CELTA Useful?

[tomhormby]

Hi all,

I just graduated in Rome and looking to move somewhere in Europe where it is relatively easy to establish residency. I don't speak any Finnish, but will take classes once I arrive.

My question is whether having a CELTA makes a big difference for English teaching jobs or if they expect to have a teaching degree. Would you think I would be able to find a job within a few months of arriving that would help me establish residency? I saw a few ads on EURES but was curious if anybody had experience in such things.

[Bubba Elvis XIV]

Would you think I would be able to find a job within a few months of arriving that would help me establish residency?

In this economic situation? Very unlikely. The TEFL industry is having a pretty hard time at the moment...things are picking up but slowly.

There is a few threads about TEFL on the board...I suggest you do a search and read them.

You can use a CELTA qualification here...but you will be working for private language schools and teaching in companies. The TEFL certs. won't really get you into schools. You need proper teaching qualifications for that....preferably Finnish ones. You might get a few hours in schools doing conversation classes and that but not a full-time position.

If you want to do TEFL for the sake of doing TEFL, then I'd look into doing it somewhere else (Mid-East / Asia)....unless you have been listening to too much Nightwish and want to come to Finland specifically.

[tomhormby]

That's what I was worried about. I was hoping the market had somehow picked up.

Thanks for your help.

[Bubba Elvis XIV]

It has...but not enough. I think January will be a lot different.

The problem is that most TEFL teachers work as freelancers, so you might find that if you came over and were lucky enough to get hooked up with a language school, you would be at the bottom of the pile when courses are handed out....more so than normally. You can teach for a few different companies but it's a real nightmare...

TEFL in Finland doesn't seem to recruit people who are not already in the country...which makes it tough when you are trying to find work....but that's just my experience...I was lucky...or perhaps unlucky.

[Rosamunda]

And if you don't already have a RP for the EU or EU citizenship then it's hard to get a visa as no school will give you a job contract. As Bubba says, it's all freelance work.

If you want to come up north, then maybe Estonia has more to offer than Finland (recession there too though).

[Bubba Elvis XIV]

If you want to come up north, then maybe Estonia has more to offer than Finland (recession there too though).

Or Russia (doubt that's what you're looking for)...some good jobs there...But I think there's some HBS going on!

Lot of jobs in Italy...(25 on tefl.com).

[tomhormby]

Italy is like how you described Finland. Lots of free lancing, but no full time positions. The few friends I have with full time jobs in the private sector are being paid under the counter.

Luckily, I don't need a visa. I just need to find a way to support myself while learning the language/looking for a job with a MNC.

[Rosamunda]

The few friends I have with full time jobs in the private sector are being paid under the counter.

....not an option in Finland.

Luckily, I don't need a visa. I just need to find a way to support myself while learning the language/looking for a job with a MNC.

So you are not American? Are you Italian? Finding a teaching job is even harder if you are not a native English speaker. What's an MNC?

Anyway, if you are teaching English all day, it's unlikely you will learn much Finnish. A better way to learn Finnish would be to come as a student.

Finding a full-time job with a permanent contract is extremely difficult. What other work experience or skills do you have? What other languages do you speak? Do you have a degree?

[Bubba Elvis XIV]

Italy is like how you described Finland. Lots of free lancing, but no full time positions. The few friends I have with full time jobs in the private sector are being paid under the counter.

I taught like that in Prague as well. But it's different in places like Czech Republic as the demand for English is higher so you are always busy. I am sure it's similiar in Italy.

Finding a full-time job with a permanent contract is extremely difficult.

I think there is about 10 people over Finland in our place that have full-time contracts. Theoretically you can make a lot more money as a freelancer...but the demand just isn't high enough (even in the good times).

[Rosamunda]

...it depends whether you freelance direct to businesses and private students or whether you go through the language schools.

Freelancing through the language schools means the work lands in your calendar with very little effort, but you are paid at the usual rates. On the other hand, you can work through as many schools as you like (I do and am fully-booked pretty much until Xmas, and even doing 1/2 Saturdays a month).

Freelancing for yourself is much harder as you have to do all your own marketing, networking, admin, website etc and once you've factored in the hours you spend doing that you are probably no better off. As an independent freelancer you are less likely to get any public sector work or any work in the big corporations... which are the ones with the money to spend on training, at the moment anyway.

But if you are a TMI (sole trader) then you can do both the above and even other stuff on the side, like translating, proofreading, marking papers, selling ice-cream etc

[Pursuivant]

Having a CELTA or a TEFL qualification really will boost your chances of finding a job in Teaching English.

feck off, gobshïte

[Cloudberry]

But if you are a TMI (sole trader) then you can do both the above and even other stuff on the side, like translating, proofreading, marking papers, selling ice-cream etc

We never did make it over to your ice-cream stand during the summer - next year we will!

[Rosamunda]

We'll be there next year! We usually open for the Puukko festival in May and then close when the kids go back to school. Next year we will probably stay open at weekends until the Slow Food fair in October. Send me a PM and I'll meet you there!!!