Korean Job Discussion Forums

[brittlowe]

Hello Everyone,

I am accepting a position with EPIK for the fall. I am curious to find out more people's experiences with the program. I was a little surprised to find that many blogs were negative about EPIK and wrote that EPIK will generally place ELI's in rural areas. Because I prefer to be in a city, this was alarming.
Any experience or thoughts you have relating to EPIK would be GREATLY appreciated!

Thank you!

[OculisOrbis]

No. Teachers are not employed by EPIK they employed by provincial or regional education offices - sometimes directly by a school. EPIK is a government run recruiting company.

[brittlowe]

So in other words, everyone's experience is vastly different?
My recruiter lead me to believe the regulations should be somewhat uniform even though everyone will be at a different school. Because she told me that each person from EPIK will be the only native English speaker at a given school. Obviously, I do not know if what my recruiter says holds true to people's actual experience.
Also, I have read that many people still have interaction with EPIK employees while there, so I thought that the relation was stronger than simply a recruiter.

[caminante]

There's a facebook group for people that are starting EPIK in the Fall, you should join it https://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_207766062575421&ap=1 There are several people on there who are already working for EPIK and they are very friendly and quick to reply.

[brittlowe]

Just joined it.
Thanks!

[Malislamusrex]

I depends.

I get 10 weeks off a year, get 2 million extra a year am on grade 1, so things are good. Some people get 23 days off no extra classes and on grade 3.

Some people are very familiar with co workers etc, but after 1 and half years I only speak to 2 and my co teachers, it suits me fine but a problem for some people.

Some teachers don't plan any classes, I plan all my classes at one time planned 8 a week.

Some people are tape recorders. I have more authority than 2 of my teachers.

You should hope you come to my school when you leave.... Everything is planned. You would only teach 26 hours a week and wouldn't plan anything. In other schools the last teacher might have done no work and you will have to start from scratch.

So yes it's different.

[imGosu]

There are more negative because people that usually post things are the people that have bad experiences that they want to share. The people that have good experiences generally don't post anything since there is no point in posting.

If you were having a great time, would you really take your time to post something positive to share?