Job Discussion Forums

[Cici]

I'm an American who wants to teach ESL in the UK, top choices being London, Bristol, or Dublin, but I'm pretty flexible.

I know it's impossibly hard to do so.

I have my TEFL certificate, a degree from a pretty good university, substitute teaching credential, and I've been teaching at a private school for the last year (though I want to leave) and working as a private tutor for the last six or seven. I'm also going to be working with ACLE for the summer.

Some of the TEFL certification companies swear up and down that they can get you a job pretty much anywhere within six months. I called several who swore up and down that they can get me a UK job, but it will just "Take a few extra months." I'm wondering if I should grit my teeth and shell out the couple hundred dollars to get re-certified, or if this really wouldn't be worth my time.

Thanks for any help!

[Sashadroogie]

Don't know how to advise you on this - but if your TEFL cert companies are telling you they can get you a legal UK job, I'd be very suspicious.

Also, only two out of your three preferred cities are actually in the UK. Easy mistake for you to make over in the States, but if it was your would-be TEFL cert provider making these sorts of basic geographical mistakes, then I'd have even less faith in their claims to be able to get you a legal job. Totally separate hoop-jumping required for different countries.

[breacan]

Hi,

Someone suggested I lend a hand here from another thread I put up.

I'm an American teaching in the UK (not EFL). This is the situation as I understand it: you can come here as a university student, and then apply for a post study work visa, which is very difficult to get. I'm not even sure how I got one. It costs huge amounts of money and a lot of time. I believe they are also canceling post-study work visas because they are putting a cap on immigration.

Working in the UK, for an American, is next to impossible in *any* job - even as a uni student you can only work 20 hours a week and are prevented from working in entertainment or self-employment. Aside from my (very) part-time teaching job, I have mostly temped in minimum wage jobs and any others are difficult if not impossible to get. The economy here is not that great and they favour local workers - even for the low-wage jobs, trust me.

I also cannot emphasize enough that it is EXPENSIVE here. For example: I have three university degrees, speak four languages, have years of experience in teaching/lecturing/etc - currently I work in data entry for �6/hr. And I am *lucky* to have that. I have no disposable income - it is rent, transportation, groceries. I haven't traveled anywhere within this country in about a year, because it's impossible on my wages. So consider this before making a move here - yes, pounds are more valuable than the dollar, but not if you end up in a situation like mine. Most Americans I know who attended university here are already gone, or are working jobs just like this one and are planning to go elsewhere.

My recommendation, if you want to come to the UK, is to attend university here. It is the only way in the ten years I tried to move to the United Kingdom I found as a viable option. I do know how disheartening it is because I wanted to be here more than anything, but now I realize that I cannot earn any money so I am having to look elsewhere in the world in order to support myself. I cannot give any ESL-related advice as I am only starting out, but I can tell you that the local university runs a CELTA course every semester, and most other universities and colleges probably do as well. These courses fill up quickly and there is a long waiting list. So if there are large numbers of British people training and willing to teach ESL here, I am fairly certain that they are going to hire locals first, as they do with everything else.

[scot47]

Dublin left the United Kingdom some time ago.

[naturegirl321]

You might be able to get a working holiday visa through BUNAC. Just don't expect to make heaps. As an American, you're limited to 6 months, but you can work FT during that time. I have a couple of friends who did supply teaching on thei WHVs.

[fdmi]

Get married. The only Americans I know that are surviving here have done this. Sorry, but you're lumped in with all the other non EUs.

[the_otter]

[DLat]

[naturegirl321]

[breacan]

Last time I tried, BUNAC had shut down its British program. Now it is doing an 'Intern in Britain' program where you have to be paid minimum wage. And that's probably all you will be paid. Again, it's extremely difficult to live on those wages here.

[naturegirl321]

[scot47]

Minimum wage is now 6.08 Pounds Sterling an hour. On that you pay Income Tax and National Insurance.

[breacan]

Yeah, I wouldn't say it's worth it either way. Most people I know are unemployed and looking for a way *out* of the UK (including me) because there is so little work to be had here.