Inquiry From New Member

[rich125]

Hi were new to the forum, had a good browse through but there is a lot to take in so thought we would post a few questions so we could get some specific advice about our own opportunities in teaching in Thailand.

Will list qualifications and experience.

Rich, 22. - BA Degree in PE and Sports Development, 2 Months teaching placement experience in England.

Georgina, 22. BA hons Degree in English, 3 months teaching placment experience in England.

We're both looking to move to Phuket and do a TEFL around late June with teflphuket dot com. Has this course got a goog reputation or is there a better alternative in Phuket?

After completion how long approx is it likely to take us to find a job teaching in Phuket and what wage should we expect?

After paying for flights, the course and 1 month accomodation, we're looking at taking approx £1000 each, would this be enough?

Would there be any problems gaining a working visa/permit?

Any further advice would be mch appreciated,

Cheers, Rich and Georgina.

[Scott]

I am moving this to a new thread. Hopefully some members can give them some advice.

[rich125]

Cheers Scott, much appreciated, hopefully some members will be able to give some greatly appreciated advice.

Thanks again,

Rich & Georgina

[up-country_sinclair]

Lots of people want to teach on Phuket, and to be frank, most of them will have significantly more experience than you.

That's not to say it can't be done, but I think it will be a struggle for you to find a good job---regular pay, legit documentation, etc...

Because so many want to teach/live there, the pay isn't really that great. I could be wrong, but I think that many earn about 25-30,000 baht a month

1000 Pounds is only about 48,000 baht. In my personal opinion, the minimum you should come with is 4 or 5 times that amount.

Sorry if this reply come across as harsh, but I'm trying to give you the reality as I see it.

[markg]

Hello, i'll try to be as helpful as possible.

Both of you are young and have virtually no experience of teaching. This puts you a little down the list of desirable candidates.

Next, the Thai academic year runs May to September and October to mid-March - so rocking up in June is in the middle of the first semester.

You 'may' get some jobs at that time as people find out how hard teaching is and do a runner during June and July.

You have to be on the ground with your CV's on schools' desks as when someone does a runner, the school will take anyone to replace them. (ask why they did a runner though)

The main recruiting time is gonna be September for you. (Or next April)

Is 1,000 pounds gonna be enough to last two of you from the end of your TEFL course until your first pay cheque? Possibly not.

1k is now about 48k baht.

You 'may' find accommodation that doesnt require 2 or 3 months rent up front as a deposit. If you can't then the deposit could be 12 - 20k baht straight off.

With your lack of experience, you're gonna be looking at earning around the 35k a month gross - just over say 33k a month net, each.

Basic housing, if you are lucky will run you 6k a month but look at 10k a month to have something more reasonable.

You appear to be asking the right questions which is a good thing, so you're entering into this with your eyes open.

You can take a gamble and hope that a job comes along for at least one of you.

Or you could wait 12 months and save another couple of grand to act as a cushion.

Set up costs for deposits, bedding, fans etc etc plus motorbike rental will eat into your 1 grand safety money quickly.

Phuket is a very desirable place to live and there are not many decent teaching jobs to be had, so competition is fierce as you can imagine - though you can always get a job at certain schools that have 60 or 70 % teaching staff turnover......................................

[rich125]

Cheers mate,

Thanks for your honest opinion, much appreciated. My dad lives in Rawai, Phuket, so that is a bit of security regarding somewhere to stay, money problems etc.

What would the problems be regarding legal documentation?

Cheers,

Rich & Georgina

[rich125]

RE - markg. cheers for your reply too.

We would look at taking £1000 EACH, will now consider taking maybe £2000 EACH if possible. My dad would put us up in his house as he has done before when we came on holiday for 6 weeks, although obviously eventually we would want our own place.

Does this sound more realistic, want everything to be right before we go to reduce any risk of problems. Would maybe consider Krabi aswell as a possibility until we can find a job in Phuket?? just want to get as much advice and help as possible until we make any commitments!

Thanks again Rich & Georgina

[up-country_sinclair]

Legit documentation: Non-Immigrant B visa and Work permit. Some of the dodgier schools have a history of not supporting their teachers to become 'legal'.

OK, 100,000 baht and staying at your father's house until you're up on your feet sounds much better.

Good luck!

FYI....Teaching jobs are even more difficult to come by in Krabi.

[rich125]

Cheers for the reply mate, yeh obviously would want everything legit and above board! Obviously a major reason for living in Phuket is having that security of having family there and wanting to be close to them, but we would not write off the idea of trying somewhere else.

Has anyone got any experience of teaching in Phuket or working there? Would just like to gain as much knowledge as possible.

Any advice and info whatsoever is hugley appreciated.

Thanks again,

Rich and Georgina

[rich125]

hugely*

[rich125]

SO the genuine feel is not to do it then, too much risk of not getting a job in Phuket? maybe save over £2000 each and get more teaching experience first? Or should we go for it?

[markg]

SO the genuine feel is not to do it then, too much risk of not getting a job in Phuket? maybe save over £2000 each and get more teaching experience first? Or should we go for it?

