Korean Job Discussion Forums

[kermo]

Wouldn't the simpler explanation be that s/he's from South Africa, and s/he speaks English as a second language? Why do people assume s/he's Korean? I think that more language-adept people than I might be able to analyse the copious errors and make an educated guess but for me the jury is still out.

[shakuhachi]

[fusionbarnone]

In regards to fake qualifications from equally dubious institutions, it is an offence to "knowingly" utilize such an instrument with an intent to achieve pecuniary gain.

In one US state, the act is defined as; filing a false instrument and grand larceny in the 4th degree. The law is not clearly established as far as one person who consulted his lawyer over this very matter told me and, the law is still broadly interpretated within each state.

Employers are a different matter however, as HR departments were surveyed including those in Homeland security and other sensitive departments(from what I've read), it was difficult for HR officers to distinguish between legitimate institutions and others, that "look" similar to real B & M schools. All this in the US too. K immigration has instigated over-sight practices which seems to be working.

I suspect Hogwans were/are the biggest employers of "phony" graduates and and primarily responsible for introducing "teachers" of dubious background(am not including engineers) and integrity(if you look "right", your in). One hogwan director openly admitted earning 20 mil clear profit from their solitary ESL teacher after expenses so, this should give an indication of how much money is being earned in this industry. And, this was without the illegal "farming out", phone lessons, camps, etc. If a director should slightly suspect an "irregularity" albeit two-thirds into a contract, an opportunity arises to "save" face and money all in one phone call. Even if your legally credentialed, a teacher I knew had her director call immigration whilst on holiday in Thailand to find herself barred from SK.

Perhaps SK's poor showing(110th worldwide, I think; for English proficiency) has motivated the govt to seriously review and upgrade public ed. Perhaps Koreans lack of confidence(voting with their checkbooks) in public ed. and preferring hogwans, has caused a loss of face in bureaucratic circles initiating a "spring cleaning" within the ESL scene and an in-school style hogwan with Gepik.

However you look at fake degrees, procedures seem to have been implemented to both expell the day-trippers(the next OE goers) and hinder hogwan futures(kid's and dad's golf lessons in NZ, dad's regular sortee to Bangkok; for golf, of course, etc) through imigration presenting clear guidelines into background checks. In conjunction with the bad press SK gets for it's US stance and NK issue, crooked ESL biz practices, I doubt ESL "teachers' will be as readily available as previously. Hogwans heyday may be eclipsed through the anti-foreigner sentiment of late and I foresee bankruptcies for owners' who have grown accustomed to and are unable to abandon their parasitic lifestyles.

Perhaps in this new K order, discrimination will assume a benevolent look for ALL foreign gyopos in order to placate the solid demand for English instruction where they(Gyopos) will recieve equal rights the same as any blonde 20 something North American adonis/barbie.

The day that happens, will be a fine day indeed. It is long overdue that Gyopos get the respect that is their birthright as equals. Ditto for the hogwans about to become fruit sellers.

[Hwajangsil Ajumma]

I've got a police record:



Groan...

[mindmetoo]

[Kimchieluver]

Where can you buy pop-tarts?

[Pyongshin Sangja]

Long live gyopos. Such friendly people.

[Grotto]

pop tarts can be found at Hannam market...last week it was cherry

[TECO]

In Taiwan, I would guess that the biggest offenders of using fake degrees/certificates are Canadians.

Over the years, I've met a lot of Canadians working with fake documents/degrees.

I was on a plane to Bangkok from Taipei a few years ago and a guy from Ottawa told me how he had been teaching on Taiwan for about 5 years and had done a really good photocopy of his friends degree from the University of Ottawa.

A couple of months ago I was in the bar and talked 4 or 5 young Canadians who had used faked degrees from The University of Victoria (they were all young 20 somethings from Vancouver Island).

On the other hand, one of my colleagues from South Africa had to produce the original degree/documents for his work visa and ARC.

I remember that being a Canadian I only had to provide a photocopy of my degree for my ARC and work permit.

It would be niave to think that the Korean and Taiwanese governments don't know about the fraud. I guess it's just not a priority at this time to try and eliminate it.

So, yeah, I think Canadians are, from my experience anyway, pretty big offenders of forging and using fake academic transcripts/degrees, etc.

[Pyongshin Sangja]

No way. I looked at hundreds of templates for fake degrees on Khao San Rd. in Bangkok. Most of them were copies of degrees from British universities. I did see some templates for Canadian unis at a printer's shop in Korea, once. Terrible forgeries, but they probably worked.

[TECO]

Is that right?

I asked to see them and the guy refused to show me but confirmed that he had templates for Canadian schools -- that was last June.

I can only speak from my experience of meeting and talking to people here and it seems that a lot of Canadians are using fake degrees.

Don't prove much - it could be the British.

[Pyongshin Sangja]

[TECO]

Yeah, I'd say, 'a lot.'

Too many.

[STP]

what's the difference between some white dude from canada with a degree and some white dude without a degree. They give away BAsin canada, any idiot can get one.

Don't listen to the arrogant f*wts on this site, anybody with native English skills can "teach" in Korea. The delusional ESL "big man" teacher syndrome!!!

[buddy bradley]

What flavour pop tarts are doing the rounds this week?