Moving to Thailand and looking to teach English

[soley13]

Hi people!

 

I'm a 32 year old Mental Health Professional working in the UK (I'm British btw) looking to make a move; a little about my background:

 

BA in Sociology and Psychology

MSc in Psychology

 

I have taken a 120 Hour TEFL Course

 

I'm due to start CELTA course mid March.

 

I have some teaching experience in IT and Mental Health Education (however I have no formal teaching qualifications)

 

What are my prospects to pick up a decent English Teaching job in Bangkok?

 

 

Your advice would be much appreciated!

 

[mduras01]

I took the CELTA course in Bangkok. It was great, very intensive. With your credentials, I'd try applying at airlines and hotels. These often need instructors and don't always advertise online. You could also try business English, or providing psychiatric services to your student [emoji1]


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[muzmurray]

8 hours ago, mduras01 said:

I took the CELTA course in Bangkok. It was great, very intensive. With your credentials, I'd try applying at airlines and hotels. These often need instructors and don't always advertise online. You could also try business English, or providing psychiatric services to your student


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

 

Please explain how "BA in Sociology and Psychology MSc in Psychology" means that the OP should be teaching at airlines or hotels?

[yellowboat]

Health care is booming everywhere in Asia.   Malaysia and Singapore will hire people who speak English.   Malaysia offers sane lifestyle that is similar to Thailand.  Thailand is becoming overrated. 

 

Teaching English is either a good experience to far less so.   If you can get a hotel or airline gig, that would be great. 

[recom273]

There are several teaching in Thailand Facebook groups - there was a post a couple of weeks ago requesting someone with suitable qualifications to teach students with learning disabilities. The money was quite good.

[georgemandm]

Look good on you but why , why would you do that come here work for just s??? Money of what I have been told ? . 

[a1falang]

10 minutes ago, georgemandm said:

Look good on you but why , why would you do that come here work for just s??? Money of what I have been told ? . 

 

Yeah, it really looks like a step down. Visas and work permits are such a hassle here. Thailand doesn't like foreigners much. Very protectionist and nationalistic.

[a1falang]

I've heard having a work stint in Thailand in your CV can be a black mark in the eyes of UK and other Western employers later. They all "know" men go to Thailand only for one thing (assuming the OP is male) and will make snap judgments about your character.

[brewsterbudgen]

With a CELTA and your degree you should find a job (in Bangkok) easily.  Try the corporate sector as the pay can be quite good (around 600-1,000 baht an hour) and there are lots of companies and corporate agencies looking for English teachers, as well as hospitals and hotels.  Alternatively, exam preparation pays well (IELTS, IGCSE, TOEFL, TOEIC, GMAT).  There a language centres that specialise in this (I work for one) and if you meet the requirements you can also get work as an Examiner.  It's not difficult to earn over 80,000 a month for not a lot of hours!

[ThaiWai]

ajarn.com

[smotherb]

2 hours ago, a1falang said:

I've heard having a work stint in Thailand in your CV can be a black mark in the eyes of UK and other Western employers later. They all "know" men go to Thailand only for one thing (assuming the OP is male) and will make snap judgments about your character.

You mean women don't go to Thailand for that one thing too?

[bark]

You are young and smart. Try it for a year. You may stay forever.

Just bring 5-10 thousand pounds, for the tough times. maybe it takes a few months to get the job organized.

Good Luck.

[louse1953]

6 hours ago, georgemandm said:

Look good on you but why , why would you do that come here work for just s??? Money of what I have been told ? . 

It's not always about the money.I wouldn't be here if that was the case.

[louse1953]

6 hours ago, a1falang said:

 

Yeah, it really looks like a step down. Visas and work permits are such a hassle here. Thailand doesn't like foreigners much. Very protectionist and nationalistic.

Yes they are,because they are sick and tired of foreigners trying to pull the wool over their eyes.They are making new rules and inforcing old ones.If you are legit it is too easy.

