 Overview
Australia has more than two hundred TEFL schools, most of which are located in Sydney , Queensland cities and Perth , with smaller numbers in Melbourne and Adelaide . The Australian economy is booming, with shortages of all skilled professionals including teachers with CELTA or Trinity training. The shortage is most acute in Perth because of the city's rapid growth and its popularity as a TEFL destination.
The country's climate, lifestyle, exotic landscape, high standard of living, safety and surf all contribute to its ongoing attraction for EFL teachers and trainees alike.
Salary and hours
Australia 's Award system sets salaries and conditions which are law. Typically, wages in private colleges are those of the Teachers (English Colleges) Award, and vary from AUD175 to AUD230 per day, depending on qualifications and experience. A CELTA graduate with three years' experience could expect AUD180, pre-tax.
The typical teaching week is 25 hours.
During the peak season, September to December and to a lesser extent through to March, it's pretty much certain that a CELTA/ Trinity graduate- experienced or not, will get full time work, though demand is buoyant year round. As a general rule, colleges are interested only in CELTA or Trinity graduates.
Type of teaching
The most common types of classes are General English, and Cambridge & IELTS exam preparation courses. A large number of the students are aged 18 – 25. In general there is limited demand for business or young learner teachers. Group tours, prevalent in July – August, are for teenage students.
Accommodation
Accommodation, which is not generally provided for teachers, is more expensive in Sydney; less so in the other capitals. In Perth for example, a room in a shared house costs about AUD120 – 150 a week.
Start of school year/ best time to look for work
Most private colleges are open 51 weeks a year, the week off being at Christmas.
Red Tape
One thing that makes Australia stand out from other native English teaching destinations is the working holiday visa scheme. It allows 18 - 30 year olds to stay for up to one year, work and earn money in a variety of work areas, including, of course, TEFL.
You are required to change jobs after a maximum of 6 months, but the TEFL job market is geared up for this, and schools generally welcome the refreshing input from teachers who only stay for a short time.
If you've already used up your once in your life chance for the working holiday visa, you can always enrol on a college course, and learn a new vocational skill, as, although you will pay a fair amount for your course, you will be able to work up to 20 hours a week teaching English to earn some money back.
For Visa information, please go to the Australian Government's "Visiting Australia" site.
FCO
Lonely Planet Guide - Australia
|
