Korean Job Discussion Forums

[poet13]

good friday gentle people.

I have read many of the posts regarding EPIK, and I have visited their website.

There may be a position opening in my city (I really dont want to leave this city) and after reviewing much of the material I could find, I still have a few questions.

1. Length of contract. The EPIK website states that the contract length is ABOUT one year. In other posts I read that they run the contract for just less than a year to avoid the separation pay. Is this still the case?

2. Once a school is in the EPIK program, can they hire outside the program, or are they bound to it?

3. Police report. I am not wanted, but i havent lived in Canada since 1989. I did live in the US for a number of years, but havent for about 3 years. When i got my US green card, the police report was detailed, with fingerprints, FBI check, a letter from my local police dept, etc. Does anyone with a similar residency history have an opinion (hey, fact would be wonderful too!) as to what exactly they need? Is it something I can do at the Canadian embassy in Seoul?

I also see the wages are quite low....to begin with. But they get better. If you invest in the program long enough to read level 1+, the renumeration runs up to 2.7 plus rural bonus...
4. How long does it take to gain levels? One per year? Self improvement targets? MA, TEFL, etc?

I have read many many posts saying the EPIK 'program'....sucks. That JET is much better, etc.
5. Is the 'program' getting better? Is it really a good choice? Yes, I know, personal preferrence and choice is the determining factor in everything, but I would like some opinions.

ah, one more. the two week orientation. Is that required for every person, regardless of background? I have spent parts of the last 5 years in korea, both as a teacher, and working for another outfit.

thank you all.

[Ekuboko]

1. I would think that now, EPIK contracts are 52 weeks, i.e. one calendar year.

2. & 3. It would be best if you contacted someone at the EPIK office directly regarding this. The website should have an email address and phone numbers.

4. There is information on the EPIK website about this. You might think the info there vague, but basically you can up your salary by having extra qualifications, and also by staying with the same POE for more than 2 years.

5. You cannot compare EPIK with JET. I have been on JET. It was a brilliant experience, and the organisation is bigger and better. The EPIK 'Program' is more of a recruiting exercise in disguise.
I don't know if I would recommend EPIK to others, but it was a 'safe' and easy way for me to get a secure and decent paying job here in Korea. I started off on Level 1 pay, but if I had had to start below that, I don't know if I would've bothered with EPIK.

Orientation: I believe the orientation is compulsory for all, regardless of how much teaching or Korea experience you already have. I am sure that the website stipulates this.

[poet13]

ah you started at level 1? i thought for some reason that a person would start at the bottom...
i think i would probably have to start low.
i dont have a TEFL, edu degree, MA. I am published in a very minor way.
In reading the EPIK website, it seems intentionally unclear whether the contracts are one year or less. If anyone who is on a current EPIK contract can reply here and say whether they are contracted for one year or less, that would be great.

[poet13]

yes, the website doessay everyuone has to go through orientation. But i was talking to the person who is leaving, and they were with their EPIK partner, adn from what i remember, there was a suggestion that perhaps it wasnt required in every case.... but I think that was probably just their guess. I know some of their stipulations are not always followed up on, reference another recent thread talking about health checks etc. (sorry, saw it this morning, and just looked for it, btu alas...dotn know where it was)

[Ekuboko]

I started on Level 1 because I already had a lot of teaching experience from home and I have a CELTA.

Salary level: If you start on Level 3 and then renew for a second year, you will automatically move up to Level 2.
I am not sure, but I am guessing you can't move up to Level 1 from Level 2 unless you have more qualifications.
However, if you were to stay on for a 3rd year, you should still be in line to receive the extra 200, 000won/month because that is your 'reward' for staying on.

As for skipping the Orientation, perhaps you may be able to bypass it if you directly apply to the POE itself rather than to the EPIK office. I don't know.
I just know that people who go through EPIK and then do other stuff/work/go home for a year or whatever and then come back through EPIK one more time, then they have to do the orientation again.

