Job Discussion Forums

myesl · Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 8:32 pm Post subject: Buckland Group?

Hello class Smile

Anyone know anything about Buckland Group?

Thanks

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

This is both a private training centre based in YANGSHUO, Guangxi, and a recruiter who puts you at the disposal of public schools for a fee.
He recruits every year, and of all the agents he is probably the one you should have the least qualms about joining.
The guy's name is Owen, and he is a native of Hunan. In business for almost twenty years!

myesl · Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2004 12:51 pm Post subject: Jen

Thanks. The ad was signed Jennifer Buckland, though.

TEAM_PAPUA · Joined: 24 May 2004 Posts: 1679 Location: HOLE

How much TP? Laughing

Anyway, I had something from Jenny B - I guess they use this to appear more personal?

T_P Cool

oprah · Joined: 26 Apr 2003 Posts: 382

Jennifer Buckland is Owen Buckland's wife. She is great, and looks after getting the foreign teachers here and sent off to the school. She looks after visa, and runs the office in Yanshao.

myesl · Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2004 6:52 pm Post subject:

Thank you, class Smile

team papua, TP? I wash.

oprah · Joined: 26 Apr 2003 Posts: 382

what is TP?

ContemporaryDog · Joined: 21 May 2003 Posts: 1477 Location: Wuhan, China

I'm just back from Yangshuo. A friend down there found a job with Buckland, it seemed good; the pay was 6000 yuan a month, which is very good money in Yangshuo, which is a very cheap place to live and has good quality of life compared to big cities in China.

oprah · Joined: 26 Apr 2003 Posts: 382

I have never heard of Buckland teachers making hat much money. and in Yangshou..

dajiang · Joined: 13 May 2004 Posts: 663 Location: Guilin!

Owen Buckland is actually quite a nice guy.
I used to work for his brother in Yangshuo, and had a great time (you wont make that much money though, but with scenery like that, who cares?)

The thing with Owen is that lots of teachers sign up with him and dont have a clue about teaching in China.
He used to give a small 'training' class to new FT's, but by far insufficient to survive a year in the Chinese ouback.

Just make sure you know WHERE he sends you...
If you find a job with him, it WONT be in Yangshuo.
I've met guys there that were just told they'd go to Heilongjiang and theyd ask me 'whats it like there? Is it far?' They did have a clue about winter there. Or Panzihua or something, which is a real armpit in sichuan.

He has got nice offers, but just travel around China a bit, see where you like it, and ask if he has something in that area?
btw, with Buckland you'll most likely end up in a huge highschool somewhere, where there are some other FT's if you're lucky. All there's to it is to 'be prepared!'

If you're a reasonable person with slightly good social skills, he won't treat you badly. Just be savvy.
Good luck

myesl · Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 5:22 pm Post subject:

I'm pretty suspicious of some of the posters on this thread. Buckland pays Y4,000 (not Y6,000) and the job I was offered is -- according to Jennifer's email -- in Yangshuo. I've seen video and pictures of the Southwest and it certainly is beautiful, but I'm not one for anthropology assignments.

TP is toilet paper. One of the other posters on that thread thought the original poster had left out the R in TPR!!!!!!!!!!!

oprah · Joined: 26 Apr 2003 Posts: 382

This thread is about Buckland, so what does TP have to do with this topic?
AS stated earlier I know Buckland does not pay 6,000 rmb and in Yangshou and Guilin you get paid less than other places as they say everyone want to be there according to Buckland.

myesl · Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2004 5:48 pm Post subject:

Oprah, put TP on your book club! Team Papua 'asked', so I replied.
Oprah, I know what you said, but if you read the other posts ContempDog said Y6,000 and dajiang said "If you find a job with him, it WONT be in Yangshuo. " So, I just wonder . . .

oprah · Joined: 26 Apr 2003 Posts: 382

I have worked for Buckland. You can get a job in Yangshou but the pay will be lower than anywhere else with Buckland's schools in other parts of China.

dajiang · Joined: 13 May 2004 Posts: 663 Location: Guilin!

confusion galore.

there are two bucklands.
one is the school... next to west street there.
other is the buckland group... which office is located on the second floor of the omeida school on pantau lu.

owen buckland sold the school a number of years ago, but the new (dodgy) management kept the name unchanged.
owen stayed in the ESL business by recruiting, and thats what he does now.

ive heard bad stories about the school from teachers thatve worked there (for 4000 kuai a month). i know one teacher who liked it there though, but who also stressed that he just somehow knew how to deal with the management or something.
good on him, but i wouldnt work there for a thing.

the buckland group sends you out and offers 6000 or depending on the position. see the above for comments on this one.