Career prospects in TEFL - part 1
Posted by Jennifer MacKenzie - 16:29 on 25 November 2009
Question: What are the career prospects in doing a TEFL. Do people teach English for a few years and then end up doing something else?
This is a question I received recently by email from someone investigating the TEFL courses we run.
It's a really good question!
I did some internet research but it wasn't generally that helpful, so I thought it would be best to speak from my own experience.
Quite often people will only teach for a few years and then go on and do something else, many only do a year, their 'gap year' or 'career break ' from the real world. Many others will return eventually from abroad and either go into TESOL (teaching English as a Second Language) teaching here in the UK or go and get their PGCE and teach in primary and secondary schools in the UK. These two are the most obvious routes.
My first TEFL job abroad was in Greece and in the town I worked in there were about 10 other British TEFL teachers (quite a few Australian and American ones too!), 15 years later four of them are still in Greece teaching. Not in the same schools or even, in some cases , the same town but still in one way or another involved in TEFL teaching in Greece. They teach at kindergartens, solely specialise in teaching Business English in Athens or take only private students having built a reputation over 18 years in the one town. One returned to run the family shop in Cornwall, two became primary teachers, one I lost track of and one went onto work in Portugal, then Italy , did their DELTA diploma and is now Senior teacher and teacher trainer at a very reputable English language school in Bristol.
I'm still in TEFL myself just coming at it from a diffirent angle. It's really there for you to make of it what you wish. There are career possibilities and career development possibilities there should you wish. The choice is really yours!
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