Agencies and PROFIT

[Ventenio]

no names, good for them.  when you learn schools are paying 65,000 per teacher and the agency gives the teacher 30,000....well, it's pretty crazy.  this was for FIVE teachers.  none of them from America, UK or Australia (if anyone cares) and none of them had teaching experience before.  

 

1.  this means, of course, the school could pay more than they are currently.  35,000 should go to 45,000...

2.  12-month contract should be automatic

3.  wow, these agencies are making good money

 

i just thought the agencies made between 5-10,000 per person, per month.  this might be the norm..

 

this was surprising to me.

 

just so you know.

 

more information can't hurt

 

 

 

[thequietman]

Proof please, or just hearsay. Thanks.

[Number 6]

I seriously doubt this. I think they pay the agencies about 40-45k. They pay you 33-37k.

 

Only two types of situations teachers could be forgiven for working for an agency. First, they're brand new. Actually first year money is same direct or agency often. Trouble is the smart folks will be gone first year and burn a waiver in process. Next, teachers that live in Nakon Nowhere and are stuck and fkuced on the farm forever. That school and dread agency is only game in town. Bullet to head might be optimal.

 

When the best thing anyone can say about an agency is it pays on time run. If there are notorious managers and Directors run. You should check out the school before you sign. Even then, a few horrible agencies still have contracts with a few decent schools in Bangkok.

 

People need to stop complaining and go get  better jobs. Anyone researching teaching efl for an hour should know working for an agency is not in your best interest. They'll screw you every time. 

 

I can think of one agency has changed its name four times in the time I've been teaching. It posts ads under 2-3 names.

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

I tend to believe the 60k number. I've heard it mentioned several times, by people who've been close to agencies, including a head of department who's a family friend at a school I was considering. Her school contracts with "a certain huge agency identifiable by two letters", and said that's the amount they get per foreign teacher from the govt.

 

A friend once told me his agency only gets 1k per month from him, because that's what was on the tax papers they made him sign. Haha. I said man, look at those nice cars they drive. You think an extra 1k from a few teachers is making those payments?

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

Oh, I should also say that I had another friend get an offer from "that certain big agency", and push their 30k closer to 40k, using these magic words: "But surely that's not including accommodation? What will my accommodation allowance be?" This also indicates there's some margin to be played with. That being said, I heard the lion's share of this goes not to the agency, but the school director.

 

Ah, I know many here frown upon speculation, but it's a fine Thai tradition. It has to be in a land where direct communication is avoided. Not only regarding things you shouldn't know about, like agency profits, but even things you really should, like how to be taking attendance all year, after repeatedly asking about it, only to get an earful that it's all wrong, on the day of submitting final grades!

[Ventenio]

years ago, my first job, I had an agent.  it was pretty transparent.  the school paid him 35k and he gave me 30k.  the school always told me, 'after you fire him, we'll pay you an extra 5k'.  i didn't stay there.

 

it's funny how thai teachers get soooooo jealous if you are making 40k, but they have NO idea all these other teachers are getting 65,000 each.  I'm sure they wire money to the agencies, and it's not as transparent.  

 

yes, it was only for a few months.  i know a few directors, and it's impossible to get real answers about money; HOWEVER, there are sometimes when they tell you things.  usually because one teacher is horrible and they have to pay 130,000 for two months for one clown to listen to absolute garbage.  but then they don't want to pay their best teachers a few thousand more.  It was five teachers at 325,000 a month and the teachers got half from the agency. 

 

*ANOTHER NOTE:  I do wonder if teachers could demand more now because of the Corona risk.  That's a thing.

 

12-month contracts and 45,000 to 50,000 should be demanded by someone from America or the UK.  IMO.  

 

I'm not teaching now and I have no plans or need to teach again, but I did in the past and I don't mind talking about it.  I still have friends who are teachers and this little bit of information was surprising.  

[puchooay]

19 hours ago, Number 6 said:

Only two types of situations teachers could be forgiven for working for an agency. First, they're brand new. Actually first year money is same direct or agency often. Trouble is the smart folks will be gone first year and burn a waiver in process. Next, teachers that live in Nakon Nowhere and are stuck and fkuced on the farm forever. That school and dread agency is only game in town. Bullet to head might be optimal.

