Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Gabranth]

Option 2 Korean Public Schools

The EPIK program is about to open applications. We work with ESL Starter, an official recruiter for EPIK. If you are interested in a start date of 18th August 2010, and if you have your heart set on Korea, then this could be a better option for you. Details are here:

Your role will be to help local children and teenagers improve their English skills. You will introduce knowledge of your country to groups of very eager students and also promote cultural exchange with the local teachers. One year contracts are available and start August 18th.

From laid-back beach-side town to traditional mountain community to buzzing urban metropolis, we have the location to suit you!

++Locations available++
- Busan
- Chungbuk
- Chungnam
- Daegu
- Daejeon
- Gangwon
- Gwangju
- Gyeongbuk
- Gyeongnam
- Incheon
- Jeju
- Jeonbuk
- Jeonnam
- Ulsan

Elementary, middle and high school positions are all available NOW!

++Why teach at public schools in South Korea?++
- Teach just 22 classes per week
- Experience the best working conditions in Korea
- Receive a salary of at least GBP1,100 per month
- Get a free, fully furnished private apartment + round-trip air-ticket + settlement allowance + completion bonus + generous vacations + medical insurance
- Immerse yourself in the local community
- Share this amazing experience with foreigners from UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa
- Full training and orientation provided
- Korean co-teacher in every class to assist
- No experience necessary!
- One year contract
- Visa sponsorship
- Tax free salary

++In-Brief++
- Start date: mid-August (full orientation to be followed by placement at assigned school)
- Working days: Monday - Friday
- Working hours: 8.30AM - 4.30PM or 9AM - 5PM (depending on school)
- Total hours: 22 classes per week (so 3 or 4 classes per day)
- Student level: Choose from Elementary, Middle or High School

++Salary & Benefits++
- GBP1,100 - GBP1,560 monthly (depending on experience)
- GBP755 Entrance Allowance to cover flight cost into Korea
- GBP755 Exit Allowance upon completion of contract
- Rural Allowance + Provincial allowance (depending on location)
- GBP175 Settlement Allowance (one-time payment)
- Free fully furnished housing or, where housing is not available, a rent subsidy of GBP232
- 3 Weeks PAID vacation (8 day summer recess, 10 day winter recess) + approximately 12 national holidays
- 22 hours of class teaching required per week
- Overtime pay or GBP11 per hour per supplementary class
- Severance pay equivalent to one month's salary
- Tax exemption for 2 years apart from Canadians due to lack of ROK Treaty
- Compulsory medical insurance - 50% of premiums paid by employer
- National Pension scheme - 50% of contributions paid by employer
- Full 8 day orientation in a Korean resort area
- One year contract
- All national holidays
- Great base from which to explore other parts of Asia



Is this a competitive price and terms, or are there better options?

The company I may working for said that:

"The reason for this is mostly because of the terrible discrimination of UK & Irish applicants in Korea. The feedback from our clients is that the schools are asking for female Americans or Canadians - apparently they have a better accent than the British and Irish. So as you can imagine, we are quite frustrated!"

Has anyone else found this?


Also, overall:

which is better and more flexible, private schools or public schools?

I am confused by the working hours.

The working hours work out at 40 hours a week, but the required classroom teaching time is only 22. That is a big difference....again, anyone else encountered this issue....?

[the ireland]

�1560 is over 2.6million won per month, I wouldn't say that's a bad wage to be living on.....however �1100 is just slightly more than 1.8million, I would keep on looking if that's what I was offered to work here!!

[ttompatz]

I'll try to quickly cover your questions.

1st, don't look at the salary in terms of your home currency - the values change (sometimes dramatically).

The salary for ALL public school positions is based on your qualifications.
Got a BA- 1.8 million won.
Got some flavor of TESOL/TEFL cert +100k won
got a year of experience +100k won
got a B.ed or PGCE +100k won
etc....

Hours -
You work a standard 40 hour week, monday to friday, 8:30ish to 4:30ish.

Within that time you are contracted to teach 22 classes. The rest of the time is for lesson prep, school activities, etc.

If you teach more than 22 classes you get supplemental pay of 20k won per class. (teach 6 extra classes per week (still within your 8 hour day) and add 500k won to your pay packet each month.)

Other benefits include:
a rent free apartment (you do pay your own utilities)
300k won as a settlement allowance to help kit out your apartment beyond the basics.
Money for your airfare to Korea.
Money for your flight home at the end of each year.
1 month's additional salary as severance at the completion of each contract.

If you don't like the recruiter you can apply direct to EPIK. Same package.

The stuff about the accent is partly true. Some Brits are impossible to understand (but so is someone from the Bronx in New York).

Hope that helped.

.