Job Discussion Forums

[jamesart9]

Hello,
I got myself the CELTA this June.
However, I possibly have work in a different sector coming up.
People tell me that if I want to be employed in a school, I should get a job as soon as possible after the CELTA.

So what I would like to know is, if you get your CELTA then have to do a job in another sector for a year, then look to work in TEFL school after that,
is this impossible?
Do employers see you as unemployable as you did not 'use' the CELTA immediately??!!!??? I am sure many get a CELTA, come to the UK to work in soemthing else to save up more money to go abroad again.

Thanks.

[ancient_dweller]

There is no official expiry date (like for example on an LLB - which is only a qualifying law degree for a few years). However, I am sure the employer may ask some pretty big questions. Also, most schools want CELTA AND experience teaching. So, whilst, no there is no expiry date on your certificate you will be stuck with entry level jobs (and the mediocre salary that comes with it) until you get some experience.

[nomad soul]

Maybe you could do some part time teaching in your area---voluntary or paid---while working your full time job. That would keep your skills fresh and get you that vital teaching experience under your belt. Additionally, you'd stay connected to a teaching community for support and networking.

[coledavis]

I started teaching about a year after CELTA. The main problem was psychological, as I couldn't remember everything I had learned on the course. However, I made a point of reading up on my materials. Once I had been teaching for a while, I don't think it made a lot of difference. I think you do need to expect an interview question as why you didn't go directly to employment; honesty is generally the best policy.

[jamesart9]

Hi there,
Thanks for all the information. I think voluntary work is a good idea
if I have other work.
I would like to have EFL teaching as something I can always use to travel with. I suppose private tuition is something that can also be kept up during other work.

[fluffyhamster]

The main problem isn't so much any supposed atrophying of knowledge and skills (the CELTA doesn't really teach enough [IMHO LOL] for that much to have been activated let alone have expired!), but rather that if you were going to be hired and start gaining hopefully valuable experience on top of your successful training, the best time and place for that would've been with the center that trained you, assuming it was attached to an actual language school. (I'd've thought that in June, the beginning of the summer, there'd've been the chance to get your feet at least a little wet, but apparently there wasn't in this case, which seems a shame!). So all that's basically happened and is probably going to happen is that you'll be starting from square one that bit later than from what "ought" to have been sooner. And looking on the bright side, you've at least had some time in which to reflect on your training, rather than having to almost mindlessly fall back on and use it regardless in a job straight away. (That's sort of what I'd be telling employers anyway, if they indeed did actually ask and make any sort of issue of a gap between my training and my potential first real ELT job!).