Corona chaos: job availability by August 2020?

[OumarhindaOunsingha]

Normally the high season for teacher recruitment in Thailand is Feb.-May. This year, however, the corona has changed that. From what I understand by the many very recent job ads on Ajarn.com, most schools this year will employ teachers from July 1, as the schools are expected to open that time. I am from Denmark, and was originally planning arriving Thailand in the beginning of April, land a teaching job quickly and start teaching by May, but as you all know, no incoming international flights have been allowed entering Thailand at least until July 1, which forced me to wait till the airports (hopefully) open in July or August.

In this unusual and most likely somewhat chaotic situation, what do you people think would be the odds landing a teaching job in for example August or end of July - in comparison to the same period (July/August) as well as the peak hiring season (Feb.-May.) last year? Would it be easier or harder than in a normal year? I would imagine that a not insignificant number of teachers have attempted finding alternative jobs, for example online teaching - or have left the teaching sector altogether. On the other hand, maybe there are few other jobs available in the country, as a significant part of Thailand's economy has been shut more or less down, why already employed teachers (from the previous year) may be hanging on to their jobs like crazy, in order to have just some source of income. I am not really sure how the situation is regarding teaching job availability this coming summer. Do you know? Thoughts?

[Number 6]

It depends on the kind of job you want. You seem to have a solid command of English. Despite not having a passport from NES country it is possible for you to be relatively well paid. Your question about the timing is a very valid concern. My best advice would be to wait until next year when the chaos has hopefully subsided. At this moment you can't even enter the country with a work permit. That will change quickly but there will be a great deal of scrutiny regarding who is allowed in early days IMO. For whatever reason there's been a dearth of good jobs this year. Maybe covid has kept many in place. You'll be coming in late and that's already working against you insofar as landing a job at a decent school. So I reiterate these points. 

 

Very important if you land any old job and then plan to move the following year you will burn a valuable teaching credential waiver. Within six years you can obtain 2-4 of these depending on your luck and cunning. After that you'll need a license to enter a classroom. You could work at a language center. Very sketchy and often no WP. Evenings and weekends sound good for 40k? Also at the mercy of their honestly and solvency. Stay in Denmark and do a CELTA if it's cheap. Read online. Get some educational technology under your belt. When you do come focus on Bangkok. IMO rural jobs will disappear. Government is having a rude awakening with 8m unemployed, stagnant schools and working to develop distance learning. Even if you only want to teach ten years aim high. If you just want to burn up your waivers and be done with it that might be another story but I'd still not want to work for anything less than 35k first year and 20% every second year thereafter if you have ambition.

 

Finally, I would not recommend starting midterm because that's when all the worst teachers get fired and this period is quite low energy anyway. On another note the year is out of kilter and most schools will end quite late in March. Therefore, you could be well placed by then IF they're are jobs. If you just had to come I would still wait until things open up and try and hit the second term. You're already quite late for the first sitting in Europe.

Edited June 5, 2020 by Number 6

[puchooay]

17 hours ago, Number 6 said:

. IMO rural jobs will disappear.

Your disdain for all things outside of Bangkok is dated and misplaced.

[Aspaltso]

19 hours ago, Number 6 said:

It depends on the kind of job you want. You seem to have a solid command of English. Despite not having a passport from NES country it is possible for you to be relatively well paid. Your question about the timing is a very valid concern. My best advice would be to wait until next year when the chaos has hopefully subsided. At this moment you can't even enter the country with a work permit. That will change quickly but there will be a great deal of scrutiny regarding who is allowed in early days IMO. For whatever reason there's been a dearth of good jobs this year. Maybe covid has kept many in place. You'll be coming in late and that's already working against you insofar as landing a job at a decent school. So I reiterate these points. 

 

Very important if you land any old job and then plan to move the following year you will burn a valuable teaching credential waiver. Within six years you can obtain 2-4 of these depending on your luck and cunning. After that you'll need a license to enter a classroom. You could work at a language center. Very sketchy and often no WP. Evenings and weekends sound good for 40k? Also at the mercy of their honestly and solvency. Stay in Denmark and do a CELTA if it's cheap. Read online. Get some educational technology under your belt. When you do come focus on Bangkok. IMO rural jobs will disappear. Government is having a rude awakening with 8m unemployed, stagnant schools and working to develop distance learning. Even if you only want to teach ten years aim high. If you just want to burn up your waivers and be done with it that might be another story but I'd still not want to work for anything less than 35k first year and 20% every second year thereafter if you have ambition.

 

Finally, I would not recommend starting midterm because that's when all the worst teachers get fired and this period is quite low energy anyway. On another note the year is out of kilter and most schools will end quite late in March. Therefore, you could be well placed by then IF they're are jobs. If you just had to come I would still wait until things open up and try and hit the second term. You're already quite late for the first sitting in Europe.

