Job Discussion Forums

[tommyp32]

Hi, I'm looking for schools hiring in or near Wuxi, China. I was simply wondering if anybody here had experience in the region and if they could give recommendation. I am an American, I hold a B.A. in theatre and I have a TEFL.

Thanks for any advice and suggestions.

[rioux]

I'm not sure how good or bad they are but here goes:

http://www.eslcafe.com/jobs/china/index.cgi?read=34432

[tommyp32]

Thank you.

[Listerine]

"....are certified teachers in their home country...." might be a deal breaker, but depends how desperate they are.

Wuxi isn't really known as a university city. Might be better to try Nanjing or Suzhou if you were interested in that path.

There's one big uni, Jiangnan University and a couple of smaller colleges....Wuxi Institute of Technology, Wuxi Institute of Commerce etc.

Jiangnan has a pretty good reputation, but they have a bunch of different programs of varying FT satisfaction. Google "Lambton Jiangnan" and there are all kinds of gripes about gaokao-failing, lazy spoilt brats. They have since changed their name to "North American College" or something. Some of the other programs for example working directly for JU itself might be worth a look.

Wuxi Institute of Technology seems to have more or less shut down its foreign program. Financial troubles? You can also find grumbling and gripes online about low-quality students and cheapskate, dodgy administration there.

Wuxi Institute of Commerce is similar, but located waaay out of the city, so shopping, nightlife etc. becomes difficult. I'd heard rumors the foreign teacher (yeah just one.) is housed in a converted classroom, so would be freezing cold, noisy, dirty etc.

There are some others like Wuxi Ocean College, but they just hire part time as far as I know.

Likely too late for a Feb/March hire now, you'd probably be looking at a Sept. start if you were interested.

Failing the university / college option that you're stuck with the private schools...the same old rogue's gallery of Wall Street, Shane, EF etc.

....or public schools, but I don't know anything about those.

In general it's quite a wealthy city. Clean, middle~upper class, civilized. One of the highest average incomes in the country. Not a bad halfway house introduction into the maelstrom that *can be* China.

[water rat]

I asked Dave Spurious through his chief mod Mister Kimchi-sushi to make this link a sticky, but you know, no one in the wheelhouse at Dave's ESL Cafe. So, this link cannot be re-posted enough. I was not the first to post it, and I hope I am not the last:

http://webadmin.safea.gov.cn/pic/wjs/1397097838.mingce20140331.pdf

It's a list of legitimate ESL employers in China - the organizations can legally obtain Z visas for their foreign born teachers.

It is in Chinese, but as I pointed out when I last published it, about a billion and a half people can read Chinese. If you are not one of them, simply find some one who is. I'm sure they'll be happy to assist you.

As the OP is in America, maybe s/he could ask the Chinese Embassy there to translate this into Roman letters and publish it far and wide.

I hope it helps.

(Glad to say, my outfit is on it)

[tommyp32]

[toteach]

^^ Depends on what your career goals are if you should give language schools wide berth or not. I know a few people working quite happily in them, but the high turn-over would give me pause before signing a contract.

[shaka]

In recent adverts I've seen Wuxi described as a 'garden city'.

If you like greenery on the water (quite literally), then Without Tin is the place for you.

https://www.google.com/search?q=wuxi+algae&safe=off&client=firefox-a&hs=JI2&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=sb&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=Hq-QVIrnMsumgwScuoCABQ&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1600&bih=758

[tommyp32]

[Listerine]

[toteach]

[toteach]

[toteach]