[Roark]

(05-23-2012 07:39 AM)AlphaTravel Wrote:  

A friend of mines just started teaching in Thailand. He paid $1500 to do a 3 week course out here that offered a guaranteed job in a destination of his choice after it finished, $1000 a month in pay, free accommodation. The reality of it turned out to be very different. You could pick somewhere on a list you'd like to go so he opted for a big city, he got sent to a village with nothing but some houses and a school an hour away from the city. The accommodation he was given was a mattress on the floor in a dirty room of a shared house with a middle aged ladyboy miles away from the school and the pay is under discussion. He has to stay there for 5 months or they don't give him his TEFL certificate, so all that time and money wasted if he quits. Sounds like hell to me. Think wisely before taking a teaching gig.

That doesn't have much to do with getting a teaching gig per se, but not being a gullible person who gets scammed. I make $40 per hour in Korea and have no TEFL Cert (which you don't need to teach). He shouldn't have wasted his time and money on that TEFL certificate, and he should have found a job himself like any normal person does. Never heard of anyone agreeing to work without first seeing a contract (at least in Korea, Japan, and Taiwan). He got scammed.

[AlphaTravel]

The course provider is considered to be reputable. He (and I) researched this before he signed up. They had glowing reviews online but I guess every experience is different and he's maybe got unlucky. Very unlucky.

[Vacancier Permanent]

Alphatravel,
Is the company called TEFL International? I almost signed up for it a few years ago, at the time, it was 500 bucks, same deal, 3 weeks training with paid accommodations in Thailand then 4 months work somewhere in the country and upon finishing, I'd receive the diplomma. Not sure why I didn't do it but I'm glad I didn't.

[trey]

I've heard a version of the bait-and-switch teaching gig program several times. Every teacher I know in Thailand that gets paid well and enjoys their job spent time in the country meeting schools/other teachers and doing their due diligence before signing a contract. If anyone wants to teach English, that's the way to do it. Goes for any location.

[AlphaTravel]

No different company name American TESOL Institute but it's probably all the same thing. The reason they can guarantee you a job is because there are tons of jobs in Thailand that no one wants, i.e. being in a village in Isaan province 1hr away from civilization where there's nothing happening and you're the only white person. Doing one of these courses will mean you end up with a shitty job that no one else wanted. If you want to teach in Thailand better just getting a TEFL certificate and then finding your own job, at least you can choose where you work.

VP why are you considering going to teach English in Thailand don't you have a successful online business?

[Vacancier Permanent]

AT,
I considered teaching English in Thailand back in 2007 that was before I got into my biz.
Yeah American Tesol, Tesol International, Tefl International, they're all the same. As mentioned before, best way to get a good gig is be there and network, go to the schools, no need to pay an agency for a placement.

[Pilgrim37]

Sell your life giving seed...should get you a few bucks..depending what you look like!