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tobiascurious
Joined: 01 Dec 2008
Posts: 8
Location: England
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 Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 10:27 pm Post subject: What's an ALT dispatch agency? and other noob questions |
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Hello !!
I've been reading some of the threads here and am interested in getting work as a English teacher from April 2009.
Apparently a lot of the private schools are not so good, but based on my understanding, AEON is the best available?
Does ALT dispatch agency simply mean any of the companies that recruit outside Japan?
Is there a chance that I won't even get a job because of the financial situation and NOVA going bust?
To pre-empt any questions:
1. I'm 31 male UK-based
2. Bachelors degree in music
3. CELTA (one year old)
4. no teaching experience except during CELTA
5. short term goal : spend one year teaching in Japan
6. long term goal : do something more lucrative back in Europe
7. Can speak French
8. Can't speak Japanese
9. Haven't got a visa
10. Am aware that I have just missed the JET deadline
Thanks |
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reasonJP
Joined: 17 Jul 2008
Posts: 48
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| Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2008 1:10 am Post subject: |
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An ALT is an Assistant Language Teacher, to wit, someone who goes into a public school and assists the regular English teacher in class. There are ALTs in junior and high schools, and increasingly in elementary schools. A dispatch ALT is one that's hired by a third party company who has contracts with several schools, as opposed to one that's directly hired by a specific school or educational board.
Based on the deets you gave, you should have little tono problem at all getting work of some kind here, especially in the spring. It would likely be at an English conversational school with your level of experience. They've all got their individual strengths and weaknesses, and people on here who are all too willing to whine about them. Not me, I'm nice. Good luck! |
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tobiascurious
Joined: 01 Dec 2008
Posts: 8
Location: England
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| Posted: Sun Dec 07, 2008 6:31 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks reasonjp
Do you think it's safer to apply to a company that recruits outside Japan, or wait until Spring and go in person and potentially get a better quality job? |
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fluffyhamster
Joined: 13 Mar 2005
Posts: 3292
Location: UK > China > Japan > UK again
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| Posted: Sun Dec 07, 2008 6:48 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| A dispatch ALT is one that's hired by a third party company who has contracts with several schools, as opposed to one that's directly hired by a specific school or educational board. |
I haven't heard of dispatch companies having contracts with individual public schools - the contract is usually between the dispatch company and the Board of Education, with some AETs sometimes visiting more than one school each e.g. one base JHS and several elementary. (You do sometimes hear of ex-JETs getting directly hired once again/rehired due to requests made by a school they previously taught at, but most BOEs believe they can save at least on some hassle by hiring indirectly through dispatchers instead (even though denying the AETs benefits benefits nobody in the long run!)). All this is of course different to individual private schools at whatever level, who may or may not hire directly (as opposed to also instead using dispatchers to find and "take care of/deal with" teachers).
Tobiascurious, this might be of interest:
http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?p=684033#684033 |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Sun Dec 07, 2008 9:55 pm Post subject: |
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Whether it's "better" to come here or get hired abroad is a relative thing. Come here, and you will have to support yourself for 2-4 months before the first paycheck, so you'll need about US$4000-5000 to tide you over.
If your timeline matches that of recruiters abroad, they it's more convenient for both of you, and you will be assured of visa sponsorship if you are hired. Otherwise, coming here is no guarantee of sponsorship, but the opportunities are greater to explore.
BTW, more on ALT dispatch companies:
http://interac.generalunion.org/stop-illegal-dispatching-to-boards-of-education/
http://interac.generalunion.org/dispatchchart.pdf |
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tobiascurious
Joined: 01 Dec 2008
Posts: 8
Location: England
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| Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 6:06 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks.
| Glenski wrote: |
but the opportunities are greater to explore.
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Does this mean a greater choice of ekaiwa? In what way it is better to explore when I get there than beforehand using sites like this? |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 9:41 pm Post subject: |
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| tobiascurious wrote: |
Thanks.
| Glenski wrote: |
but the opportunities are greater to explore.
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Does this mean a greater choice of ekaiwa? |
Yes. There are only about a dozen places that recruit from abroad. Obviously, there are far more that don't, so you have to be in the country to have any chance with them.
| Quote: |
| In what way it is better to explore when I get there than beforehand using sites like this? |
You should explore before you get here. Look at the ad sites, learn the market, see who is advertising, find out what is a good deal or bad one, etc.
Then, when you think you have a decent potential employer in mind (one who is advertising), contact them with your time frame of coming here, and try to set something up. After you arrive, reestablish contact to confirm. And, keep hunting for new leads. People who stay in gaijin houses (guest houses) often use each other for leads. |
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