Job Discussion Forums

lil5foot · Joined: 21 Feb 2015 Posts: 9

Hi everyone,

I am more interested in Latin America, but this program did capture my attention. They also have a similar free TEFL cert and placement for Thailand:
http://www.frontiergap.com/projects/536/China-FREE-Teaching-Placement

I'd like to hear thoughts from the seasoned teachers on this board. Is this a legitimate program? I cannot find anything about the accreditation of this program and it does seem a little too good to be true. Free training, free accommodation and food during weekdays. Also a guaranteed job placement after the successful completion of the course.

Note: Most Frontier programs have an option of obtaining a TEFL certification, by simply keeping a log-book of your volunteer teaching hours. I am NOT interested in this sort of thing, but these two opportunities seem a little bit more legit.

Thanks for taking a look!

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

I'll let others more qualified than me comment on the program so far as its reputability in China, but I can say that a cert from here wouldn't be held in high esteem elsewhere.

Guerciotti · Posted: Sun May 24, 2015 5:07 pm Post subject:

Too good to be true? Teach for a room and food on weekdays? It's a joke, right? You can get a paying job with a proper visa. Do you have a degree? Do they pay for the flight to China? Of course not. From your other posts, you simply cannot afford to volunteer. How will you get home? Eco-trails in China?

No, it is not too good to be true. It is unfathomably bad. I assure you their certificate is worthless. I have a worthless certificate, but even my cert is worth a thousand of theirs.

You talk about saving up for a CELTA etc on other forums, now you want to volunteer? Rice and vegetables gets old after ... well after one meal for me. Save for a CELTA, don't blow your money 'volunteering'.

Did you see their 'contribution' page? Yes, you pay to teach. Pay to teach?

http://www.frontiergap.com/FAQs/Where-Does-My-Money-Go.aspx

If you do not have a degree, you might be best advised to avoid China and all of Asia for that matter. Hell, get a degree! Or take your chances in the Americas.

Or are you getting paid to send traffic to their website?

http://www.frontiergap.com/FAQs/Why-Pay-To-Volunteer.aspx

Indeed. Why pay to volunteer?

lil5foot · Joined: 21 Feb 2015 Posts: 9

Wow! Jump down my throat, why don't ya. Yes, I have a degree. It was just something I came upon while researching different programs and I wanted some thoughts. Sheesh.

To the first response - thanks for your opinion.

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Markness · Joined: 30 Dec 2009 Posts: 738 Location: Chengdu

Are you interested in the certificate or the volunteering? If you are doing a certificate you can do anyone and it will count as long as it is over 120 hours. If you're interested in volunteering then good on you. But, you'll be placed in the sticks with no creature comforts/lots of staring (I've got first hand experience with this, it gets old quickly).

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash