Job Discussion Forums

Delltron · Joined: 03 Sep 2010 Posts: 54

What is an appropriate salary (per hour/per week) for summer camps in China? I'd appreciate your feedback if you have an idea.

Thanks.

Non Sequitur · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China

It's a bit early but there is one advertised here:
http://www.seriousteachers.com/?byfield=14&bypais=41
RMB6000 for 8 weeks is mentioned but I've never seen one that pays airfare and accommodation may also be an issue.
My advice is apply and see what happens.
There will be many more advertised June/July time.

kungfuman · Posted: Sun May 05, 2013 8:37 am Post subject:

Last camp I was offered was 7000 for 4 weeks. I declined it but my friend took it.

Once there the promised 4 hours a day became 6 or 7 and the salary didn't increase.

He stayed in a hotel that went from solo to shared.

Even after the daily hours he was asked to do extra work in the evenings.

He did say he was paid in full at the end. And they provided food for every meal.

So beware the good and the bad of summer camps

Shroob · Joined: 02 Aug 2010 Posts: 1339

I'm thinking of staying in China this summer for a while before heading back - any tips on where the summer positions are advertised or any 'reputable' companies?

Simon in Suzhou · Joined: 09 Aug 2011 Posts: 404 Location: GZ

Summer camps RARELY even have to advertise, and those that do are usually the dregs... There are far too many university teachers with unpaid summer holidays who are eager to work for peanuts in order to continue to survive until their next paycheck. As well, there are plenty of tourists who are willing to come work for nothing for a couple weeks just for the privilege of experiencing Chinese culture. It's definitely not a teacher's market to decide what the salary should be. You won't be negotiating in most cases.

So what is an "appropriate" salary? I guess whatever the camp directors can get away with paying and still have warm bodies...

Summer camps are usually brutal, burnout jobs. Working in the scorching summer heat, often outdoors for long stretches, for 8+ (often 12) hours a day. You may not be teaching all that time, but rarely will you be allowed to just show up and teach your contracted times. You will be expected to participate in any and all camp activities from sunup-sundown.

I worked at a decent camp last summer. 14 days for 6000 RMB + hotel. Seems ok when you first look at it, but in actuality it was being present and participating (if not teaching) 12 hours a day. I worked the same amount of hours in 14 days that i would work in 7+ weeks at my university job. It was an exhausting schedule, and while we got 1 day off in the middle of the 2 weeks, we were expected to join in a scheduled historic tour of a nearby city for 8 hours of our only day off! Never again! Not worth it!

So factoring in only 8 hours per day (not the actual 12 we were on site), we made about 53 RMB per hour. Is this appropriate? I guess it depends on who you talk to. This is actually better paying than MOST summer camp offers...there are some dismal camps out there offering 5000RMB for a MONTH of work at 8 hours per day. I can't imagine the profits those camp directors are raking in.

I've seen some camps in Taiwan that offer airfare and $700-1000USD for a couple weeks work advertised here on Dave's that seem as appealing as anything you will find on the mainland. If you are in China already and have your own place, I think it is far better to walk down the street to the private English academy on the corner and negotiate some part time work for them. Most are looking for teachers and would be happy to pay 150RMB+/hr under the table to any warm western body if they don't have to pay for housing, etc. Better yet, if you are a teacher in China looking for some extra summer cash, plan ahead and teach 1 or 2 hours of private lessons per week over the course of your schoolyear and put that money in a sock until summertime. Forget camps.

Camps are really for the financially desperate or those who REALLY, REALLY love working with the kiddos in that camp atmosphere. Some people really love this, but most people don't.

choudoufu · Joined: 25 May 2010 Posts: 3325 Location: Mao-berry, PRC

lemak · Joined: 19 Nov 2011 Posts: 368

Korea has some pretty decent paying ones also......differing lengths and pay rates, but from memory they often paid around 2,000 USD or so for 3 week camps (including accom. and meals)....make sure they agree to sponsor your visa though - in spite of the B.S this entails. The camps there are infamous for getting raided by immigration.....teachers getting taken away in handcuffs while all the little elementary school kiddies watch in tears haha.

(*edit* here's an example....

http://www.eslcafe.com/jobs/korea/index.cgi?read=57074

1,100 KRW = 1 USD)

shaner68 · Joined: 25 Jan 2009 Posts: 24 Location: Beijing

Well I can't speak for the rest of the country but here in Beijing camps are a little better than what others have said. Take home pay of appx. 6500RMB per 8 day session (45 hours of teaching at 170/hr pre-tax) plus after camp bonuses, hotel provided for out of town teachers with daily transportation, no extra work outside of teaching just show up teach and leave.

The camps run July and August with 4 or 5 sessions total so most of the teachers take home 25-30K for about 6 weeks worth of work.

I agree that camps are not for everyone, the camps are usually quite large (1000+ kids per session) and in out of the way locations in Beijing. Facilities are not outstanding, food can be awful, and the kids are not world class students (although some do try). Teachers do tend to burn out quick in this kind of environment.

Before anybody slams me...yes, this is a real job, totally above board and no BS. I have been there for 4 years now as the FT supervisor.

Delltron · Joined: 03 Sep 2010 Posts: 54

Hmm...the offer I have is 6000 for two weeks. They have not listed whether I get a day off or not. It seems like this is too low of pay, but I want to go to China to see some friends (prior to the camp starting), and this camp would help me fund the airfare.

lemak · Joined: 19 Nov 2011 Posts: 368

What do Chinese summer camps generally involve? Is it just a glorified Summer School where the students show up every day and study, doing stuff in classrooms, or is it more fun activities like how we imagine camps from back home..?..day trips to places, playing Marco Polo in a hotel pool, bobbing for pigs in the Huangpu. type thing?

kungfuman · Posted: Mon May 06, 2013 2:37 am Post subject:

Simon had some good points. Seem a high percentage of teachers in Suzhou go home or travel for the summer. The private schools are usually desperate for teachers and more than willing to give 10-20 hours a week.

I worked for New Oriental and come summer time they had ZERO teachers as all their regular teachers were gone. Same with smaller schools and some McTraining centers like Web and Metan - very short staffed.

This summer my plan is to travel around for 3-5 weeks so I will turn down side work as well.

juanjose · Joined: 26 Apr 2013 Posts: 14 Location: china

For two summers I have done a summer camp, but this was for training teachers. The pay was 4,000 for two weeks of work working 4 hours a day. This year it is 5,000 for two weeks. I did not share a room with the other teachers after we went to the designated cities/
Please send me a p.m. if you are interested.
Be careful about the children's camps, long hours and little pay.