"I'd always wanted to travel but was worried about spending so much money for what I though would amount to nothing more than an extended holiday. A friend suggested joining EF so that I could travel and not just earn but SAVE money at the same time. I completed my training course at EF Brighton and now, two years later, I'm the Director of Studies at EF Liaocheng in China. What's more I'm having the time of my life. I wouldn't swap it for the world....."
James Walton
After an abortive career working in a pasty factory in Cornwall, I decided to free myself from a life of drudgery by taking a TEFL certificate course in 1995, and went off to spend a year in the Czech Republic. At that time Eastern Europe was a main destination for new teachers, though the focus has now moved to Asia. I then spent two years teaching in Finland (where I completed my Diploma), and worked for an aid agency in Mozambique and Denmark for eighteen months before joining EF.
In 2001, I was employed as Director of Studies of a new school opening in Fuzhou on the south coast of China, but due to a delay in the school opening, I ended up spending six weeks teaching at the Casablanca (Morocco) school before heading out to Asia... it's a hard life! I really enjoyed my time living and working in Fuzhou, and as well as learning the EF ropes, also found time to pick up a little Mandarin and meet my wife there.
By the end of the year I had been promoted to China Academic Operations Manager, and was working out of the Shanghai office. At that time, there were only sixteen schools in China, compared to more than sixty today. Then, in 2002, the post of English First Global Director of Academics became vacant, and I was offered the position. The next two years I worked out of Shanghai and Jakarta, but was also closely involved in our Thai operation and also travelled occasionally to Russia, Poland, the UK and the USA.
Unfortunately I was forced to give up that post for personal reasons in 2004. However, on hearing that I would be returning to the UK, the English First teacher recruitment team offered me a job helping teachers find work with us in Asia and Europe. More recently, I have been working as Operations Manager for EF Brittin College, a new EF company which offers pathways to university study for foreign students in the UK.
I have never looked back since I took my TEFL certificate; it has opened doors for me which I cannot imagine I would have opened any other way. Since joining EF, my career as come on in leaps and bounds. In such a big company, there are always opportunities available for dynamic pro-active people. TEFL the career, and EF the company are pathways I would recommend to anyone.
Alex Chevrolle |
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