Job Discussion Forums

Voyager2 · Joined: 20 Apr 2013 Posts: 34 Location: S.E Asia

Wondering if anyone has a contact for Aviation English teaching on the Chinese mainland please? Spent some 20 years with aircraft and thought it might be a timely avenue to pursue. (Then undertook a BA in 2007 with an edu major). Thanks & regards,

kungfuman · Posted: Mon Jul 08, 2013 9:24 am Post subject:

sent you a PM

Voyager2 · Joined: 20 Apr 2013 Posts: 34 Location: S.E Asia

Many thanks KFM, I'll check. Rgds

Non Sequitur · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China

If you do land (no pun) an aviation job, I'd be interested to know what class resource you use.

Voyager2 · Joined: 20 Apr 2013 Posts: 34 Location: S.E Asia

Hi NS,
Actually I probably won't land a role as per your post, as I'm noone really, and I haven't worked in China before.

I think you'd need to know the context of the role before being able to answer your question. Is it maintenance or flight operations English training? I don't know, that why I'm asking. As a resource, one would be able to draw upon their own aviation experience. Then, as you allude, in terms of a hard or soft copy classroom resource - it would depend upon whoever is paying you surely, to decide what they want used as training aids.

Regardless, some things in aviation are constant: acronyms, terminology, flight operations and maintenance, these things are globally constant. Let's see anyway, if something arises I'll add to this thread, regards

Non Sequitur · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China

OP. If you've been reading on the site for a while you'll see bits and pieces about English for Special Purposes.
I did a poll on it a few months ago.
Main bias seemed to be towards tourism/hospitality.
Google 'OUP/Aviation' and they (OUP) have a series, mainly I think for flight crew.
Chinese airlines are expanding exponentially and getting in as a language trainer with one of these outfits would be a good fit for you for the longer term.
Hainan Air would suit me as it's in the tropics and close to Vietnam etc - sigh...

Voyager2 · Joined: 20 Apr 2013 Posts: 34 Location: S.E Asia

Thanks NS, I appreciate your experience and thoughts. Although having followed KFM's (below, via a pm) recent lead to contact a US based Aviation English training outfit, I've not heard back.

With my small knowledge of the Chinese milieu, yes I read that mainland Chinese carriers are keeping aircraft manufacturers busy. Are you involved in the industry?

As a backdrop, I've spent a very modest 12 years with a carrier maintaining aircraft across the fleet in heavy, base and line maintenance environments and several subsequent years in the industry before doing a BA with an education major. Having said that, I know that compared to other contributors here, im not that knowledgable. But grateful for any thoughts about directions you might have. Rgds

Non Sequitur · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 4724 Location: China

Not directly involved, but keen to see additional career options opening up for people who got started as lowly Foreign Teachers.
I hope this will lead to better remuneration at least, as the Chinese regard us a a commodity pretty much.
Perhaps get a first 1 year uni gig out of the way here in China and then progress to something better. A U of Technology would suit you best and then see what contacts you can make.
Have a look out for where the domestic airlines are based. They all have international aspirations.
Hainan Air is very aggressive and other smaller lines include Shandong which I used frequently when working in Qingdao.
There are numerous countries hosting Chinese pilot trainees - NZ, Oz and SA.
Mainly because better weather and relatively uncluttered airspace + cheaper costs.