Job Discussion Forums

[bobpen]

Now most of these schools are on the "low" end and have been for some time (maybe not all though), but I think that specific comments are more useful than just a label for each. I'll leave a blank if I know nothing about them. This is for HCMC.

AMA - I recall seeing a thread about a year back, but at the moment it seems the search query feature is not working (only a blank white page).

ISP - was a thread on here a year or so back, but it was for a different branch than the one I've gone to. The branch I went to seems to have it's own list of serious concerns, namely: you have to pay for your own parking (none within the school, a first I've even seen in my esl life), they won't tell you hardly anything regarding policies other than "If you work here we will discuss all rules with you then", one rule I did find out was that if you are 1 minute late, they will deduct the equivalent of 1 minute's pay from your salary (roughly 5000 dong) and so on for each minute late (2 minutes late = 10,000). All front office staff as well as the teacher whose class I did a demo in ignored or avoided me like I was an ogre.

VAS (Vietnam Australia Society) - never been there, any comments? Are they in direct relation with VUS?

Elite, Duong Minh, Outer Space, London School I understand are low end, but are they all the same company? Are they related to that old IWEP branch from years back? Any one branch better than the others?

VATC - they apparently now have a headquarters in a mega building called Flemington Tower, and the parent school company is IEA or IAE (Institute of American Education?). This means you cannot apply at the actual VATC schools, which will only send you away to HQ. When I went up to their mega office, I saw they had fingerprint scanners allowing access only to "authorized personnel" (like when did you need such high tech in ESL?), so I had to be escorted everywhere. The two people who interviewed me came across as aloof and snotty. They also wanted to tax me at "new foreigner" 20% tax rate even though I've lived long term in VN already and have visas to prove it. Hence I left.

Inlingua (Vo Thi Sau) - do they even have foreign teachers?

VUS - I only know of a few guys that worked there when their only building in town was on Nam Ky Khoi Nghia (and still is there). Basic comments were that is was just a notch above a factory school, one guy said he was assaulted by a student and hit him back, and was glad it happened (ind hindsight) and that he left. What I do know is that the single hiring manager for ALL branches is a foreigner named Steve Baker. He looks right through you and doesn't call you back or contact you.

ila -

IEi - yes it's written just like that. International Education Institution. They are located in the old VNU - FLC branch building. The three times I drove by there, all lights were on, all staff were "in position," but there was not a single student anywhere to be seen. Also, it would appear all old staff were released when IEi bought out VNUFLC, except for maybe one motorbike parking guy I may have recognized.

Premier School - I understand they are acting as a head branch for outer space, Super Youth, and a number of others. Walking space within the building was "turn sideways if you want to fit" in some places, chairs were same, the application form has really lengthy questions including "why did you quit your last job" and "name at least three bad things about each of your previous employers." They won't tell you any details about the job other than "come for an interview".

Aston - drove by a few times, very little activity or students, signboards look very marketing-oriented.

Super Youth -

IES - quite bad. Located in Dist 5 a block or two from Nguyen Van Cu. I actually stopped by there in 2005 and never went back. The lady offered by far the lowest rates in HCMC (at that time $10, when $13+ was norm). All I did was an interview and gave them my CV, left and forgot them. A few days later I got like 10 calls (missed) in a short time plus an SMS saying "Ok Mr. Bob, you will teach tomorrow morning at blah blah" without even asking me -- I never told them I wanted to teach. I wonder if they even pay? Their website seems rather suspect: www.iesvietnam.net

Additional comments. It seems that VUS and ILA have some 85% of the market cornered -- it becomes very obvious by just driving around and seeing all of their branches in every district (and sometimes two or three within each). That's bad because if the Steve guy at VUS doesn't like you, you're out, which is a huge chunk of work potential as they have 20+ schools. ILA also seems to have become very corporate -- you can only drop off a resume at the lobby of their main branch (or it gets forwarded if not). They send you an email telling you "sorry, you aren't going be listed with us, good luck." I don't have a CELTA and it seems they want bright eyed celta grads.

Honestly to me I consider a school "workable" if they don't treat you badly (there isn't tension between viet staff and you the teacher), you feel welcomed, they pay on time at a fair rate, and have enough hours to offer. Even if a school is lower end, one or two might be worth your while if you just need some hours for a few months or to get you through the holidays.

[I'm With Stupid]