Job Discussion Forums

cedarstreetcowboy · Joined: 13 May 2012 Posts: 38

I have a tentative offer with a training center in Tianjin called Lucky International English Center.

I'd like to know the following:

1) If anyone has had any experience, positive or otherwise with this school.

2) If 14,000 RMB per month affords a decent lifestyle in Tianjin. It's for the usual training center workload of 25 teaching hours a week and 15 office hours. No housing included. I'm not a heavy drinker, and I don't normally go to bars or clubs. I cook almost entirely at home.

3) The contract specifies 5 paid vacation days per year. This seems a bit low. Is this standard for training institutes now?

4) Are Tianjin people accustomed to dealing with foreigners? I'm currently working at a middle school in a remote third tier town and I'm really tired of being treated like a space alien.

Thanks in advance for your responses.

Triple Dragon · Joined: 14 Sep 2013 Posts: 2

Tianjin is one of the most modern cities in China.

As for 'Lucky', it is horribly misnamed. Basically, they offer less than the other WSE-clone language mills. You mentioned the 5 days off - most schools offer 10 (WSE, EF, etc). It is actually 45 office hours a week - 12-9pm every day, they overlook the daily one hour that you get for lunch and dinner. Already we can see that they are not being strictly honest with you. They will make you all kinds of promises that they will not fulfill.

That 14K a month is also not quite accurate - this is the gross salary. After tax, deductions, insurance, etc, it will look more like 11K - still, that's plenty to live on.

Not the most awful school in China, but not too many positives about this place either. Basically, it just doesn't compare well to other similar schools. As a result, their teaching staff are largely made up of non-native speakers, part-timers, alcoholics and drug addicts.

I think you should be able to do better. Good luck.

Big Worm · Joined: 02 Jan 2011 Posts: 171

You also need to consider if you want to have "Lucky English Center" on your resume for the rest of your life.

dongbei united · Joined: 28 Feb 2014 Posts: 47

cedarstreetcowboy · Joined: 13 May 2012 Posts: 38

I was contacted by Horizon Recruitment about this job and they have been a real treat to deal with.

I've had the feeling that this recruiter and this school have been less than above board with me from the get go.

Just the sheer paucity of information and reviews about this school is rather off putting to say the least.

Thanks for all your help. I'll give these guys a big pass.