Job Discussion Forums

[Prof.Gringo]

Does anyone else notice that there seems to be a slowdown in ESL jobs in Mexico? Or is it just me? Maybe things are just a little slow till the schoolyear starts again...

Also, do you think the slow down in the US is having an effect in Mexico yet?

[spiral78]

Holiday time. Same in Europe. Picks up in September.

[dixie]

How are you gauging this?

I personally (in the little involvement I have outside of my own job seeking) have thought that things seemed high (or perhaps average), rather than low. I know of three schools that are desperate for teachers (private - the third not sure), another two that just recently hired (despite the candidates not being highly qualified), and that my own school just hired a bus load.

Business English, and in-class language schools seem to be the same as ever (again, from my limited experience).

[Guy Courchesne]

Some new taxes and the elimination of deductions for training - so I'm told - are causing a bit of a slowdown in the business EFL area. I think there's simply a shift going on in that companies are likely going to reduce their spending on training. That doesn't mean the need is reduced. I suspect we'll see a lot more people moving into Harmon Hall, Berlitz, etc and paying out of pocket themselves for the classes.

[MELEE]

For what I can see the higher education market is growing and will continue to do so as more and more companies ask for English as a requirement to be hired (and there for spend less on corporate training).

[jfurgers]

[MO39]

[jfurgers]

[TheLongWayHome]

I've noticed a higher turn-over of teachers since I arrived, in all kinds of schools.

[MO39]

[InTransit]

[Phil_K]

[dixie]

[geaaronson]

Yes, I am finding a substantial drop in recruiter commissioned Business English classes.

The companies are holding back on new classes as they have forfeited the deductibility of corporate training.

The recruiters that I am working with are finding it extremely difficult to get good classes going. The imperative word is good. They are for the most part overselling the classes with very strong sales tactics, much to their credit, but the students`commitments to the classes themselves are weak.

I have learned over the past 2 1/2 years one cardinal rule that has become my first amendment in the TEN COMMANDMENTS of teaching English, namely, should the students come to the first class more than 15 minutes late, the class will more than likely not survive much more than a month.

In the 6 new classes I have started teaching since April, one class began with students late 30 minutes, another 15 minutes, and a third, 20 minutes. All three classes lasted no more than one month. A fourth class that started on time I cancelled because it was in conflict with a class that had more hours, a fifth class, the contact person who collected the money from the students and was a student himself in the class, absconded Junes payment and never turned the money over to the recruiter, and the sixth is still going only because home office warned the 2 sales managers if they didn`t learn to effectively communicate in English in 6 months they could clear out their desks.

In the first class, the company completely cancelled the contract with the recruiter, as was the second and third. The fourth the recruiter cancelled the contract for nonpayment, informed me that I could pick up the account should I want it, (I didn`t, considering the lack of ethics).

So yes, it has been a real nighmare for the past 2 plus months with some very shaky, uncommitted accounts that i have been servicing. Needless to say, not one of the recruiters blames me for their loss as the companies had cancelled all the classes, mine and other teachers`.

[TheLongWayHome]