Job Discussion Forums

[ponce1]

im 17 year old finishing grade 12 in victoria bc, ive been interested in teaching overseas and have heard good things about it. Im not in it for the money but i would like to survive overseas. I dont have the greatest grades, but i try hard and will pursue a goal to the very end, good or bad. i was looking into going into college to take the university upgrade and go from their. But i was recently shown peppy kids club information sheet, and found it really interesting. but i wanted to research it to see what people rate it and if their is anything better for a person in my position to look into. now i know having a degree and a certificate would make me alot more money and open alot more job options open up, but i would like to see if enjoy teaching and want it as a career before i jump into it. Thats why peppy kids club looks like a ideal option for a experience.

But i have a few questions:
- it says 215 000 yen for a holiday visa, assuming thats the one i would get, minus all the deductions they show, i was wondering if this is enuff money to live on in japan, im not saying living luxuries or anything of that sort, but not months of scraping the barrel, and saving every penny and dime to survive.

- also is their any other options that would be better, or at par with peppy club for my situation?

- and because i would be applying to these just out of highschool, are my chances slim to non?

- further more would their be anything to make my resume more ideal to the buisnesses that are not year courses or university classes.

anything else for that matter, tips, opinions, suggestions, anything would be highly appriciative.

I've also read alot of the discussions but theirs are many, and if any of thise information im asking is already been posted and answered im sorry for that, and if you would just post a link to where the questions where answered that would be great.

btw thanks in advanced, and you have a really great site and forum set up with alot of information and great people to give it. thanks for letting me apart of it.

[ls650]

[Sekhmet]

Now, I'm not normally one to discourage people from following a goal, but I really would suggest that getting a degree is your best option at the moment. Most countries need at least a BA (and preferably TEFL certificate) in order to even get a work visa, and certainly to get a half-decent job. With poor grades, no BA and no qualifications, your chances really are "slim to non"...

I'm also not one to criticise grammar and spelling - I accept that people use abbreviations and phonetic spelling, but on a forum for teachers, you really are setting yourself up for a roasting. If you have been hanging around the forum for any length of time, you must have heard about "British" - don't let yourself become a target in the same way! The chances are, you will get a fair number of responses that are not as "pleasant" as mine, so take care!!!

Get yourself a degree and a TEFL certificate, and you will sand a chance of landing a reasonable job. If you don't, you'll work for companies that won't respect you, won't pay you, and will generally treat you like a slave. It's not worth it.

[Gordon]

I think you should wait a couple more years before coming to Japan. Ageism is a big deal in japan and I doubt they would take you seriously. I doubt you have lived on your own and doing it for the first time at 17 would be no picnic. Employers will not do everything for you. Think what you want to do 5-10 years down the road. If you think you may want to be teaching at some capacity than you will need a university degree. You should do it now and not later, you will regret it.

Many people come to this forum in their 20s and 30s wanting to get a job in japan and get a work visa but can't because they don't have a degree. Going back to school later in life is much harder than at your age. Japan can wait or anywhere else you may want to live and work. I can see how it can be tempting to go and see a new place when you've been living in the same house or city for many years and you have itching feet, but I think you should get your education first.

[Glenski]

First of all, you can't get a working holiday visa until you are 18. Even so, you must prove that you can support yourself withOUT the job.

[vre]

I have to further respond to what sekhmet said. I was actually in doubt as to whether or not you were a native speaker of English. No offence!!!

I know you are excited to start your career and seem quite mature (was I that brave at 17? Probably not!) but like other posters have advised, get your qualifications, get a bit of work experience (to answer your question about if you will like teaching or not) and if possible save some money and go on an exciting backpacking hol to where you fancy for a month to get the travel bug out of your system a little.

All of the above will mean saving lots of money and doing lots and lots of hard work with a great deal of determination.

But good luck!

[Yu]

17 is young. Japan is a great country. I lived there when I was 20. I really would suggest going to school and getting your education. Try to study abroad. Try to do some ESL tutoring in your own country. There won't really be any opportunities for you if you come this early. You won't be taken seriously. As a previous poster said Ageism is a big deal in Japan. It is really true.

[carnac]

Sekhmet
Your kindness is evident. No one would compare this very honest poster with "English" or roast him/her.
To OP: You need a little more seasoning before you launch into the big beyond. Go to school some more, take from them all they can teach you, then go. Please listen to the other posters, they are correct.
Above all, no matter how mature you may be now, the world is a tough place. A very, very tough place.. Yeah, we all write about funny or sad or interesting things we have had as experiences, but along with the experience comes the scars. Some small, some very large, some that keep festering because they will not heal. We call ourselves English teachers, but we do so much more than teach English. (As y'all out there know) Personally, in addition to English, I teach little bits of geography, physics and cosmology. And more. I teach etymology and entymology, teach evolution and forestry. All in the course of a New Headway unit.
An ESL/EFL teacher is not just a teacher of English. You teach not just the language but EVERYTHING!
Concluson: You need more time, more education, more experience with life before you launch into the world to teach.

As Always,

Carnac

[Guy Courchesne]

Why not look into doing a semester abroad, once you're in univesrsity? This isn't teaching aborad, but it will give you a feel for it and open up some connections for future consideration.