Job Discussion Forums

[ziniszen]

I am an 18yr old Aussie guy wanting to teach English in China and to learn Mandarin. During my last 3 years in high school I worked in a busy Chinese restaurant where I was the only non-Asian person working and I loved it. I work one day a week as an ESL teacher aide with refugee students and I also volunteer at a local language school, where I speak English one on one with students.

Right now there are three options I�m thinking about:

1.) I could do a TESOL course in Australia at the language school I volunteer at. They are good, trustworthy people but 80 hours of the course is online and there isn�t much practical teaching. They also have a job guarantee and I could apply for a job in China before I leave Australia. Do you think my age will put employers off? I hope to go to China in September, by which time l�ll have been out of school almost a year.
2.) Alternatively, I could do the course and fly to China, then look for a job. But where would I start? The city I landed in, just go to a region I like the sound of? How hard is it, especially because I�m young?
3.) I could do an internship in China where you do the TESOL course first, with lots of practice teaching, then you are employed for 3 months to get 200 hours of teaching experience. They only pay you 2000RMB a month for this, plus you pay about US$1500 for the course. Is this a bit of a rip off or is it worth it because you get the support of other students, you�re met at the airport, accommodation and food is provided and so on. I�m thinking that this might be a good way to start, especially as from reading these forums it seems that China can be a pretty hard place to teach.

If anyone could help me out with their experience and advice about internships/jobs it would be great.

Thanks!

[vikeologist]

I'm afraid your age will be a problem.

To get a work permit, most employers will need you to have a degree. Even in cases (should they exist) where employers can or would be prepared to take you on without a degree, the age will be a huge red flag to the Police. In my city they routinely turn down anyone under 24, even if they have a degree.

I'm not saying it's impossible of course. China - big country - lots of different situations, but at best your options are going to be severely limited. Even if there's a Police office prepared to give you a work permit, the age won't be a bonus fror schools. Culturally, the Chinese value age, experience etc, not ability, maturity.

Option 2 is illegal, and you're unlikely to get any work. ( i mean you could easily get work teaching Privates, if you knew how, and make lots of money, but you'd have to do it on a tourist visa and leave after 3 months, and if you were caught you'd have to pay a fine and then you'd be thrown out.
Option 3 does sound like a rip off, and you're unlikely to get any work.

I'm sorry to be so negative. You sound like a top bloke, but basically you need a degree (+ a teaching certificate) to teach legitimately in China.

What about doing a degree in Mandarin in China, for instance at Nottingham Uni in Ningbo. There are lots of foreigners your age here doing this. You could always do privates in your spare time, not that you'd have a lot, or during holidays.

[catinthehatter]

You have zero legal or professional right to work in China

Get an education, then experience, then consider your options

[astrayalien]

Its good you know what you want. Plan ahead and get the correct qualifications over the next few years. Then work in your home country for a couple of years. Have a few holidays in China and elsewhere.

Then you will have the maturity to teach overseas. You are young and have heaps of time.

[HumphreyOmega]

Come to China and study for a semester, you can enrol in most universities in the Chinese language course for a semester and live in the dorms. Different universities will have different fees but you will be able to find a semester of tuition and accommodation for around or less than 1500 US$.

You could then do private lessons on the side, you would have enough spare time, most courses just have lessons in the morning, this would give you enough money to live on as long as you don't get your hair washed too often.

[Randolf]

[TexasHighway]

You need a degree and two years experience to teach in China. Don't listen to those who suggest you engage in illegal activity. Working as a waiter or busboy in a busy Chinese restaurant isn't quite the experience schools are looking for. Finish your education first and become a qualified teacher. You certainly have plenty of time.

[7969]

[choudoufu]

[nickpellatt]

[AliceB]

You could try looking at some of the large language school chains. I believe Aston and EF will both consider applications from people with no degree or CELTA - they train you to use their own special method, so experience is less important. The pay isn't great, and you may get sent to some middle-of-nowhere town where no other teachers want to work: but it's one way to get started.

[sainthood]

What none of these people have explicitly stated is: do the CELTA in Australia. Don't bother wasting a few thou on some dodgey course, for which you'll need to take a CELTA later anyway (ie, don't do what I did :p)

1 month full-time... but it will be worth it in the end!!

What city are you in? (hopefully, you're in a capital city, and not on the west coast...).

Then, I'd do what Vikeologist and Humphrey said - do a degree over here and do privates. While you're at it, if you're keen, do an online degree from Macquarie Uni.. they do B.A. in Linguistics.... so - degree in Mandarin, degree in Linguistics - Masters in Translation.. you'd seriously be set!!!

Yeah, it's a long-term goal, and a lot of effort is needed...but dreams tend not to just knock on your door the instant you have them!

(I'm considering something related - going to Czech Republic, and doing a BA in Czech language... lets me stay there for a while, and all uni courses in Czech language are FREEEEEEeeeeeeee................. )

[The Great Wall of Whiner]

There are some programs that allow you to work and study at the same time. Like earn a degree or TESOL.

Too old for that sort of thing so never really paid much eye direction to the ads.

Dig hard, you'll find something.

Good luck.

[Mister Al]

Given your age and desire to learn Mandarin studying and working (technically llegal but many many do it) would be your best option. Pick a city you fancy and apply to a local uni. Getting an X visa and Residency Permit willset you up nicely for your adventure.