Job Discussion Forums

[MuscatGary]

Hi all,

I'm thinking of using my hard-earned ME cash to set up a language school in Spain later this year. I'de be grateful for any pointers as to the current state of the market and if there are any particularly good spots to be. The poll is just for fun (but may be interesting!)

[GKD]

I have been in Spain a couple of years. I think now is, in theory, a good time to open a school. But it depends on where, when, and what kind of student.

People seem to build contacts first --- over the course of several years --- and then open a school.

What cities are you thinking about? Also, you need to think about how much money you can invest, what legal stuff you need to do, and who you will employ.

[MuscatGary]

I would ideally like to open up in Tenerife where I have friends and contacts but don't think there's a huge market there. I'm inclined towards focusing on Business/tourism Englsh but most of the schools seem to rely on young learners.

I would only employ native speakers with European passports because of the hassle employing others.

Actually I would be interested to learn more about the legal requirements if anybody has any input. After nearly five years in the Gulf financing a new school is not a major problem.

[amisexy]

Opening a school with no recent knowledge, few contacts and no current students is a very risky proposition.

As has been said, it is more normal to get your own students as a private teacher, have many contacts and know people in the area, and then setup a school.

Ideally you would have quite a few students and knowledge of good, local native speakers who you could hire.

Although, the EFL market in Spain isn't doing too badly at the moment. In fact it's going very well considering the state of the economy. But student turnover, especially in adult groups, is very high. This is something to consider.

Tenerife is a nice place for a holiday, although it is quite poor (in Spanish terms) and the unemployment rate there is very high. Also, the pool of students is relatively small.

[SirKirby]

Don't do it without inside knowledge an experience of the market and a local (Spanish) partner.