[louse1953]

6 hours ago, a1falang said:

I've heard having a work stint in Thailand in your CV can be a black mark in the eyes of UK and other Western employers later. They all "know" men go to Thailand only for one thing (assuming the OP is male) and will make snap judgments about your character.

55,so don't put it there and keep off social media.

[georgemandm]

6 minutes ago, louse1953 said:

It's not always about the money.I wouldn't be here if that was the case.

Are you joking me , it is all about money the whole world runs on it .

if you have no money you are a nothing, look at Thais it is all about money to them .

you are very wrong.

young man comes here and works for s??? 

Ok one bloke trying to say he makes lots every month but most , make s??? Money here .

so how do you live ? . 

With no money look for food in the bins not joking with you how do you live here if it is not about money.

what your money comes from a tree.

gets me men like you making  statements like that not all about money, it is all about money .

[stubuzz]

Ethnicity plays a part in the kind of job you can get.

[perdido]

10 hours ago, georgemandm said:

Look good on you but why , why would you do that come here work for just s??? Money of what I have been told ? . 

....he could help some people brush up their language skills....

[georgemandm]

21 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

With a CELTA and your degree you should find a job (in Bangkok) easily.  Try the corporate sector as the pay can be quite good (around 600-1,000 baht an hour) and there are lots of companies and corporate agencies looking for English teachers, as well as hospitals and hotels.  Alternatively, exam preparation pays well (IELTS, IGCSE, TOEFL, TOEIC, GMAT).  There a language centres that specialise in this (I work for one) and if you meet the requirements you can also get work as an Examiner.  It's not difficult to earn over 80,000 a month for not a lot of hours!

Look you could be right, but how many come to thailand and get that money not a lot at all 80,000 ?. no way would be 1 in a million.

 

[brewsterbudgen]

Look you could be right, but how many come to thailand and get that money not a lot at all 80,000 ?. no way would be 1 in a million.
 

Most of my colleagues are earning at least that. The IELTS business pays well, although it will be changing dramatically for some next year when much of the marking is transferred.

[jumpzone123]

On 19/12/2016 at 7:41 AM, muzmurray said:

 

Please explain how "BA in Sociology and Psychology MSc in Psychology" means that the OP should be teaching at airlines or hotels?

 

 

Answer him.

[ozmeldo]

Absolutely insane to chuck a career away to come here and work for nothing. Please remember that you potentially have four years or two schools, whichever comes first. After that it is expected that you'll be working on a worthless Ed diploma; an expensive and dubious online degree and that is far from assured to bring you a license (good for five years only in which you are expected to do further work in Education).

 

Between the Filipino's and technology this industry won't be around in ten years for foreigners. I question even in China, which is more like a prison sentence.

 

In UK, after 5-7 years you will be totally unemployable. No one will be interested in you even for the most menial tasks because they can hire a person who was not in Thailand (or prison?) or does not have to explain five+ year wage gap.

 

The only time this makes sense is if you already see yourself due to job market, age, your major and career trajectory being unable to secure a job.

 

Teaching here is hard work and faking it can be equally hard work. Personally, I'd never work for a language school or an agency so if you come here and come to the same conclusion, your employment prospects are far more slim. Corporate work is pretty much run by agencies and will be fraught with shenanigans and low pay, lots of unpaid, hot slogging to and fro. Setting up classrooms, often teaching bored office workers.

 

The industry will be finished in less than ten years.

 

At least go to Japan if they will take you. Move on to Korea. When you've come to loathe the Koreans, wash up here. When you burn out here, you can go to China.

 

Unless you're just coming here because you're lost and lonely. You'll never find love or even sex in Japan or Korea by and large.

 

So, guy with a Master's degree, the life plan is to come here and teach for 32-38k+ in the publics and do weekend work at some shit shack of a language school? Hard times indeed.

 

From my experience, it's very difficult breaking into upper tier schools here. This coming year may really tell it all for me. Day job in special elite-ish schools and programs will cap out at about 50k (BKK publics at 37-39) if you have the Moxy and courage to repeatedly job hop (starting over at the bottom too), risk the school waiver system and might be forced to work with small kids, that's what will get you up over 40k. Which is a pittance.

