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ryanlogic
Joined: 04 Jan 2011
Posts: 102
Location: USA
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 Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2017 9:38 am Post subject: Is CELTA worthwhile if I don't plan on teaching immediately? |
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I have some time off and I have access to a 4 week CELTA program with the British Council. I am not teaching English in any official capacity at my current job working as a Program Manager in the humanitarian sector. However, I currently tutor Syrian Refugees in business English part time on an unofficial volunteer basis, and I have a long standing interest in teaching English as a foreign language. I would like to have something to fall back on in the event that my current assignment falls through.
Repatriating to the United States would mean starting over from scratch, with no clear career path, as my current trajectory is focused solely on international emergency humanitarian response management. I'm most interested in staying in the Middle East Region to continue learning Arabic, but I would also be interested in places like Indonesia, or Malaysia if no other options were available.
Basically what I need to ascertain is whether or not a CELTA certificate would be useful one, two, or even three years after it was obtained IF my CV didn't show any full-time EFL teaching experience afterwards.
I have BA degrees in Sociology, and International Studies, and one year of Social Studies/History teaching experience in the US (prior to my current job experience). However, I don't have a degree in English, or a teaching certificate.
Would I be wasting my time and money pursuing a CELTA certificate just to keep it in my back pocket? |
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currentaffairs
Joined: 22 Aug 2012
Posts: 828
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| Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2017 1:21 pm Post subject: |
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| A CELTA will only benefit you and also help you with your voluntary teaching. I have a pretty good university job in the Middle East and our managers specifically look for CELTA/TEFL certs plus the degree. This is especially relevant if your BA is unrelated to teaching. |
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suphanburi
Joined: 20 Mar 2014
Posts: 916
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| Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2017 1:21 pm Post subject: |
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A CELTA never expires and most employers (at least outside of Europe) don't look at the dates on the certificate.
If you are doing it for reasons of self actualization then go for it.
It won't go bad sitting on the shelf and there are parts of the course that will add soft skills to your skill-set that do transfer to other sectors.
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2017 2:57 pm Post subject: |
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| ryanlogic wrote: |
I am not teaching English in any official capacity at my current job working as a Program Manager in the humanitarian sector.
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Repatriating to the United States would mean starting over from scratch, with no clear career path, as my current trajectory is focused solely on international emergency humanitarian response management.
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I have BA degrees in Sociology, and International Studies, and one year of Social Studies/History teaching experience in the US (prior to my current job experience). However, I don't have a degree in English, or a teaching certificate. |
Good to see you back on the forums.
Entry-level jobs in the Mid East, particularly in Saudia, generally require post-TEFL cert experience that's full-time and paid. Even with a CELTA, your quals are minimal and would mostly appeal only to the sketchiest of Saudi contracting companies. Plus, as you look at ads for newbie positions, you'll notice that you'd be responsible for sponsoring your wife and child, including covering their flights to/from KSA and their health care.
A career in TEFL would require you to bump up your academic qualifications to something specific to teaching. That entails both financial and time commitments, and you'd need to have paid experience under your belt. That said, you're better off continuing in emergency response management since you already have experience in this crucial field and could likely get tuition assistance if you get on with the right organization.
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AGoodStory
Joined: 26 Feb 2010
Posts: 738
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| Posted: Tue Oct 10, 2017 4:43 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
Basically what I need to ascertain is whether or not a CELTA certificate would be useful one, two, or even three years after it was obtained IF my CV didn't show any full-time EFL teaching experience afterwards.
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To answer the question asked by the OP: yes, it would remain a valid qualification and be useful for both your CV when you do eventually look for jobs, and also to apply to your volunteer teaching practices in the meantime. In addition it will provide you with more experience and information upon which to base a decision about whether teaching EFL is for you.
And although volunteer work won't help you too much in securing a (decent) job in the Middle East, much of the rest of the world takes it seriously. It isn't the equivalent of a paid position, and you won't be as qualified as applicants with a history of full-time paid employment in the field; but everyone starts somewhere--and you'll be far ahead of those new CELTA grads with no experience. In addition, your year of teaching will be looked on favorably--you will be seen to have survived life in the classroom, and presumably to have acquired some classroom management skills. Your international experience in a responsible management position will be another point in your favor.
Just be sure to educate yourself about the salary levels and the types of jobs available (including requirements) in the countries that interest you!
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