I actually have a different take than the above comment. My view is that schools in Thailand are desperate for teachers( I know mine is), and there's never been a better time to look for a job in Thailand. The only issue to which you were aware of is: when are you going to be able to come back into the country? From my understanding it'll only be a few countries which will be able to land their planes in Thailand on July 1( China, South Korea, taiwan, and perhaps a few others. Thailand will not be taking people in from Europe until at the very least August, and potentially longer. Best of luck.

[khunPer]

If you have a job and documentation from abroad, you can enter Thailand, but without that you will not be able to get in before July 1st; perhaps even later, but nobody can for sure predict the situation.

 

If you are looking for a teaching position in an international school where the academic year begin around 1st September, it's however my impression that the demand for international schools are decreasing, probably due to the Covid-19 crisis. In my area one out of five Cambridge curriculum international schools is closing down, and another is combining three classes per year into two, due to decreasing number of students. I don't know if teachers have left/are leaving.

 

You may have better options with Thai schools, or bi-lingual schools (EP/English Program), but they follow the Thai academic year beginning 1st July this year.

[cyril sneer]

Agencies are desperate, most schools under 50% staffed for the July start, you should have no problems whatsoever 

[BangkokTeacher]

On 6/6/2020 at 2:23 PM, khunPer said:

If you have a job and documentation from abroad, you can enter Thailand, but without that you will not be able to get in before July 1st; perhaps even later, but nobody can for sure predict the situation.

 

If you are looking for a teaching position in an international school where the academic year begin around 1st September, it's however my impression that the demand for international schools are decreasing, probably due to the Covid-19 crisis. In my area one out of five Cambridge curriculum international schools is closing down, and another is combining three classes per year into two, due to decreasing number of students. I don't know if teachers have left/are leaving.

 

You may have better options with Thai schools, or bi-lingual schools (EP/English Program), but they follow the Thai academic year beginning 1st July this year.

International school wise it very much depends upon what school you are at and which company, if any, own them. There are quite a few stories about some conglomerate schools who are laying off teachers, cancelling new contracts not paying end of term gratuities. My school is a larger one in Bangkok and we have been told that there will be no payrise this year but that signing on bonuses would still be paid. All of our new teachers will be coming for next year, dependent upon the government allowing flights in! I Also believe though that, if you are at one of the smaller, less well financed schools who wait until later in the cycle to recruit that you may be in trouble. People all over the world certainly seem to want to stay where they are, according to our admissions people we have lost about 40, kids so not too bad, it all depends upon whom we can pick up once the nightmare ends.

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

On 6/9/2020 at 1:00 PM, cyril sneer said:

Agencies are desperate, most schools under 50% staffed

This one agency I worked for has been posting a new job ad every day. Years of getting a fresh plane load of bright eyed farangs every term, to treat like dogs and salaries to fleece, sure puffed up their egos. This turn of events is giving them a surprising, much needed attitude adjustment. SOM NAM NA!

[thequietman]

1 hour ago, CrunchWrapSupreme said:

This one agency I worked for has been posting a new job ad every day. Years of getting a fresh plane load of bright eyed farangs every term, to treat like dogs and salaries to fleece, sure puffed up their egos. This turn of events is giving them a surprising, much needed attitude adjustment. SOM NAM NA!

And will they learn from it, and adjust their thinking - That's a big fat No. ????

[stubuzz]

On 6/6/2020 at 10:23 AM, khunPer said:

If you have a job and documentation from abroad, you can enter Thailand, but without that you will not be able to get in before July 1st; perhaps even later, but nobody can for sure predict the situation.

It is still not easy if you have documentation. Getting a repatriation flight and paying for quarantine and insurance will cost more than 80k.

[richardperry]

Echo-English have vacancies.

[248900_1469958220]

On 6/19/2020 at 7:47 AM, CrunchWrapSupreme said:

This one agency I worked for has been posting a new job ad every day. Years of getting a fresh plane load of bright eyed farangs every term, to treat like dogs and salaries to fleece, sure puffed up their egos. This turn of events is giving them a surprising, much needed attitude adjustment. SOM NAM NA!

I have, at times for a laugh contacted such agencies. I have 15 years experience, a degree from a Western country, a teaching licence....and am a native speaker......."35,000 Baht sir" say the numpties down the phone. What a delicious turn of events it is for such low life scum as theses agencies to be put into hard times. I dont see it improving for them either. I cant imagine much free travel between here and UK/US until maybe....maybe next year. They may have to advertise to the Kiwis, offer them free "fush and chups' for lunch.