Job Discussion Forums

[forest1979]

CC Uni regularly advertise for part-time staff at their downtown campus. Soochow University used to as well, and they have campuses both in Shilin and elsewhere in the city (downtown?).

[Solar Strength]

[forest1979]

Salary for part-time staff is much lower than that. It's nearer to 600 or 700.

[Seymour Glass]

The pay for part time instructors teaching university classes is low NT$675 or thereabouts, but sometimes those extension service classes pay more like the ones mentioned at Dong Wu and Culture U. I know Taipei University on Min Sheng Road paid NT$800-900 a few years back, but they may have changed rates too. They also like to farm people out to their campus in Ying Ge. Fu Jen University in Hsin Chuang has an extension service that pays about NT$700 an hour but in blocks of three hours a night with about an half-hor break all told, but if you don't live near by, could be a hassle to get there...anyway, these extension service classes don't offer a visa as a rule....

[forest1979]

I've taught part-time as a Prof at both private and public universities. The pay is always the same - less than NT$700 per hour. It's always the same as the MoE regulates its level.

However I did have experience of working on a uni summer programme funded by a special grant to help develop an EFL curriculum and that paid closer to NT$1000/hour, so yes Seymour better pay can be found, but its the exception rather than the rule.

[Seymour Glass]

I was just pointing out that these extension service jobs are available and on a different pay scale than university lecturer positions. I have worked at Taipei University and Fu Jen University extension programs and that was what I was paid. Whether the rules have changed or not, you can go to these places and give them a try, nothing ventured and all that...
That being said these places do not offer visas, but they are good places to meet adult students who are sometimes on the look out for teachers for their companies. You can name your own price then, with $1,000 to 1,200 an hour not unreasonable if the boss wants to give his employees some in house instruction. These classes tend to last only about a half or year or so, but some of mine lasted two years, be flexible and look at it as a chance to make some good money in a short period.
One other option is the government. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs operates a quasi cram school out of a building at the corner of Ren Ai and Dun Hua near that traffic circle, I worked for them for a few years and if you can some how find a contact to send a resume to, they pay well, NT$1,200 an hour with 200 to 350 taxi fees thrown in for each class depending on how far you have to travel. They look for master's degree and mandarin profiency teachers, but here;s the kicker, they offer no visa and paid under the table when I was there (that's the government thatkicks you out for working on a vistor's visa), I had a student visa at the time, at least you don't have to worry about the cops raiding that place...
I'm only throwing out places where I have worked or have had some knowledge with due to friends working there...I think these places would be worth a shot and I didn't seem them mentioned here too often. As with anything, salaries and situations may have changed, but just offering some alternatives...

[Seymour Glass]

I'm sorry, looking back over this thread it seems as though modal particle has found a job he or she is going to make a go at...so maybe this info isn't that pertinent to him or her...hopefully it may help others in the same boat, I know the market has changed and competition is fierce, I've been here a long time and have had my ups and downs, I'm just trying to show everyone there is more than one way to skin a cat and Taiwan can be a rewarding experience if you keep perspective and keep at it...

[Solar Strength]

Seymour Glass,

Thanks for the information. I agree, it's nice to see what others' experiences have been and what kind of rates are out there for part-time classes. I'm trying to get into this line of work myself and so I have been talking to schools and people Ive met for more info.

Forest,

That guy from the States I worked with was making about NT $900 an hour at Dong Wu University extension center near Ximen Ting. I also know that, if one had a Master's Degree, other universities were paying NT $750 - NT $800 an hour for their part-time classes. One girl I knew from Canada told me she was making NT $800 an hour teaching part time at NTNU.

This is all hearsay, so you can take it for what it is. I have no reason to believe that they were lying to me about what they were being paid.

Like I said, I have no direct experience teaching in these programs but sure would like to have a crack at one of these jobs at some point.

[forest1979]

I have taught on NTNU's extension programs. I certainly wasn't paid anywhere near NT$800 an hour there - if I remember rightly it was nearer NT$650 - and I had to undergo a rigorous interview that included a teaching demonstration of x minutes in length followed by an interview in front of 7 faculty members. I enjoyed the experience there though and was asked to teach at their out of town campus but in the end I declined that and stopped the downtown work as I was able to get paid more for private classes. One reason why I stopped working for NTNU was because when travel times were added onto teaching times the salary dropped well below the NT500 mark.

[Seymour Glass]

Solar Strength,
I think you are right, there is no reason for them to lie about the salary, that sounds about right for some university extension service programs. Forest is right that the MOE controls the hourly wage for university classes proper but not for these language centers affiliated with the schools. Like I said, back when I worked them, it was also lucrative for me setting up morning and free evening company classes.
You may want to look into the MOFA, the government offers classes to its employees from all bureaus as well as their families and is run out of that building on the Ren Ai-Dun Hua circle. I worked there years ago, so I no longer have any contacts, but if you go there and persuade the guard to let you turn your resume over, it is good pay...I taught a class of new diplomats getting ready to be posted overseas, very interesting group...
I also mentioned the study centers behind the train station in this or another post, they are always looking for test-taking teachers, but the real money to be made at these centers is if you are one of the local Taiwanese "superstar" teachers who can teach how to take the test (test-taking strategies) without necessarily teaching any useful English skills. I tended to shy away from teaching at these places and opted for translating study plans and reference letters, something I do to this day. They also need editors for study plans when they are translated by locals...
There are alternative jobs out there if you can secure a visa otherwise, I have been in Taiwan for twenty-one years and have had a working visa for only one of those years. Of course things are different now, but if you are on a student visa there is such a thing as a "work permit" different than a work visa that allows you to work for twenty hours a week while studying. Obviously, I have always looked at Asia as a marathon rather than a sprint, so I enjoyed studying and working at the same time. It is of course not a route for everyone, but for those who think along the same lines, I am living proof that there is money and something to learn here.

[Seymour Glass]

Forest,
Yes that NTNU program is low paying, but some others aren't as niggardly...

[modal_particle]

Hi all,

Just wanted to post back that I'm in Taiwan and things are working out nicely. Right now I'm teaching summer intensive classes for fewer hours than I am contractually obligated, and most of my administrative responsibilities don't start until next month. I'm getting paid my full salary despite all of this. Everyone has been really helpful and friendly so far. The only thing I can't stand is this heat!

Thanks for all of your advice and there are jobs out there for people in a similar situation to the one I was in.

M

[forest1979]

Good luck!

[Solar Strength]