Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Ranman]

I have my vacation scheduled for next month and it's already been approved by my school (principal and everything). Supposedly there's an orientation that I have to attend next month, but I've already bought my plane tickets and everything.

Is there any way to avoid this? I'm not flushing money down the toilet.

[PigeonFart]

As you've had your vacation dates already approved by the powers that be....why not try to get your principal to get you out of your orientation? That's what i would first try to do.

[ttompatz]

Not an issue if you are not new and it falls during your approved vacation period.

Enjoy your vacation.

.

[dairyairy]

There is "advanced training", but the orientation and "advanced training" are usually the exact same sessions, just a few weeks apart. That's how it was last year for GEPIK.
It seems that some people are forced to go to training seminars every year while others never go. It's an odd situation. A friend who taught at a GEPIK school in Ansan told us that he was the 4th teacher at his school and none had gone to orientation. The school had made some phone calls attempting to sign up each new teacher but had given up after being refused multiple times.
At a regional training workshop Q&A I once heard a GEPIK teacher tell a GEPIK rep that he had been in GEPIK for 4 years, and had never once attended orientation nor any workshops for experienced teachers. He said that he wanted to go but the GEPIK rep replied that there were limited spaces available and that not everyone "gets to go" during their time at GEPIK. That was news to the rest of us who would rather defer the honor to those who've never attended and would love to go.