Job Discussion Forums

[voodikon]

does anybody know anything about this? i saw an ad for it and asked for more information, but it's still kind of confusing, and their website doesn't work.

basically it looks like they host a TEFL certificate program in beijing for a month, and then send you back out to the city of your choice to work in a school for a semester. the job sounds like an average english-teaching job in terms of hours and salary and whatnot. at the end you get a TEFL certificate, and all the major expenses are covered by the program.

i don't know how much i would gain from going through a TEFL program or from the certificate, honestly, but i figure it couldn't hurt. and at the moment my main priority is a job that requires the smallest number of hours and still provides a visa; a high salary is not as important as these two factors. i figure compared to a straightforward teaching job at comparable hours & wages, this would get me a bonus qualification and the opportunity to live in beijing for a month with travel expenses covered.

if anybody has experience with this specific program or programs like it i'd like to hear about it.

thanks.

[SnoopBot]

If I remember correctly, they had a booth setup in the Beijing job fair.

Most of the clients they seemed to attract were those with no experience and lower qualifications.

1. No degree
2. US Associates degree - 2 year
3. 3 year diploma (some jobs say 4 year degree especially in Beijing)
4. No experience at all with a very off degree (basketweaving, wine-tasting studies, football brawling ect)
5. Non-Native English speakers looking for an additional edge.

I looked at it, because I was curious, I feel if you have experience and a degree this will not help you much.

China doesn't care what certifications you have, or if you have a teaching degree, up to a masters degree. If you look the part of a teacher and get low student complaints (can entertain) you're hired. Anything else is just extra and not reflected in your pay.

Also the certificate is worthless outside of China, same as getting a Thailand TEFL certificate. It will not impress anyone unless a big name is behind it. The big name here is T-university. What connection they have with T-university , I don't know.

For the job placement, I got the impression that these jobs found for you are the same ones you can find on Dave's, via friends teaching or on your own. No special wonder jobs with high pay, basically the run-of-the-mill-jobs anyone can find.

If a potential teacher has problems with documents, degree, Native Speaker quals, then this might be something worth looking into. They help you get your foot in the door.

I noticed most that were interested in this program seemed to be Nigerian's and MOD EDIT with some EU guy (Polish?) while I was going around the booths.


For anyone that has experience and can find a job easily I feel this might just be a money drain. Some can use this information as a professional development tool for becoming a better teacher. (Nothing wrong with that!)


As for the better jobs, and pay, I really don't think it will help.

However, there is always an exception to this rule.

[voodikon]

thanks for the response. why would it be a money drain, though, when they pay the expenses? or do you just mean in terms of missed potential for greater earnings?

[SnoopBot]

[voodikon]

from what i read, this seems to be the case, but i need to ask follow-up questions to confirm it's true.

i believe that during training at any TEFL program you wouldn't be paid for any courses you teach since you're not yet "professional." i could be making that up, but that's the impression i get.

and yeah, the jobs you'd get afterward don't look like anything special, but i don't need anything particularly special, and they're only semester-long contracts.

[SnoopBot]

[Cognition]

[SnoopBot]

[voodikon]

thanks, snoopbot. i've been here a few years and like to think i still have a few functioning braincells left. but, yes, your points are valid.

[SnoopBot]