Job Discussion Forums

[isitts]

[rafterman23]

[jimpellow]

Just an FYI on the experience if you are not aware of it.

The recent changes were for two years of relevant experience to teach English. I think many on this board, certainly including myself, would not have been able to come to China had this been true before.

For subject teachers it is five years. However, I have not heard of this being strictly enforced. My assumption is that the employer submits the application as an English teacher, which in reality is what you are reduced(?) to doing in class most of the time anyways.

However, for non ESL positions I have seen that the five year requirement can be much more enforced, mostly at the Bureau of Labor end. I would think this is political so companies are cajoled into hiring native Chinese.

I would like to add that I am now living in my eleventh country, but spent more time in China than anywhere else. Not sure why as many things about the country and its people frustrated and infuriated me to the point where I would get these little hyperventilation attacks during the last three years.

Still, I may one day go back if they simplified the visa process, did something about the pollution and raised wages. If you want to do it, all the power to you. I would just suggest don't become so focused on the Middle Kingdom and all the hoops you have to get through to get there that you lose sight of the fact that there is a whole world of opportunities awaiting you.

[abkeck]

Well, I can't speak to Engineering specifically, but I graduated with a degree in Cognitive Science in May and faced the same kind of dilemmas you're going through. As you can probably guess from the fact that I'm posting on this forum, I decided to teach in China, then pursue graduate school. And I'm really glad I did (and, to brag, I did get into the grad-school I wanted). If you've got the wanderlust I say go for it. Grad-school's not going anywhere.

Note: I did not have teaching experience before applying, and still managed to talk my way into a job at a university in Wuhan. The pay wasn't great, but I picked up some choice tutoring gigs on the side with no problem. So the money is there, one way or another.

[isitts]

[Non Sequitur]