Job Discussion Forums

Douglas · Joined: 10 Jun 2003 Posts: 10 Location: China

I am from Toronto , Canada. I have spent four years working in China within the university education system and now would looking for a complete changelike to spend two plus years in NZ. I will arrive within two weeks . Thus far I have not gathered to many contacts in NZ and hope this will give me a chance to get contacts and info that will benifet me in seeking work.
I have very little general info about the good, the bad, and the ugly in working and living in NZ and hope that this could be passed on to me.
At this time I have not decided as to were to live and all info regarding this would be nice in making a sound choice.
Please email me or leave your thoughts

Thank you

Kereru · Joined: 24 May 2003 Posts: 32 Location: Christchurch NZ

Have you checked the NZ immigration website recently? Earlier this year ESL teachers were on the list & two Americans joined our staff, but I suspect in the current climate that may no longer be the case. To work in a university ESOL or Foundation Studies course, you'd ideally need a minimum of a Grad Dip in ESOL or a lot of experience at that level. Polytech or private language schools may not be so fussy & many of them do run EAP courses. Good Luck

Poetic · Joined: 07 Nov 2003 Posts: 13

kereru
can you tell me if there is a demand for youth workers in nz cause i want come and work there after i have worked in south korea for a year..i am canadian. well let me know..of any website that might be of help to me..
thanks

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

I'm currently finishing a one-year contract in Indonesia. I thought that teaching in NZ might be a great experience, so I tried sending a cover letter to several schools in NZ.

I've heard back from about five schools I wrote to and they all sent back an email similar to this one... Sad

----- Original Message -----
Thank you for your application for a teaching position at our school. Your experience and qualifications are impressive.

Unfortunately, we do not have an full time teaching posts available at this
time and this does not look likely for the foreseeable future.

This is due to a national downturn in the international student market.

JosephP · Joined: 13 May 2003 Posts: 445

Yup, that's the reality now. In the Weekend Press here in Christchurch there was an article about the plunging student enrolments, a 50% drop is bandied about, but who really knows. All I know is that there are a lot of qualified ESL teachers hitting the bricks trying to get on full-time with anyone, myself included (I've mostly kept it together by relief teaching, and, boy, is that not very secure).
However, if you are a credentialed teacher (PGCE or PGDE) for secondary schools, Auckland would prove to be a fertile ground for employment.

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

JosephP · Joined: 13 May 2003 Posts: 445

Another school here in Christchurch has folded its tent. Greenfield has outplaced its students and the teachers told to not come in.
Criminey, two years ago this country was bursting at the seams with students and now the numbers keep falling, especially those schools involved with the Chinese. Schools that rely on the Japanese, Korean, and European market seem to be holding it together though.