Would i get a job?

[Maxlondon]

Okay, just want to say hey everyone and thanks for taking the time to read this!
I'm 18 and just finishing my A-Levels and contemplating getting into teaching.
My main concern is like most of those that browse this forum, would i easily be able to get work without a university degree?

I've lived in London all my life, I have GCSE's and just about to finish my A-Levels with relatively high grades. I'm planning on completing a TESOL course and taking evening class's most likely in Chinese in hope to aid my chances.

I have noticed China and Indonesia seem to be the most relaxed on the necessity of degree's and thought they would be great countries to try start in.

Do you think i would be able to get a job in either of them? Not essential for the job to be great pay or amazing perks!

Also say if i do manage to work for 2 years in Indonesia and China, would i then be able to get work in Japan? As i saw somewhere that 2 years teaching experience is pretty much equivalent to a degree?

Any help or info you feel is relative would be greatly appreciated!
Hope everyones had a great easter

[Alex Case]

I know this isn't answering your question but given your life goals the next step is 100% clear- get a degree.

Here are just some of the reasons why:
- People in Asian countries are impressed by age, experience and paper qualifications. They are not going to want to be taught by a 19 year old or someone without a degree, even if you can get a visa and a job
- To get a half decent job, you will need a degree. To get a decent job, you will need a Master's. Better to do at least one of them now, rather than being at a starting point of zero when you decide you need both
- There are stories of people getting working visas in Japan without a degree. However, it isn't guaranteed, it will be a hassle, you will be able to only get the worst jobs if any or be reduced to teaching in cafes and annoying the other customers for the rest of your life, and you will have to keep not having a degree secret from all your students (as well as any future in laws)
- Most employers in Asia won't know what A levels are. The ones that do will mostly not make any distinction between good passes and passes. The only value of good A level grades is to get you into a good university that will impress your future employers and students
- Chinese classes will have zero impact on your ability to get a job or visa. A degree in Chinese (or anything else) will have much more impact than a TESOL certificate
- The best TEFL courses only take people without degrees if they are really persuaded. If the course you are thinking of taking doesn't have those standards and/ or doesn't warn you about the future difficulties you will have, it is a course to avoid

[Maxlondon]

I appreciate the time you have taken to reply, but feel telling me to get a degree is irrelevant and somewhat patronizing.
I do intend on getting a degree in business and marketing, before i do that i want to travel. Becoming a TEFL teacher in my opinion is the most logical and suitable way for me to experience different cultures for long periods of time, without having to worry about returning to London to work more so i can get back out there.
Again i do appreciate your reply, but it is similar to the attitude conveyed in many other forums towards my questions, from those that assume I am a naive small minded adolescent with out a degree, pursuing a career in a field where a degree is needed in order to maintain a long term and stable work load.

Note: I do not intend on teaching any adults, only children and teenagers. So offending adults with my age should not be a problem.

[Alex Case]

I'm going to assume that was a reply to other people on other forums rather than to my answer, which I think had quite a lot of information about your prospects for getting a job as you asked.

Your plan seems to be assuming you are spending at least three years abroad as a TEFL teacher before you get your degree. That seems like an awful long time to be putting up with some of these things:
- Working in schools that are ripping off your students as well as you
- Being asked to hide your lack of degree and/ or age by your employers
- Being stuck in jobs because of a lack of options due to lack of a degree
- Working illegally and having to do border runs, or finding a country where you can work legally only for them to change the rules and boot you out
- Working in schools that have zero interest in professional development, and therefore not being the best teacher you could be and not giving your students the lessons they deserve
- Not being able to do the next stage in your professional development such as the DELTA (usually available after 3 years of teaching) or an MA due to lack of a degree
- Working more hours for less money, but that probably not meaning cheaper lessons for your students

And if you do get lucky and find your perfect job and perfect life somewhere, your plan seems to call for you to leave it for three years to go back to the UK and get your degree.

I think you will find that parents are even more concerned about the qualifications and experience of their kids' teacher than they would be if they were taking the course themselves

[Ellechim]

Max

As someone who has gone back to study, it is harder to do as you get older, I would do it now.

What you could do is do a TEFL course (and quite frankly if CELTA would accept you, do that) and work over the summers at the language camps, they are not only held in England but Ireland, Spain, Ukraine, and further east in exotic places like Azerbijhan etc.

That will give you great experience, you will earn some money and you will make sure that it is for you and you will still have the degree. So you will have the degree, experience and references.

I understand where you are coming from, from what you have written you know what you are doing, and there are many idiots with a degree. The unfortunate reality is that the piece of paper is respected and people qre quite snobbish about it. Also it is now becoming the mimimum education requirement and this is set to continue with the 'world wide recession'.

No one knows what the situation will be economically in the next 18 months and although I think you are brilliant to want to fly half away around the world and get a job, there are many people with much more life experience then you getting their CELTA and looking for work. I think it is going to be quite competitive for the next year or so.

Proof? In Ireland they are sponsoring some of the unemployed to do CELTA courses.

In my class I am in my mid 30's, there is a forty year old guy and 2 women in their late 40's and early 50's. The rest are all in their mid to late 20's and all have a degree and work experience.

[scrubmuncher]

Hi,
Although a degree will restrict where you can go for now I wouldn't worry so much if you don't want to take that time out to do it. Chances are you will find work and you have nothing to stop you doing a degree online while working. A degree is a piece of paper and has absolutely no claim on your ability as a teacher. The degree is purely a passport to a wider variety of options.
Get a job where you can, do the online degree and by the time you have grown in confidence and covered some ground you will have plenty experience behind you, a degree and the world at your feet.
Your best bet will be to send off for a few jobs, tell them you have no degree and see what kind of response you get back from different areas. You will strike gold somewhere. It will also give you an idea of what you can expect in the way of salary for the first year or two.
Good Luck

[systematic]

...Again i do appreciate your reply, but it is similar to the attitude conveyed in many other forums towards my questions

Max,
with the above sentence, you have stated the crucial consensus of opinion. If you read the vast number of postings on the subject on this board, you will find the same comments from both people who have been teaching with degrees for a long time, and those without who have 'been there, done that'.
I'm sure there is nothing patronising intended in the replies you have been getting - people are just giving you the advice you asked for