Agencies play their part, in particular in the less touristy places. Schools struggle to recruit and even some don't know where or how to advertise. There are a few very good agencies that operate in Issan, as an example.

 

Also, the teachers are often a better breed too. Not the fly by night teacher that is looking for a quick buck for a few months so he can sun himself on the beach, drink and chase the girls at the weekend. You will find that there are many happy teachers in Issan, both agency hire and direct hire, and many of them are long term in a school. Not because it is the only option, why is it that people from larger cities like Pattaya and Bangkok seem to think there is only one school per town in Issan, but rather because they enjoy the job, they like the school and get on with the people there.

[Number 6]

33 minutes ago, puchooay said:

Agencies play their part, in particular in the less touristy places. Schools struggle to recruit and even some don't know where or how to advertise. There are a few very good agencies that operate in Issan, as an example.

 

Also, the teachers are often a better breed too. Not the fly by night teacher that is looking for a quick buck for a few months so he can sun himself on the beach, drink and chase the girls at the weekend. You will find that there are many happy teachers in Issan, both agency hire and direct hire, and many of them are long term in a school. Not because it is the only option, why is it that people from larger cities like Pattaya and Bangkok seem to think there is only one school per town in Issan, but rather because they enjoy the job, they like the school and get on with the people there.

I couldn't disagree more. School's struggle because they'd not asked a foreign teacher to help put an ad on ajarn because that's all agencies do. Agencies are no better equipped to land good teachers as they are landing a man on the moon. They might be a better judge of character but in the end any warm body will do. I worked with two alcoholics and one very creepy guy in central Bangkok my first year and with an agency. If teachers are happy in issarn, it's issarn it's not the pay or the treatment by their agency/ies. I certainly don't think there is only one school in town, especially in the larger cities. I also don't think the education is worth a damn and that environment is a magnet for foreign teachers that don't give a damn. I'd be hard pressed to name twenty good public schools up north. I would agree you probably get fewer backpacker types, but they're many types don't give a toss.

 

[sapson]

The agencies make a good amount but without doubt out of the allocation for each western teacher by the government a huge amount by way of envelopes filters directly back to the director, this is a huge factor in the initial procurement negotiations of the contract by the agency and school.

 

Really their should be a union or representation of western teachers and everyone should not be allowed  to work for less than 45k but if they did, their .would be plenty of none NES teachers who would and do now work for sub 30k salary.

[puchooay]

1 hour ago, Number 6 said:

I couldn't disagree more. School's struggle because they'd not asked a foreign teacher to help put an ad on ajarn because that's all agencies do. Agencies are no better equipped to land good teachers as they are landing a man on the moon. They might be a better judge of character but in the end any warm body will do. I worked with two alcoholics and one very creepy guy in central Bangkok my first year and with an agency. If teachers are happy in issarn, it's issarn it's not the pay or the treatment by their agency/ies. I certainly don't think there is only one school in town, especially in the larger cities. I also don't think the education is worth a damn and that environment is a magnet for foreign teachers that don't give a damn. I'd be hard pressed to name twenty good public schools up north. I would agree you probably get fewer backpacker types, but they're many types don't give a toss.

 

The agencies that I have had direct contact with advertise in the media in most English speaking countries. Something schools would not do.

 

I am speaking from over 20 years experience. It appears you are not. Nuff said. Thanks.

[Ventenio]

2 hours ago, sapson said:

a huge amount by way of envelopes filters directly back to the director,

i would definitely agree with this, and people have told me that it is happening.  However, i'm not about to ask questions relating to this....so i'm afraid i'll never know for sure.  we can guess.... 65,000.  teacher 30,000.  agency 10,000.  and somebody gets 25,000.  it's possible.  

[sapson]

43 minutes ago, Ventenio said:

so i'm afraid i'll never know for sure.

Its as sure as their being 24 hours in a day......its just how it is in Thailand.