, best English speaker I know,studied for year, he has the univercity degree, scores really well in the exam, but does not have a hope in hell of success. He lived in England for 8 years. One of the reasons is that extra points can be earned, that are added to the exam score. If you have done a Gallego course, or one in photograpy, then extra points are added on, how this makes you a better English teacher I will never know. Also the panel that judge the applicants could be someone who has passed the opositions only a couple of years before or 30 years before and have not practiced much, and their standard of English may not be as good as the candidates level. I know this particular friend of mine fell down because, the "examiners" did not understand some of the things he said. He used the word joiner (as in the building trade), but noboy understood what he meant, and because of their interpretation of the word, his composition did not make sence to the examiners. A**holes, and due to their ignorance he did not get a high enough mark and Galicia lost the chance to have one of the best English teachers ever.......... As each candidate has to pay on average about 40 euros to sit the exam, and tens of thousands to it every year, it is a great money spinner for the goverment and agencies that run this highly organised scam.:thumbdown: I know someone who didnt get the chance to go to uni and had 4 children but still got to become head of the social services for the province thanks to the opposiciones. It was an inspiring story which made me think they are good and for Spanish society to be meritocratic. |
Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
Originally Posted by chrisfromusa
(Post 8430077)
Is there any parts of Spain with a big city that I don't have to speak a language other than Spanish that doesn't get to 100 degrees in the summer? Lol, doesn't sound very likely does it?
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Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
Originally Posted by cricketman
(Post 8430084)
It only gets to 100 degrees F inland. So take your pick on the coast. Atlantic coast is the coolest. And with the whole Mediterrenean coast you could get by with Spanish. Even in Barcelona, Catalan isnt essential and in Bilbao and San Sebastian, Basque isnt essential, although it will make getting a job much easier.
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Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
Originally Posted by cricketman
(Post 8430078)
Sounds like the people you know had a bad experience.
. I know someone who didnt get the chance to go to uni and had 4 children but still got to become head of the social services for the province thanks to the opposiciones. It was an inspiring story which made me think they are good and for Spanish society to be meritocratic. I know loads who are trying to get menial jobs, and have been trying for years, the problem is that only a few places are anounced each year, the rest are for "interinos". Also a lot of people are used to do "substitutions", and they could be sent anywhere in Galicia. With a different destinatin as and when they are needed. |
Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
Originally Posted by JLFS
(Post 8430103)
Why does it have to be that the people I know have had a bad experience, couold it not be that the one you know about has had a good experience?
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Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
Originally Posted by agoreira
(Post 8430155)
You should know by now, JL, he only has good, positive experiences of Spain! You've probably got it all wrong, what do you know, you're only Spanish after all! :)
Isn't the title of the thread Living in Spain: The Good things? ;) |
Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
Originally Posted by chrisfromusa
(Post 8430158)
JLFS is Spanish?
Isn't the title of the thread Living in Spain: The Good things? ;) Anyway how do you know about the good things if you dont know about the bad, to be able to make a comparison |
Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
Originally Posted by agoreira
(Post 8430155)
You should know by now, JL, he only has good, positive experiences of Spain! You've probably got it all wrong, what do you know, you're only Spanish after all! :)
He can only talk about the people he knows and I can only talk about the people I know. Tbf, I'm not friends or family of any Spaniards with menial jobs so I dont have any stories to tell. |
Re: Living in Spain - the good things!
Originally Posted by cricketman
(Post 8430314)
No JLFS hasnt got in wrong at all.
He can only talk about the people he knows and I can only talk about the people I know. Tbf, I'm not friends or family of any Spaniards with menial jobs so I dont have any stories to tell. I dont bother with the riff raff who have menial jobs either, good gracious no...... I wouldnt even give them the time of day.....peasants...... let them eat cake. etc etc. :thumbdown: Obviously that is why you have a wonderful opinion of Spain, its all polo and sangria with the Duckess (Cayatana of Alba) |
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