Korean Job Discussion Forums

GRK · Joined: 07 Feb 2003

TAFE requires quite a lot of commitment in terms of time and energy - although the money tends to be better than other institutes (especially private - who sometimes hire CELTA certificate people to save money) but you must have the required qualifications. You need to have teachers registration to work as an ESL teacher in TAFE. The teachers do not usually leave their jobs, so it is difficult to get a position.
Oz accent is considered the norm Smile

sadsac · Joined: 22 Dec 2003 Location: Gwangwang

TAFE are probably more time intensive because of the nature of the courses. It is certainly a good place to start though. As with PRC, here for the money and the ability to certainly save some cash, plus my wife and I like what we do and where we are. TAFE institutes are in all major capitals and regional centres throughout Australia and many are affiliated with major universities as well. Melbourne is a great city with a very cosmopolitan lifestyle and great parks and gardens. Personally I think the best city in OZ, followed closely by Perth. Smile

wylde · Joined: 14 Apr 2003

TAFE - Technical college of Advanced and Further Education.

rapier · Joined: 16 Feb 2003

desultude: I spent 6 months in melbourne- i adore the place! Good luck with it. But* I presume you're American, how are you hoping to get residence in Australia???? its not easy...
personally, i am banned from Oz for 3 years...- visa violation... Wink

jaebea · Joined: 21 Sep 2003 Location: SYD

That's not the only thing he violated either! :)

In any case, you might also try Cairns. Cost of living is cheap, and the weather is spot on. Not to mention a thriving tourist industry. Lots of Japanese go to Cairns and spend some time improving their English while they work and travel (working holiday visa).

Sydney was pretty much wrapped up by wylde. It's expensive and a bit freakin ridiculous in a lot of ways compared to Seoul. That said, I'll still call it home at the drop of a hat.. :)

Brisbane is more my kind of city. Everything is slower than Sydney by a notch or two, and it's a very pleasant place to live. The weather is warm, and the people are friendly. The rat race hasn't hit Brisbane like it has in Sydney or Melbourne. Yet.

Melbourne is pretty good, especially if you're a trendy sort of person, but it really didn't push my buttons much. I find it packed full of poseurs, but that's just me.. :)

Good luck, and let us know if you ever swing through Sydney.

jae.

desultude · Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2004 6:33 am Post subject:

jaebea

TECO · Joined: 20 Jan 2003

Desultude.

It doesn't look good for you, unfortunately.

Companies won't hire you without Permanent Residence status. Highly doubtful that they'll sponsor you a work permit when they can get a local to do the job.

There are plenty of Australians waiting in line with the right experience and skills to teach ESL. M.A.TESOL programs and CELTA/DELTA are big here with lots of locals doing these courses.

Waterbaby might get the Yellow Pages out for you and look under langauge schools in Brisbane and Sydney and maybe call around for you.

2T · Joined: 28 Jul 2003 Location: Seoul

I did my CELTA program at RMIT/CELL in Melbourne. The program is great and the teachers were fantastic.

Also, as a graduate you are able to use their facilities and there were quite alot of services that they provided for you to help you get into the esl market.

If you are only interested in teaching positions , they still had a service to help you out but I cant remember the exact details about that.

Good luck.

desultude · Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2004 3:38 am Post subject:

I'm sure getting a mix of replies. I guess I need to do some of my own research at this point. I don't plan to hurry down to Australia without doing a lot of homework. The information here is a very good starting point, thank you, because it is personal experience and more informed than I would get most places.

Thanks everyone for the help. I do have relationships in Melbourne, or I would never consider the move. But they are not in the ESL scene, so I needed your good advice. Some of my friends are in business there, so I may have to work for them for some time while I get my status straightened out.

Anda · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: South Korea

Um this might help

http://www.studyinmelbourne.com/learn-english-melbourne.php

The Man known as The Man · Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2004 5:28 pm Post subject: Re: Um

desultude · Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2004 10:16 pm Post subject:

Anda · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: South Korea

Yep I'm not quiet dead yet. Um, however sometimes I smell that way as I have no bathing facilities yet in my fishing shack. The money ran out real quick for me back here in Oz! It looks like I'll be back back working in Asia soon, not teaching though. Been fishing and studying. Fishing is okay!

Most English teachers employed in Oz are between 26 - 36 years old. If you position yourself near a Uni and advertise for private students you will probally have more luck.

TECO · Joined: 20 Jan 2003

I called and talked to several people at some language schools in Brisbane and Gold Coast yesterday.

This is what I was told:

1. Not enough students and too many teachers.

2. Cannot offer regular or guaranteed hours.

3. Will not sponsor work permits for non-residents. Basically, the schools told me that they have a tough time "Justifying that an Australian couldn't do the job" to DIMIA (Australian Immigration). Also, there are plenty of qualified and experienced Australian ESL/EFL instructors waiting to get jobs (SEE BELOW)

4. Canadians and Americans come to teach on "Working Holiday" visas but I think there are age restrictions on "Working Holiday" visas.

5. New teachers are not promised any lessons at most schools

6. Most teaching work is on a "Relief" or "On-Call" basis. "high season" usually coincides with Japanese and Korean holidays when people come form North East Aisia to study in Brisbane.

7. Master Degrees in TESOL or Applied Linguistics are a dime a dozen

8. CELTA holders are also a dime a dozen in Australia

9. Master Degrees + CELTA qualification applicants are common

10. Master Degree, CELTA and DELTA holders are not as common

Teaching opportunities in the Australian ESL scene look dismal.

waterbaby · Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Location: Baking Gord a Cheescake pie

Hey Desultude, sorry I didn't respond earlier to your PM, but I'm on a dodgy internet connection at home on a dodgy computer Sad

and everytime I get the page I want, the computer freezes... grrr!

I just quickly scanned this topic... so sorry if I repeat stuff... Some other suggestions for places to look for work... AMES (Adult Multicultural Education Services) offer a 510 hour competency based language course to all eligible migrants and refugees. There are AMES centres all over the country that offer the CSWE (certificate in spoken and written english).

http://www.ames.net.au/

There are also numerous ELICOS centres (English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students) offered at all the universities... this is for those international students who have been offered a conditional place at an Australian University provided that they pass this course.

These, plus private language schools would be my only option of teaching english in Aust, unless I did it privately. I don't have teaching quals that will enable me to teach ESL in primary or secondary schools. Oh well. I just quit my TESOL MA course anyway... it's not what I wanted... back to the drawing board.