[I_Am_Wrong]

[quote="Ekuboko"]

5. You cannot compare EPIK with JET. I have been on JET. It was a brilliant experience, and the organisation is bigger and better. The EPIK 'Program' is more of a recruiting exercise in disguise.
I don't know if I would recommend EPIK to others, but it was a 'safe' and easy way for me to get a secure and decent paying job here in Korea. I started off on Level 1 pay, but if I had had to start below that, I don't know if I would've bothered with EPIK.
quote]

I guess you're not one of the teachers that has a "I'm a walking tape recorder" t-shirt. I've heard so many bad things about JET...it's almost unbelievable. The entire program is said to be in the dismantling process.

[Demophobe]

The orientation is a must-do.

Schools cannot hire outiside the GEPIK program once they are part of it, and they cannot select their own teacher; one is assigned to the school through the GEIK office.

I have never been through JET, so I don't know about that. I can say that unfortunately, ones' GEPIK experience is almost completely at the hands of the principal. If one is subjected strictly to the contract, GEPIK jobs do leave something to be desired.

That said, I have been under 3 principals, and after they have seen hard work, they have been very accommodating as far as extra time off during the vacations.

I am now in my 4th year in the public school and have many reasons to stay on. The money is really good (I get many bonuses and decent yearly raises), the work environment is excellent and the kids are great. No surprises with students as well...my current grade 4s will be next years' grade 5s...one can see real growth in the long-term and it's really neat to watch students grow up.

Also, being in a school, one can see the same kids everyday and a real cool relationship develops...one where they trust you enough to really try in class as they realize you really do have their best interests at heart.

[poet13]

AFter I talk with the teacher again to find out how her experience here was, I think I will talk to the POE directly as Ekuboko suggests, despite what appears to be sound information from Demophobe. As I remember it, thats what the EPIK teachers suggested. A writing partner of mine, who is a recently retired principal, and something of a PIP (Pretty Important Person as he calls it ) in this province, has offered to talk directly with the people who could do the hiring. I know I can get references from at least one other principal, the library director, etc. It's a small enough place that they all either know each other, or in some cases, were class mates 40 + years ago... I cant imagine, for any job, that I would be willing to work for two weeks for free (orientation). That just doesnt fly with me. I dont have a lot of the higher quals that many do, but i do have + 4 years experience teaching in several different cultures.

[schwa]

With 2+ years of teaching under your belt (with legitimate institutions) you'd come in at level 2. If you can swing an accredited TEFL course (100+ hours) before you start, you'd be level 1. It would be a lucrative investment -- it would jump your pay 300,000 a month. Level requirements here: http://epik.knue.ac.kr/sub2/sub2_2_2.asp

Most applicants have no say where they are placed but with references from the right people its entirely possible to choose your own placement (if its available). Thats what I did. The POE guy in charge of the program makes the final determination but bear in mind he's just a mid-level bureaucrat, outranked by principals & even vp's.

As far as I know the only way you can avoid the orientation is if you were to start teaching midyear or midsemester -- doesnt sound like that applies to you. But its an easy enough 2 weeks. More shmooze & snooze than work.

All contracts run for a year. Old threads might refer to the old 50-week system but that was scrapped 4 years ago.

[poet13]

thank you schwa. I was told because that I am already in this town (not really big enough to be a city thought its called that), that being placed here should be easy enough. I wouldnt join the program otherwise. The only reason I'm considering ti is because i want to stay in my city. As far as the other places i worked being reputable? No. 18 months in a hogwan here, a year each in three other countries, but not at places as even formal as a hogwan. One one was tourist school in mexico that taught spanish to tourists, but I got my lessons free by teaching three to five hours a day. Another was teaching all the high school kids in my village in greece. In another coutnry, teaching kids.

I think I will look more into it. Thank you all for your help. I will keep listening here for more advice though.