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ukazi
Joined: 11 Aug 2014
Posts: 16
Location: UK
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 Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2014 1:54 pm Post subject: English First Guangzhou |
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Hi everyone,
I've recently signed a contract to teach adult at English First in Guangzhou. I'll start in late January, so it's a couple of months away.
Before I go, I want to know about English First in Guangzhao, as well as daily life in the city.
Your thoughts and opinions are appreciated. |
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The_Kong
Joined: 15 Apr 2014
Posts: 349
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| Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2014 2:18 pm Post subject: Re: English First Guangzhou |
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| ukazi wrote: |
Hi everyone,
I've recently signed a contract to teach adult at English First in Guangzhou. I'll start in late January, so it's a couple of months away.
Before I go, I want to know about English First in Guangzhao, as well as daily life in the city.
Your thoughts and opinions are appreciated. |
Ummm...sorry if this is out of place but shouldn't you have asked these questions before signing the contract? |
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ukazi
Joined: 11 Aug 2014
Posts: 16
Location: UK
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| Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2014 2:24 pm Post subject: |
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You are correct. I've researched the institute and the city, but I want to know more about it.
So do continue with the opinions and comments |
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RW8677
Joined: 16 Sep 2014
Posts: 60
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| Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 3:05 am Post subject: |
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I am in my 6th year in GZ - I enjoy the city, but I live in the university town which is much quieter and cleaner than the city per se. Good city for eating and drinking. Plenty to do, HongKong, Shenzhen etc are easily accessible, I'm off to the waterworld in Zhuhai tomorrow -there is a lot to do around here.
English first has a shady rep China wide and I have met a few employees who were less than impressed, but I have no first hand experience. Long hours, operating in a fishbowl, pushy management seemed to be the main qualms. I had a chinese friend working there and she said, good money, incredibly long hours, ditto for the foreigners. Actually the salary is quite poor when worked out on an hourly basis, even more so when you deduct housing - most employers in China offer free housing. 12000 - 3000 for housing = 9000, my university pays more than that for 16 x 40 mins, whereas you will prob be on site 40 hours a week.
In short, GZ thumbs up, EF - run for the hills |
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ukazi
Joined: 11 Aug 2014
Posts: 16
Location: UK
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| Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 6:24 am Post subject: |
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Thank you for the informative reply RW8677.
I'm a recently qualified teacher with minimal experience. Are their reputable companies who will hire me? |
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RW8677
Joined: 16 Sep 2014
Posts: 60
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| Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 6:33 am Post subject: |
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| ukazi wrote: |
Thank you for the informative reply RW8677.
I'm a recently qualified teacher with minimal experience. Are their reputable companies who will hire me? |
Guangdong seems to be struggling to attract teachers these days and demand is growing - so, you should be able to find alternatives, although the lack of experience thing will rule you out of many jobs |
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Simon in Suzhou
Joined: 09 Aug 2011
Posts: 404
Location: GZ
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| Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 8:54 am Post subject: |
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| RW8677 wrote: |
| ukazi wrote: |
Thank you for the informative reply RW8677.
I'm a recently qualified teacher with minimal experience. Are their reputable companies who will hire me? |
Guangdong seems to be struggling to attract teachers these days and demand is growing - so, you should be able to find alternatives, although the lack of experience thing will rule you out of many jobs |
Quite the opposite, actually. I know a couple of recruiters and they have told me that, without a doubt, Guangdong is the most difficult place for them to place applicants. GZ and Shenzhen (where a majority of the jobs are) are two of the best paying cities for ESL teachers in China, and decent jobs are very competitive. Although I wouldn't put EF in the category of decent jobs. |
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Dan123
Joined: 08 Jan 2014
Posts: 112
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| Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 11:27 am Post subject: |
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I work for an EF Dongbei. It's true that the working hours are kinda long at times (during the intensive period, we had a shortage of teachers and I taught 26 hours one week. I'm down to ~18 now) and the pay isn't great compared to public schools, but I think it's a good school to get started in. They provide a lot of training and help to new teachers and it's a safe job to get settled into things. Most ex EF teachers here seem to say that EF is a perfect job to get experience for a year or two before moving onto something else, and I think I agree.
That said, the pay isn't *that* bad in my opinion. I get 7,500 a month + free accommodation in a nice, big apartment + bonuses that add up to 17,500 at the end of my contract. However, I am in a tier 3 city in the inhospitable Dongbei wastelands, so maybe they offer bigger incentives here than in other "better" cities though. |
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coldcucumber
Joined: 21 Dec 2012
Posts: 114
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| Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 11:54 am Post subject: |
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| Dan123 wrote: |
I work for an EF Dongbei. It's true that the working hours are kinda long at times (during the intensive period, we had a shortage of teachers and I taught 26 hours one week. I'm down to ~18 now) and the pay isn't great compared to public schools, but I think it's a good school to get started in. They provide a lot of training and help to new teachers and it's a safe job to get settled into things. Most ex EF teachers here seem to say that EF is a perfect job to get experience for a year or two before moving onto something else, and I think I agree.
