Korean Job Discussion Forums

[JongnoGuru]

Japan is capitalism in action, isn't it? The EFL industry there, where teachers' visas aren't tied to a particular employer, where teachers can leave when they're being screwed without pulling a midnight run & thereby screwing themselves, without pissing & moaning on a place called Dave's ESL Cafe. That's capitalism in action, baby.

There's been chatter on Dave's about a foreign teachers' union, why it's desirable/undesirable, possible/impossible, etc. Koreans don't feel comfortable with that? Fine! GREAT!! in fact.

So instead, just follow in the wise footstepts of Japan & China and give the visa reins to the foreigner. Screw this LOR nonsense, this butt-kissing, this visa hoop-jumping. Qualify for your E2 visa ONCE!!! with all the paperwork & sealed documents & whatever Immigration wants. After that, you're a free agent. Spread your wings and fly to the best job you can find, teacher. Like they do in Japan and China. May be one big reason why one doesn't hear so damn much BIATCHING on those country boards. Ask Matko and Whatthefunk and Shawner.

(how much or little of that did I get right? )

[Milwaukiedave]

I agree with what someone said in terms of the fact that it's hard to be a "free agent" in Korea with an E-2.

[TheUrbanMyth]

[PRagic]

Some key point, then:

1) Korea, and the Korean government, should take due notice that institutes can and do leverage percieved employment safety agaist lower wages. What does this say about the state of the private ESL industry here in general? Not good.

2) Virtually the entire ESL industry is perpetuated based on a percieved constant influx of new people in need and/or want of an overseas experience, but, more importantly, funds to pay off student loans.

3) A very small percentage of the incoming teachers is actaully qualified to teach the language. No problem, other than the fact that the private institutions bill themselves (and bill students) as if they are educational organizations. They are not.

4) The increasing emphasis in Korea on funneling teachers to public schools may indeed create a drain on the supply of teachers to private institutes. Great. Only the public school selection process isn't much more stringent than the private one. Korea should think about going the way of Hong Kong's NET program.

5) Increasingly better jobs in China may draw new teachers away from Korea, which SHOULD cause private institute salaries to increase. However, the market is so odd that some of the larger chains can STILL leverage 'employment safety' to keep wages down.

6) One way to taper the flow of teachers away from hakwons would be to make the MA mandatory for university teaching. This is a hot potato, but is indeed the way Japan went some years back.

The long and short of it is that the government has to make up its mind. As the bulk of foreign language learning in this country is acquired outside of formal institutions, they need to either clean up the private industry or beef up the public side (schools and universities). The whole system is in a funk as it stands, and large organizations are taking advantage of it.