Job Discussion Forums

[_KK_]

What is the job market like right now for teaching children (up to high school age) in Shenzhen? I'm hoping to find something starting in March. Is this a good or bad time? Any info about Shenzhen would be great. Thanks everyone!

[nolefan]

I have been looking for positions in Shenzhen for awhile and they do not seem as plentyful as in other areas. Then again, and the others can correct me on this, Shenzhen is a special business area and it might have something to do with it.

[Roger]

I livd there for three years, and was never working for any public school. Most training centres are slave drivers even to this day. There are two tertiary institutions, - the University and the Polytechnic - both with a dubious reputation.
I personally know a Western-Chinese couple organising classes, and they are dependable and congenial. But if everybody went to apply fora job to them the market would quickly be swamped.
Shenzhen also is pretty more expensive than the Guangdong hinterland. The city is monstrous, with very little to mitigate any sense of disorientation and disaffection. Locals are few, migrants outnumber them maybe 100 to 1, and they usually are snobs and upstarts with no personal culture. It's a work-work place - and excess income tends to be spent on karaok singing, wining and dining and a rich man's hardware pleasures. NEWSWEEK a few years ago called it a "cultural desert", and a cultural desert it is!

[Aussieguy]

If you want a good job in Shenzhen it is better to be here because most of the good jobs are word of mouth.

I do agree with Roger on his description of Shenzhen as a 'cultural wasteland' but in my opinion the pros outweigh the cons.

Pros:
1) This is a rich city, so you can make a lot of money if you apply yourself.
2) It's a young city (avg age is 2.
3) The huge migrant population means there is a great diversity among the citizens here that has made me learn more about chinese culture as a whole.
4) Hong Kong is close so i can always get away for a break.
5) There are more foreigners here now so a good little expat scene is starting to develop.

Cons:
1) It is a very money orientated city.
2) Fast pace compared to other places in China.

If you have any other questions please pm me.

Cheers

Aussieguy

[Susie]

It seems that the Shenzhen Education Bureau has a couple of contracts direct with American universities (Centre for Teaching & Learning in China, and The University of Memphis) whereby Americans come over to China, spend some time in Beijing, then work at schools in Shenzhen, get TEFL accreditation and attend Mandarin lessons.

For a Shenzhen job, you might like to look at

http://www.jobsabroad.com /China.cfm

Or you could try contacting the Shenzhen Education Bureau direct (try a yahoo search with key words "shenzhen education bureau").

Or, you could try contacting the Director, Shenzhen Municipal People's Government Foreign Affairs Office by doing a similar search.