There are one or two schools in Phuket that are regarded as 'teacher factories' - they employ a lot of teachers but have a very high turn over - often due to the foreign coordinators being the yes-men messengers for the school director. You will get a job with them anytime. Use Ajarn dot com and search for schools in Phuket. They virtually have permanent adverts on there.

You will find work there, get a network of teaching friends and find out where the more satisfying schools are. Or you may be one of the teachers that likes it there and sticks it out.

It's not impossible.

All the mainstream schools that i know of in Phuket ONLY use legit paperwork for teachers. It's only some of the language schools that won't offfer you a work permit.

[mizzi39]

It seems like you are in a win win situation here. You have family to stay with, so this is a big plus. I personally do not have experience with Phuket, so advice on the area is best left to members that do, but I have been living here long enough to know that a good teaching job is found by not limiting yourself to a certain area. I had no teaching experience when i first moved here. I started teaching in language schools part time after completing a TEFL, then landed my first teaching job in a Govt. school (which i am still employed at three years later)

Give yourselves some time. After reading your post I hold the opinion that you are definitely qualified to teach in Thailand or at least on paper. TEFL will help if you have no teaching experience, but it is not required, however it may secure you jobs over someone who does not possess one.

Keep in mind that you may have to take the Teachers License test if you do not already possess teaching credentials from home. If you have no teaching experience you may be required to take the one year "prep" course before you will be able to take the tests, (not always enforced) but this only applies to teaching in Govt. schools (at this time). if you got hired at a Govt. school you will probably get the 2 year waiver anyway.

Like others stated, the time of year is going to be a little difficult to secure a steady job, so you may have to take what you can find until something more steady becomes available.

Contrary to what others may say, your ages work in your favor and not against you.

Welcome to the forum and good luck to the both of you.

[rich125]

Cheers for the advice guys.

The general feel now if to save more cash, £2000 EACH. Do the TEFL a month later than planned from the end of July through to the end of August, leaving us more time to save and also less time waiting for the new term. Giving us time to hopefully find a steady secure place in Phuket for the forthcoming October semester.

Will have a good look through the info on the teacher's license on other threads. Anyone got any specific advise to us regarding the teacher's license?

All advise so far been brilliant, thanks for your help and time.

Rich & Georgina

Edited March 16, 2010 by rich125

[mizzi39]

Cheers for the advice guys.

The general feel now if to save more cash, £2000 EACH. Do the TEFL a month later than planned from the end of July through to the end of August, leaving us more time to save and also less time waiting for the new term. Giving us time to hopefully find a steady secure place in Phuket for the forthcoming October semester.

Will have a good look through the info on the teacher's license on other threads. Anyone got any specific advise to us regarding the teacher's license?

All advise so far been brilliant, thanks for your help and time.

Rich & Georgina

It's always refreshing to hear from people with good heads on their shoulders. Thailand will still be here when you decide to come, so no need to "jump the gun". Research the teachers license requirements a little more. There is a pinned thread at the top that might be of some help to you. "TIT" (This Is Thailand), so things tend to change here like the wind. Again chok dee to the both of you.

[culicine]

Aslo get yourself a bike if you want to get around Puket, especially if your course is not situated near your Dad's place. Plublic transport there leaves a lot to be desired, as you know. So that needs to be budgeted for if you can't access one.

[rich125]

Yeh knew getting a bike would figure highly on the agenda when arriving? How much would one be to buy?

[octavedave]

A second hand one would cost anything from 12000 upwards or 38000 for a new Honda wave. As for you teaching here i think you should go for it and i also think you will get a job quite easily . Im trying to find a phone number for you of a guy who set me up with my first teaching job .Ill get back to you tommorrow with it.

Alot of people on here may make things sound a bit more difficult than it actully is to get a job .They are just trying to protect their own interests or a bit envious of your qulifications.

I will say though don't expect to much more than thb30000 a month to start with.

[octavedave]

Thats thb 30000 each per month so 60000 for both of you is enough to be comfortable.

[rich125]

Cheers Dave, that sounds ok for the old budget. When I was over last year I was borrowing my dad's Honda, so wouldn't mind one of them but obviously depends on the funds saved.

Are you currently teaching in Phuket or have you before? We would be very thankful for any good contacts that could help us out.

Cheers again mate.

[lonexpat]

Rich,

Not sure if it's hard to get a job now or not because I've been in one place for a number of years, but I think Dave's being a bit flippant to be honest. Yeh, you could probably find something, but you could say that anywhere in the world.......a road sweeper is something!

If this is a 1 year thing, then you could probably stick anything e.g. a language school job or one of the factory jobs talked about by others and they maybe aren't that difficult. But on the whole they vary from hel_l through to stick it for the experiences outside of work hours type jobs.

Most involve children (although there are a few niche hotel training jobs etc) and nearly all have a high agency/language school presence in the recruiting now. There are a few that take people directly but with no experience I'd say as a guess, that most department heads would be unlikely to consider you especially if they get 10 or more applications from better suited people in the holiday between terms.

If you manage to get something, post back and I'm sure a number of pertinent replies will help you avoid the early pitfalls.

[rich125]

Just out of interest, what would the early pitfalls be??

Cheers

[Scott]

In Thailand being young and good looking will help. Ladies are ls in demand as teachers.