Job Discussion Forums

[beetlil]

Hi everyone. I posted a similar post on the Vietnam board but from the replies and PMs i've had, Vietnam doesn't seem to be an option for me at the moment. So I was hoping to get some advice from the HK experts and see if this is a possibility.

My situation...

I am 42 years old, single mum with all kids finishing high school in Australia by the end of this year except my 13 year old.
I have BA (communication), Honours degree (communication & literature), TESOL, 5 years experience teaching at Aus university in communication and have been working as the International Student Coordinator in Aus high school for past 18 months - which included esl teaching. I also did winter camp teaching in Korea a few years back - 2 month stint.

So... i'm a little over the Aus education system, a little over the fact that it's almost impossible for a single mum to get ahead, and looking at making some changes.

What I need to know...
Will my quals and experience be enough to warrant a pay rate that will house a family of 4 AND pay international school for 1? Would there be anything left at the end of the month?
Would my 15 year old son, who wants to be a chef, be legally able to get training?
Would I have any chance of the upper scale NET scheme with my quals but no PGCE?

AND.... basically any advice you can give would be SO appreciated. I'm just about to start another semester of uni teaching here, so not looking to make the move for 6 - 8 months.

Thanks in advance guys

[RiverMystic]

[Marcoregano]

RiverMystic is probably right. Without a PGCE and subsequent experience you would start at the bottom of the NET pay scale - so your take-home pay would be in the early 30,000s of HK dollars per month (with the housing allowance included). That would be a decent salary for a single person but a struggle with kids and schooling costs. And unfortunately that is probably the best salary you could expect to find in HK with your quals and experience. The international schools insist on a PGCE (or equivalent) and the universities don't pay very well any more (unless you have a PhD and get lucky).

[beetlil]

Thanks for the replies. I haven't obtained my PGCE because the Aus education system doesn't appeal to me. It's pretty frustrating, now knowing that I need it to have any credibility, considering I have taught people who are now teaching my own kids and i've often had to correct English teachers on points of grammar and essay structure in the school I work at!
Oh well. I guess I just have to wait a few more years until my kids finish school here and are doing their own thing and then venture into the meat trade of language schools.

[Marcoregano]

There's better stuff than private language schools for someone with your quals and experience - p/t teaching gigs with universities and continuing education centres, private teaching, IELTS and BULATS examining, for example - but again, better if you don't have to look after anyone but yourself. A good mix of the above might bring home the equivalent of the basic NET deal mentioned previously, but certainly not more unless you worked long hours.