 

Inflation now running 4-5%

[IntEdSource]

@soley13: As several others have (accurately) pointed out, English language teaching will not provide many opportunities for advancement in Thailand, nor will it be very useful in any future career. Given your background, I'd highly recommend going a different route: pursue a qualification in school counseling. Given your background, you could likely earn a post-graduate diploma in a year (perhaps less time if there is any possibility of waiving courses, though I don't know if that's common practice in the UK). Then begin applying as a school counselor to international schools, emphasizing any experience you have in teaching and/or working with students of any age.

Though you may not land a very high-paying position initially, this will open the door to many more opportunities in the future. Most of the top international schools here employ teams of at least 6 counselors, as do others around Southeast Asia. If your heart is set on Thailand, work your way up to one of those positions, at which point you'd be earning substantially more than you ever would teaching English.

Play to your strengths. Don't aim for something else entirely simply because you want a change.

[brewsterbudgen]

I certainly don't share the gloomy, although not inaccurate, view of TEFL teaching, having made the move myself 12 years ago (with no experience) and now doing nicely in the IELTS/IGCSE/TOEFL and corporate sectors. However, making the move in your 30s carries more risks. I was already in my mid-40s when I moved, having had 20 years business background (and pension payments and property) behind me.

[sandemara]

The OP should understand that Thailand's education industry is not subject to national industrial relations standards and regulations that apply across most other work sectors. There are no rules except those set by the employers - schools, universities etc. Foreign recruits especially are open to unremitting abuse in the educational workplace.  Lawyers are not interested in taking up your case when you've finally had enough and decide you won't tolerate any more unfair practices - outright scams - your employer decides to apply to you. You will be expected to do extra work regularly without being paid - working during holidays, working outside normal hours, doing any other work your school decides, or simply failing to observe decent or fair work practices because they know you rely on their goodwill just to stay in the  country. Promises are not kept; you can forget about "protection" provided by contract conditions, they mean nothing. Unscrupulous employers - full of goodwill and consideration during the recruitment process - only reveal their true greedy natures once you're committed and stuck in country, isolated and reliant on your employer's support.  To resign, they know, will place a large financial burden on you.  Some students might miss a few classes if you walk but even the more "reputable" universities know there are many farang desperate to stay who will tolerate shit conditions to fulfill short-term semester requirements.  Commitment in Thailand's education system is a nasty one-way street for farangs.  The advice to seek work in the corporate sector instead is a more sensible option, but traps for the unwary exist there as well.  My advice would be to let Thailand's education system sink in the cesspool they've created for themselves and try other places - Laos, Cambodia, India, Vietnam, China, Korea etc all seem keen to attract native English language speakers into their systems.  But I cannot offer any opinion on whether they provide a positive alternative to Thailand.

[brewsterbudgen]

The OP should understand that Thailand's education industry is not subject to national industrial relations standards and regulations that apply across most other work sectors. There are no rules except those set by the employers - schools, universities etc. Foreign recruits especially are open to unremitting abuse in the educational workplace.  Lawyers are not interested in taking up your case when you've finally had enough and decide you won't tolerate any more unfair practices - outright scams - your employer decides to apply to you. You will be expected to do extra work regularly without being paid - working during holidays, working outside normal hours, doing any other work your school decides, or simply failing to observe decent or fair work practices because they know you rely on their goodwill just to stay in the  country. Promises are not kept; you can forget about "protection" provided by contract conditions, they mean nothing. Unscrupulous employers - full of goodwill and consideration during the recruitment process - only reveal their true greedy natures once you're committed and stuck in country, isolated and reliant on your employer's support.  To resign, they know, will place a large financial burden on you.  Some students might miss a few classes if you walk but even the more "reputable" universities know there are many farang desperate to stay who will tolerate shit conditions to fulfill short-term semester requirements.  Commitment in Thailand's education system is a nasty one-way street for farangs.  The advice to seek work in the corporate sector instead is a more sensible option, but traps for the unwary exist there as well.  My advice would be to let Thailand's education system sink in the cesspool they've created for themselves and try other places - Laos, Cambodia, India, Vietnam, China, Korea etc all seem keen to attract native English language speakers into their systems.  But I cannot offer any opinion on whether they provide a positive alternative to Thailand.

