Job Discussion Forums

[jackflash]

Anyone have experience teaching for Aston? They have branch schools across China. I was thinking about signing up to work there during the summer (30 hrs/wk) to jumpstart my career in China, kind of like a TEFL bootcamp.

[Shroob]

Hands up, I've never worked for Aston.

I have heard accounts from people who have worked there, and it wasn't good. There is a saying, 'Friends don't let their friends work for Aston'.

That said, it is a franchise, as such some locations will be better than others.

[Daphne]

This is an outfit which had such a sordid reputation both among clients and teachers that a few years ago they changed their name to cover their tracks as much as possible. You can verify this with a minimal amount of research.

If you are looking strictly for a lucrative gig that lasts just a few weeks of summer, just be a bit more patient and around May there will be loads of such positions starting to be advertised online.

The debacle I went through doing a summer gig for what is now Aston was darn near enough to turn my back on both China and ESL work forever: unsanitary housing that inflamed my allergies to the point that I could not sleep a wink, the little hellions in my so-called classes having daily fistfights with each other or violating my personal space and usurping my teaching materials and running around the room with it and last and foremost dealing with a "management team" that consisted of an assistant that was 23-years-old and less than a year past his College graduation back home and a manager that was well-known around town for barhopping while shirtless, on a nightly basis.

A few months later the branch went belly up and in a bit of delicious irony the site eventually became a de facto brothel (a Chinese-style karaoke joint, or KTV).

[LongShiKong]

[Daphne]

What I meant, LSK, is that they had another name till a few years ago when they changed to Aston. They apparently still operate under that name.

What I do know about the current conditions of working for them is that they offer a 4-figure monthly salary and housing that is either in a dorm or a shared apartment. It seems every other major chain is now offering a 5-figure monthly pay and either a private pad or a few grand in cash each month towards the employee paying off housing found on their own.

[thechangling]

In the North East of China they are often know as Future English. Avoid at all costs.

[LongShiKong]

[Daphne]

This or they...now that there is this new ominous info from thechangling, the worthwhile job applicant has to put in extra time and effort to make sure they are not signing up for a sorry mutation of Aston

[LongShiKong]

[Daphne]

They were using basically both their original name and Aston at that time, with a slash in between--a year or so later they announced publicly that only Aston would be used from then on.

[LPKSA]

Stay away. I never worked for them, but was offered positions by them. Do yourself a favor and tell them you're straight not interested.

[LongShiKong]

[litterascriptor]

I worked for Aston for about 5 years. Ended up as a Foreign Teacher Manager. Not the easiest work given the expectations placed upon you but it was interesting enough.

I'm far from an Aston fanboy. I will admit that Aston has problems like any other company in China.

Best thing to do is contact the foreign teacher at the school directly. Not the manager, the teachers and ask to speak with them when they are outside of school.

The few times I got asked about giving out foreign teacher contact information I went to the FTs and asked if anyone wanted to speak with a prospective hire. I then told them I didn't want to know what they talked about, that was to remain private.

Of course, the same advice can be given to just about every school.

Also, be careful, the corporate schools- the schools owned directly by Aston, have their own systemic problems. The old story used to be that the corporate schools were the best places to work due to them being managed directly by foreigners, but... money trumps all.

So be sure to ask your questions carefully.

[LongShiKong]

[litterascriptor]