Job Discussion Forums

[txmissie]

Has anyone heard or worked for AYC in Thailand? I just got an offer and I really want to get to Thailand but I do not want to go and have problems like I had in Turkey.

[Gypsy King]

Yes they are always advertising on several websites for teachers in Thailand. If you just want to come to Thailand I suggest vistiing the schools in person here before accepting an offer so you can make a right decision on which Thai EFL company you wish to work for. Good luck!

[1Sapphire1]

I received a sample contract from them. I didn�t like the part about forfeiting the entire month�s salary if you didn�t finish the month. Also there was no mention of any holidays/vacation.

[Gypsy King]

Again my advice is visit the school in person and come to Thailand so you can make the right decision on whom you wish to teach or. A lot of Thai schools and ESL recruiters in Thailand are now advertising overseas on many TEFL websites for unsuspecting English teachers who have little or no knowledge of how these outfits work and/or if they are reputable employers who will pay you. Remember that most of these Thai ESL recruitment companies hire teachers who are interested in experiencing Thailand and not making money. Good luck!

[lipsonto]

Like Gypsy King said it's better to visit the school in person but, if you want to get something organised before you leave your home country then I suppose AYC isn't that bad.

Although I have no experience teaching with them, you only have to commit to one semester (5 months) plus, they organise your visa and accommodation for you. Also, whilst you're working for them it will give you the chance to get familiarised with Thailand, gain some experience, have fun and look for something new for when your contract expires.

Good luck with your job hunt txmissie.

[MaiPenRai]

[rostovru]

I taught with AYC, and now I recruit for another firm.

The bottom line is that AYC will find you a position, pay you on time (actually early), and that's the end of the story.

Alot of people I worked with had complaints, but people generally complain about everything, regardless.

All of the jobs through the staffing agencies are the same in pay, with the main difference being in the resources they provide you as a teacher, such as curriculum, lesson plans, mediation with the Thai teachers. AYC does none of that, but unless you're a mess of drama, you're going to be just fine.

Regarding their operation style? They're like most Thai companies. They don't do today what they can do tomorrow. It's the culture. Get used to it, and enjoy it! It can actually be fun. They will take care of things in the end, ie getting accommodations, but they'll do it on their own time. If you have a pressing issue that needs to be dealt with now, let them know a few times, and they'll deal with it. But in general, it's better to just be relaxed on the small stuff and let them lay things out for you when they feel like it.

The most important thing is that AYC will pay you regardless, they're pretty good people in terms of personality, and even though they're going to drop the ball a few times, they'll take care of things in the end.

Actually, dropping the ball made me think of my visa runs. They totally forgot to settle my work permit, so I actually did two visa runs, both paid for by AYC. I didn't have a problem with it, even though the usual peanut gallery of complainers thought it was a cardinal sin. From my view, I got to take two paid vacations on AYC's bill. I had sort of hoped they'd drop the ball again!

Good luck. It's going to be fine.

[Gypsy King]

AYC has an extremely high turnover of ESL teachers. They are always advertsing for teachers on other teaching boards. Again there are more stable teaching gigs throughout Thailand. My advice is to steer clear of recruiters and apply directly at International schools if you want a decent paying salary in the LOS. Good luck!

[MaiPenRai]

[rostovru]

I'm just being honest about what they're like.

The main point being that they'll take care of things, but on their own time.

Thailand is generally laid back, and ripe with procrastination. Rather than fight the system, it's better to just go with the flow. Otherwise, you'll always be angry about something, which is no way to spend your time in Thailand.

Thais are not willing to change their system to accommodate outsiders, and I'm not saying that to be annoying, but rather because it's true. No one is going to get put out to dry, ie arriving w/o accommodations, but it's just not going to happen with the same urgency that it would in many other places. But it will happen. And you'll be fine in the end.

My point about the visa run? Yes, you're right. One of the main points of working through a staffing agency is to have your work permit taken care of. My point was that they eventually did take care of it, but they dropped the ball a few times. Hence, rather than get annoyed about the situation, I enjoyed the paid trip to Laos and treated like a holiday. I was sort of hoping they'd drop the ball again

If you want a well-oiled system, I'd recommend going to Japan or Korea. Unless you're teaching at the best international schools in Thailand, you're just not going to get anything that remotely resembles an organized approach to doing things.

Even the schools are that way. You'll find yourself in this bizarre situation where students will literally come to you at the end of the semester, and ask you to raise their grades. And they're being serious! Funny thing is, if you don't raise their grades, the Thai teachers may doctor your gradebook and raise the grades of students they want to see succeed, and fail the ones they want to fail! It happened to me, and there's not a lot I could do about it. Again, they have their own way of doing things, and it's going to be like that with everything.

I'd say AYC is worthwhile if you need a job and want them to get you working ASAP. They also have some great locations.

Otherwise, the best option - and I say this as a recruiter for another firm - is always to go to Thailand and solicit schools directly once you arrive. Yes, it's a hassle, and you have to be a bit braver to make it happen, but you'll have a higher salary and more control. The flipside is you'll answer directly to the school, whereas with a company like AYC, you may very well be able to do things like only be at the school when you're teaching, etc., since your boss is actually the staffing firm.

[MaiPenRai]

[rostovru]

It was completely taken care of. I didn't even have to ask them to pay for it. They just did.

I recruit for another staffing firm, and I can tell you AYC is certainly not the best of the best. But they do take care of the details when they need to.

I think the major problem is not one that teachers experience, ie dealing with the company, but rather the issues the company faces itself, such as not operating efficiently. They could save serious money if they were a bit more organized, but again, that's the way things tend to work.

Staffing firms make a lot of money off teachers - about 20-30k baht per month per teacher - but they're still a good resource for people until they get in the system and understand how to get jobs on their own. And for that, you've definately got to go with the flow

[loo]

Thanks for all the insightful comments. I've recently gained interest in teaching English in Thailand and AYC is one of the agencies (among Boston Bright, Media Kids, etc...) I've been eyeing to help me get my foot in the door.


I'm not expecting a lot. As a beginner with only a BA, various teaching experiences here and there, and no certifications, I'm aiming for the experience rather than the pay. As with any job, I figure, I'd had to start somewhere... (and usually at the bottom).

[MaiPenRai]

Loo,

If you are looking to get some experience and you dont have a TEFL cert yet, you could always try doing a TEFL course that offers a short job placement after completion. The jobs are often at less desirable schools and in less desirable locations (not always and its subjective as well), BUT you will then have a TEFL cert which will open a few doors to slightly better paying jobs. TEFL international, ATI and ECC all do this type of offer I beleive and its usually cheaper than the standard course.

As always, a CELTA (ECC or IH) is the best option for TEFL courses if you plan to stay in the industry for a few years.

RIght now (March-May) and again in October-November are when many schools will have openings. If you do a course independently, try to do it to fit these prime hiring dates.

[loo]

Thanks. I will look into your suggestions as well.