Some well made points but far too generalised. There are plenty of decent educational organisations that treat their foreign employees well. I've managed to make a decent living teaching here for 12 years and have never experienced or been aware of most of what you've referred to.

[muzmurray]

1 hour ago, sandemara said:

The OP should understand that Thailand's education industry is not subject to national industrial relations standards and regulations that apply across most other work sectors. There are no rules except those set by the employers - schools, universities etc. Foreign recruits especially are open to unremitting abuse in the educational workplace.  Lawyers are not interested in taking up your case when you've finally had enough and decide you won't tolerate any more unfair practices - outright scams - your employer decides to apply to you. You will be expected to do extra work regularly without being paid - working during holidays, working outside normal hours, doing any other work your school decides, or simply failing to observe decent or fair work practices because they know you rely on their goodwill just to stay in the  country. Promises are not kept; you can forget about "protection" provided by contract conditions, they mean nothing. Unscrupulous employers - full of goodwill and consideration during the recruitment process - only reveal their true greedy natures once you're committed and stuck in country, isolated and reliant on your employer's support.  To resign, they know, will place a large financial burden on you.  Some students might miss a few classes if you walk but even the more "reputable" universities know there are many farang desperate to stay who will tolerate shit conditions to fulfill short-term semester requirements.  Commitment in Thailand's education system is a nasty one-way street for farangs.  The advice to seek work in the corporate sector instead is a more sensible option, but traps for the unwary exist there as well.  My advice would be to let Thailand's education system sink in the cesspool they've created for themselves and try other places - Laos, Cambodia, India, Vietnam, China, Korea etc all seem keen to attract native English language speakers into their systems.  But I cannot offer any opinion on whether they provide a positive alternative to Thailand.

 

You clearly have no idea what you are on about. 

 

The Ministry of Labour is very pro-employee.

[Scott]

15 hours ago, muzmurray said:

 

You clearly have no idea what you are on about. 

 

The Ministry of Labour is very pro-employee.

True, but most cases that are brought are for egregious contract violations.   The run-of-the-mill complaints by teachers about extra hours, additional duties, etc., are not going to get very far.  

 

We are, however, veering pretty far off-topic from the OP's request for information.  

[soley13]

Thanks for the feedback people much appreciated.

 

Okay let me expand a little. 

 

I have three motivating factors for moving:

 

1- I have fallen for a girl currently studying her MA at university in my city.

 

Shes Thai and from a middle class family back in her home country.  She has too return in 2018 and I'm tempted to join her and start a new life

 

2- I'm currently earning between £22,000-£25,000 here in the UK. To make any progression I need to go back to University.  I'm looking at paying £6,000-£9000 for course fees and having to work whilst I study which will be quite demanding. Completing this course doesn't even necessarily guarantee me any progression but a chance to join the race for slightly better jobs.

 

3- I've been thinking of leaving the UK for a while now and fancied teaching and exploring for a few years. I have decent capital behind me to cover my expenses for at least two years 

 

I thought teaching English would be a way out and give me time to reflect on things. 

 

I could happily survive on 30,000 Baht, I'd pay my rent upfront for the year or live with my Thai girl friend as she has her own condominium.

 

Im I being foolish? 

[soley13]

On 19 December 2016 at 9:45 AM, stubuzz said:

Ethnicity plays a part in the kind of job you can get.

True this part also worries me.

 

I'm English born and bred but my dad is from Iran. He and my mother were together for a year back in the 80s. I've was born in the UK and lived here all my life speak and live my life like any other English kid.  The only thing is I have a foreign surname and a Mediterranean complexion. So I look sort of Italian or Spanish or Isreali something of the sort.

 

how will this impact me in Thailand?