That said, the pay isn't *that* bad in my opinion. I get 7,500 a month + free accommodation in a nice, big apartment + bonuses that add up to 17,500 at the end of my contract. However, I am in a tier 3 city in the inhospitable Dongbei wastelands, so maybe they offer bigger incentives here than in other "better" cities though. |
Did you receive over time for these extra hours? Also, do you receive over time for intensive sessions? |
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RW8677
Joined: 16 Sep 2014
Posts: 60
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| Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 12:01 pm Post subject: |
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| Simon in Suzhou wrote: |
| RW8677 wrote: |
| ukazi wrote: |
Thank you for the informative reply RW8677.
I'm a recently qualified teacher with minimal experience. Are their reputable companies who will hire me? |
Guangdong seems to be struggling to attract teachers these days and demand is growing - so, you should be able to find alternatives, although the lack of experience thing will rule you out of many jobs |
Quite the opposite, actually. I know a couple of recruiters and they have told me that, without a doubt, Guangdong is the most difficult place for them to place applicants. GZ and Shenzhen (where a majority of the jobs are) are two of the best paying cities for ESL teachers in China, and decent jobs are very competitive. Although I wouldn't put EF in the category of decent jobs. |
OK - I guess the six years I have been here have been some kinda matrix thing. In that time - in my alternate reality - whats been going on is this. The rules in relation to degrees and experience and increasingly stringently enforced. Fewer people are qualified to work within the rules framework and these jobs are suffering shortages, and are getting desperate, and offering higher salaries. Alternately the lower ranked 3rd level institutes and language mills are increasingly including Filipinos etc in their advertising because they can't get the white faces at any cost.
Good reputable government schools and universities are offering much bigger salaries than before to good candidates.
Many of the people at my university have been offered 2nd jobs by less desirable institutions. I know of several polytechnic levels schools who have not had a FT for years and get by on part-timers for increasingly good part-time rates, a place nearby where I am is currently offering 300 per 40 mins and has no takers.
This is what I have experienced, but hey, I am not a reputable and trustworthy recruiter such as Simon Quotes - because, as we all know, recruiters are the salt of the earth who would never lie or nuffink |
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newmansone
Joined: 07 Sep 2014
Posts: 70
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| Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2014 2:43 pm Post subject: Re: English First Guangzhou |
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| ukazi wrote: |
Hi everyone,
I've recently signed a contract to teach adult at English First in Guangzhou. I'll start in late January, so it's a couple of months away.
Before I go, I want to know about English First in Guangzhao, as well as daily life in the city.
Your thoughts and opinions are appreciated. |
Hilarious. You agreed to a contract - by singing it and then, only AFTER you decide to ask questions. You've never been away from home have you? We all know what your posts are going to look like once you arrive. Blaming everyone but yourself later. |
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litterascriptor
Joined: 17 Jan 2013
Posts: 360
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| Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2014 1:29 am Post subject: Re: English First Guangzhou |
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| newmansone wrote: |
| ukazi wrote: |
Hi everyone,
I've recently signed a contract to teach adult at English First in Guangzhou. I'll start in late January, so it's a couple of months away.
Before I go, I want to know about English First in Guangzhao, as well as daily life in the city.
Your thoughts and opinions are appreciated. |
Hilarious. You agreed to a contract - by singing it and then, only AFTER you decide to ask questions. You've never been away from home have you? We all know what your posts are going to look like once you arrive. Blaming everyone but yourself later. |
I wonder if he sung his acceptance via youtube video? If so, its not official, youtube is blocked in China, no way they'll have seen it. |
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Dan123
Joined: 08 Jan 2014
Posts: 112
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| Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2014 4:51 am Post subject: |
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| coldcucumber wrote: |
| Dan123 wrote: |
I work for an EF Dongbei. It's true that the working hours are kinda long at times (during the intensive period, we had a shortage of teachers and I taught 26 hours one week. I'm down to ~18 now) and the pay isn't great compared to public schools, but I think it's a good school to get started in. They provide a lot of training and help to new teachers and it's a safe job to get settled into things. Most ex EF teachers here seem to say that EF is a perfect job to get experience for a year or two before moving onto something else, and I think I agree.
That said, the pay isn't *that* bad in my opinion. I get 7,500 a month + free accommodation in a nice, big apartment + bonuses that add up to 17,500 at the end of my contract. However, I am in a tier 3 city in the inhospitable Dongbei wastelands, so maybe they offer bigger incentives here than in other "better" cities though. |
Did you receive over time for these extra hours? Also, do you receive over time for intensive sessions? |
Nope. We're allowed to be given up to 20 hours a week normally, and up to 26 (I think) during the intensive periods. I've never worked enough to be paid overtime though. Teaching 26 hours really sucked, but it was only that bad for one week. No way I'd do it long term. |
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