Job Discussion Forums

WordUp · Joined: 05 Jan 2006 Posts: 131

Has anyone had any experiences with this training center? I've googled them and done a search on Daves and didnt find anything bad about them. But I just wanted to be sure. My sister is considering a position with them.

kev7161 · Joined: 06 Feb 2004 Posts: 5880 Location: Suzhou, China

Why are you putting a poll on here? I personally have never heard of Shengli and this school has never been mentioned here in the last two years of reading posts. My guess is your 'poll' is not going to generate too many "votes".

WordUp · Joined: 05 Jan 2006 Posts: 131

Shi- for brains - what business is it of yours if I put a poll here? Its a BBS feature. I am trying it out.

Thanks for your input, maybe someone elses personal experience is different than yours. Are you saying that the only people that utilize this board have been present for the past two years and its not possible someone other than you may have encountered this school in their dealings?

kev7161 · Joined: 06 Feb 2004 Posts: 5880 Location: Suzhou, China

Exactly, that's what I'm saying.

Slim Pickens · Joined: 25 Nov 2003 Posts: 299

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

The school is totally unknown to probably all of us; Shengli is realtively known because it is a national investment zone that happens to be in China's socialist-era rust belt.
The place is bleak, bleaker than the Gobi, and the climate is harsh. Chinese wouldn't bother moving there if it wasn't for well-paid jobs.
A FT is not likely to cash in on the oil bonanza, though!

No vote - that poll is useless! I give you my own opinion.

milkweedma · Joined: 19 Nov 2006 Posts: 151

These guys are looking for teachers again but all I can find out about them is this:

From: http://china.eslteachercafe.com/topic17-golden-bridge-training-center.aspx

Golden Bridge Training Center, Shandong Province

"Late pay. Cheated me on my salary. Long hours. Unorganized. Poorly managed. Avoid.
The management will tell you one thing and turn around and do the complete opposite. When caught in a lie, they will offer you a wry smile and pretend they didnt understand your English.

Golden Bridge Training center is a terrible place to work, three teachers pulled midnight runs after only being there for four months".

Can anybody else with experience or knowledge add more information?

--

Golden Bridge · Joined: 19 Dec 2011 Posts: 3 Location: Dongying, Shandong

HI, my name is Chris Anderson, I have worked for Golden Bridge since 2008 and my position is the Teaching Manager, among other things I also recruit teachers when we need them. Feel free to contact me with any questions about our school. I'm not sure about the information in the link you provided as I couldn't open it however, I would guess that it was from prior to me commencing here, since I have been here we have only had very minor turn over in teachers. All have been at the end of their contracts.

Another teacher who is still here has been here with us since 2008 and we had a teacher leave us last semester who had been here 6 years.

I hope this info helps.

If any applicants are interested in a position with Golden Bridge I am always happy to provide contact details of our existing teachers to act as additional references.

Chris Anderson

The Great Wall of Whiner · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 4946 Location: Blabbing

I would like to thank Golden Bridge for joining the forum to help us clear the situation here. I am sure they can set us all straight on these silly complaints.

Dongying is a wealthy oil city with lots of money. Prices are going up and up there, and living expenses can be comparable to that of even Beijing.

A million schools and jobs advertise even on this very website; I suggest comparing salaries/work hours and your question will be answered by your own research.

7969 · Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 5782 Location: Coastal Guangdong

Personally I don't concern myself with people's motivation for joining a forum. If I saw a review (positive or negative) of the place I worked at on one of these forums I'd probably join/post as well.

Golden Bridge hasn't really promoted anything. I don't see any contract terms, links to their site or spamming of the forum with ads that would suggest promotion. He merely pointed out that the review posted above by milkweedma happened before his time (that review is almost five years old btw) and that anyone interested can contact him for further/current details.

Just out of curiousity I searched for and found an ad for the place Chris Anderson works at and with respect to pay, benefits, and responsibilities it appears to be no different than any other private language school.

milkweedma · Joined: 19 Nov 2006 Posts: 151

I also found several postings about said school on another website from 2007:

http://www.eslteachersboard.com/cgi-bin/review/index.pl?read=5814

7969 · Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 5782 Location: Coastal Guangdong

choudoufu · Joined: 25 May 2010 Posts: 3325 Location: Mao-berry, PRC

Golden Bridge · Joined: 19 Dec 2011 Posts: 3 Location: Dongying, Shandong

As others have said, I am the first person to clearly state that I work or have worked for this company since the thread was opened. Things change over the 4 or 5 years since the last comments about the school.

I can't comment on what the school was like prior to my time here and would be stupid to. I like the city and feel that it has given me the real China experience, it certainly isn't for everyone but I don't like big cities.

I like many other teachers can easily find another job in China, I have chosen not to for various reasons including enjoying my job and life in Dongying.

Chris Anderson

wangdaning · Joined: 22 Jan 2008 Posts: 3154

So what exactly is the current pay range? GWW said it was low, but currently what is it? Golden Bridge can you give us a range?