Careers To Go

Teaching
By Nicki Girhault

Teaching is the ultimate 'go anywhere' job and a great springboard for a career change later on says Nicki Grihault.

Teaching is as much an adventure as a career, so it's not surprising that expatriate women around the world are teaching everything from TEFL to Tai Chi. It is also a great way to meet people. Teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) can give an insight into local lives.

Academic teaching in an International school will put you in the middle of the expatriate community, while teaching a specialist subject such as yoga or IT, can attract the devotion of every expatriate spouse in the area. 'Doors open to you all over the world if you can teach. If you want to get away for a while, it's a fantastic tool,' says Anna Haasjes, who went from primary teaching abroad to Pilates teaching back home.

Even if you don't want to teach for the rest of your life, it forms the basis of a range of careers by giving you transferable skills. Those who have taught abroad are unanimous that teaching gives a wider vision of life.

Teaching English
'Teaching English is the ultimate portable career, because everyone wants to learn,' says Helen Fail, who now works as a supply teacher while she completes her PhD.

According to Melanie Butler, editor of EL Gazette, there are shortages of English teachers worldwide. Jobs abound in private language schools in Greece, Poland, Spain, Portugal and Italy, although in Holland, India and much of Africa private language schools are few, but voluntary work is readily available. You can even find work in English speaking countries - teaching English as a Second Language (ESL). And you don't have to teach in a language school. If people know you've got the TEFL qualification, they may ask you to host coffee mornings at embassies or take conversation classes for local spouses.

Training in TEFL
The widely respected TEFL certificate takes a month full time or six months part time and can be taken at centres around the world at a cost of about £500-£1000. TEFL online courses can literally be done anywhere, although you may need to travel for teaching practice.

Big bucks?
Although teaching English as a foreign language is not as well paid as academic teaching, salaries in the Middle East and some European capitals can be high.

'My cousin teaches English in Paris and is now earning more than her husband,' says Anna Haasjes. 'Some people just don't have time for a class, so she teaches over the phone too.'

Talking about teaching
'TEFL training is a tremendous asset for living abroad, but if you're really interested in teaching, I'd advise training as a primary teacher, you can then get a job in any school,' says Helen Fail.

Teaching is more competitive than TEFL, and although salaries are generally much better in theory, they vary enormously in practice. The coveted jobs lie in International schools, but in many countries the curriculum is taught in English, so if you're a qualified teacher you can work anywhere. Supply teaching is a good way to earn a living whilst applying for a permanent job, or to have a more flexible career. Teacher training provides transferable skills for careers in research, writing, training or speaking.

Training as a teacher
To be a teacher usually requires a degree and a Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE), which includes about 12 weeks of teaching practice. There is no central organisation in the UK that co-ordinates the application process - you need to apply directly to institutions, most of which have websites.

'The PGCE is a gruelling year,' says Charlotte Gould who moved onto this after a few years in TEFL. '

International Schools
Going into primary education is the best bet if you know you're going to be moving around, and you can train in this with any first degree. This qualifies you to teach children up to 11 years old. Secondary education requires you train in your specialist degree subject. Many mobile parents either through choice or necessity, move their children home for secondary education so fewer posts are available.

'Over the past six years that I have run our student teaching abroad programme, over 90 per cent of those that we place overseas are women,' says Allen Gurley of the Christian College Teacher Education Co-ordinating Council (CCTECC)/ Interaction in the USA. 'I believe this is because a high majority are elementary teachers.'

'Teaching in an International school is an exciting opportunity for any teacher, with social and academic benefits,' says teaching guru, Richard Pearce, who teaches in The International School of London. 'The multicultural environment is enormously challenging to your received ideas and constantly stimulating.'

You also get the chance to extend your skills as many schools will sponsor you to learn to teach the International Baccalaureate.

Training for International Schools
There are no special teaching qualifications required for International schools, although, recognising the different skills needed, a growing number of short specialist training courses are offered. Taking one of these may give you an edge over the competition, but getting a job is as much about logistics. International schools in some countries have a high turnover, but in others, such as Brussels, Paris and London, few staff move.

Academic teaching/lecturing
'If you have studied a specific subject or field, are willing to do further research and preparation around a topic, and willing to practice, giving lectures is not very difficult,' says Alice Wu, who went from teaching English to lecturing at Cornell University in the US as an intercultural consultant. 'Academic teaching is quite portable, although the qualifications required probably vary according to the place,' says Alice. 'I did not have much difficulty finding work with my degrees in linguistics and psychology.'

Teaching a specialist subject
This can range from teaching what you love, to spotting a gap in the market where you are and filling it. You often need to adapt what you do to the marketplace, just like any business. Just listen to the people around you and find out what they want to learn.

Although qualifications may open more doors, you don't need to be qualified to teach something you love as a volunteer. Margaret taught western cookery to Sri Lankan women on a three month project to enhance their chances of getting a job as a maid. Although she worked on a voluntary basis, she loved cookery and welcomed the career break.

Teaching gurus and trainers
Many women living abroad end up in cross-cultural training or consultancy.

'I think women who have been abroad have the advantage of having had real-life, hands-on experiences relating to language acquisition, transition, communication and cultural differences,' says Alice Wu. 'They bring this to their teaching and training.'

Some such as Barbara Schaetti, the director of Transition Dynamics and Richard Pearce have become International school 'teaching gurus' researching identity in relocating children and doing global nomad work with schools.

PGCE
For PGCE requirements and processes check out http://www.prospectus-csu.man.ac.uk.

TEFL
For TEFL courses overseas check out http://www.britcoun.org and http://www.transworldschools.com; online courses at http://www.tesol.org/.

Getting a job
http://www.iie.org - Institute of International Education

'Teaching English Abroad by Susan Griffiths (http://www.vacationwork.co.uk)

ELT OPPORTUNITIES
Advertised jobs worldwide http://www.elgazette.com

ESL cafe at http://www.eslcafe.com

Note: Resources courtesy of Richard Pearce, Helen Fail and Alice Wu

TCK Nicki Grihault attended multinational schools in Malawi and the UK. She trained as a TEFL teacher in Rome in 1990 and taught there before returning to London, where she taught Korean businessmen in Surrey, UK part time whilst studying homoeopathic medicine.