Job Discussion Forums

[Mr_Ewan]

Well I know about EF,
and I know about Hangzhou -

What about the two together? Does anyone have any experience with this place. I hear they are the best EF school.

Do they train chinese people for the IELTS exam - experience in that would be a good perk...

I know EF has been blasted a few times on forums but I want to keep an open mind.

[Sonnet]

Aren't there two EF schools in Hangzhou? Chengxi & Chendong?

From what I've heard through the EF grapevine, one of them is supposed to be very, very good. I don't have a clue which one, though; I'd guess whichever is the older & hence more established.

That's about all I know!

[Mr_Ewan]

What province were you working in?
What is the employment policy if you get really sick? Do they make you work - make the days up later - fire you?

[draigoch]

From everything I've heard EF Hangzhou is really quite good.

A word of warning to anyone contemplating taking a position at EF Yiwu, which is also in Zhejiang Province - only a couple of hours away from Hangzhou.

Don't - Just don't.

The Centre Manager is so dishonest it is almost unbelievable. Not in the usual Chinese "We don't want to say anything we think you won't like" way, but in order to cover his own incompetence.

The owner does the same kind of thing and is so tight with money there's a theory going around that he hasn't opened his wallet since the Cultural Revolution started.

The staff are demotivated and demolralized, despite the fact that there are some good teachers among them and some good people among the desk staff.

During my time there so many things happened to make myself and my staff angry and unhappy that I have lost count.

The accommodation is disgracefully cold in winter(so cold that it seriously affected the health of one of the teachers - when he complained he was told by the owner "Work is more important than heat") and situated slap bang in the middle of a red light district, which might be fine if you're a man who's into that sort of thing, but not exactly nice for female members of staff.

In a word, 'disgrace', sums the whole place up. So, once again - DON'T.

[Noelle]

I worked there for 4 months. (I had to leave China early for health reasons) It was a good school for me. They have a different director there now but if the same center manager is in charge, I think the schools should be fine. There is an east and a west school. The east school is newer... not really better. Both schools are in pretty good locations.
If you want some contact details, just pm me. There are teachers there who have actually stayed for 2 to 3 years. It's not for everyone but obviously some people like it. I know I did.

Oh and as far as the policy regarding sick days... I think most contracts with EF are supposed to have sick time included. EFHZ does, I know. They will usually ask for a doctors note if you are out for an extended amount of time. They were really gracious with me in this area.
The prep course you asked about might be taught there but you would have to check with the teachers who work there now. I know they've really expanded their CLT department to the point where some of the teachers work exclusively with business classes and private lessons as opposed to teaching childrens classes.

Anyhow, good luck with whatever you're doing now. Feel free to pm me for more details.

[englishgibson]

OP, it's an EF English First standard (well standard isn't a word for EF in China, is it?) to have IELTS preps available in their EF centers around China. It's just up to their management and owners to pull it up and do it. Some EF centers have either their teachers or their employers/management not up to it and some locations of EF centers do not have the market for it.

[Noelle]

Mr Ewen

Just check references on ANY school... EF or otherwise.
There are sham schools all over the place... we have our fair share in Korea too.
EF in Hangzhou is still not without problems but there are some very settled and contented employees there.