Khensu

Right, after the preliminary job offer for Grenoble I've been looking into employment for the girlfriend... and I'm very confused.

After some helpful advice in my other topic I researched teaching and teaching assistant positions. The only concrete thing that I have found so far is either through the British Council (need higher education) or getting a TEFL certification which to be frank sounds like a rip-off (and we don't have any money anyway).

The cold hard facts:
- 19 (*)
- limited French
- native English speaker
- fluent German speaker
- GSCEs, A-levels

I've contacted the Grenoble Eures advisor (from the ANPE) by e-mail and I'm currently waiting for a reply. Let's hope she's not on holiday
In the meantime I thought I'd chuck this topic on here to see if anyone's got any more advice specifically related to this; plus any companies or institutions you may know of, or anything else that pops into your head.



(*) I'm a young 'un myself, not a dirty old man!

Khensu

Hm, I can't edit the above post so I'll add it in a new one

If all else fails, and she comes with me without the prospect of employment, would we be able to live off €25,400 (before taxes)? I hear Grenoble is quite expensive, though I haven't noticed it myself - maybe I've been in Canterbury too long and have gotten used to prices like £700pcm for a flat

stanage2

If you have taken a job in France,your girlfriend could possible sign on, and look for work.

Jazzy n Lol

Hi again Khensu

Lol has been working as a teacher in the college my daughter attends. He is a qualified maths teacher, but the headmaster didn't ask for proof. This is most likely because it was voluntary work, although he had 3 lessons a week, done solely by himself! The Head said this year he would add him to the payroll as a peon, teaching assistant, if he wanted. This is minimum wage, and Lol is looking for a computing job at a higher rate, so declined it, but offered to carry on as a volunteer till he gets proper work. He was never asked for a TEFL qualification, I think they are required more if your g/f is going to teach adults. He had no police checks, the only reference was gained from meeting us after we acted as escorts on a school holiday. It's all very relaxed, I would suggest that she volunteers in a local school, and very soon she may get snapped up to help in the English classes.

As to living on your wage, I don't know your area, we live in Mayenne. Here, we manage on less than your wages, and we have a teenager! I'm sure if you're frugal and she gets some sort of casual work, you'll manage just fine.

She needs to consider what she will lose if it all goes pear-shaped, and what she will gain if it works out. If she has a safety net in the UK, I would say to her - go for it!

val50

Hi there
As always, Jazzy has given you lots of useful info. I know around by where we live, for getting jobs it's a case of going into the local schools and asking if they need teaching assistants. I know of a few who've done this and really enjoyed it.
It can be a pretty scary thing moving to live in another country. Some people take to like ducks to water, for others it's just too much and they can't cope. I really hope it works out for you both

Khensu

Thanks for the replies - all are duely noted

We're trying to compile a (mental) list of all things that can happen, can go wrong, what to do etc; but luckily this forum helps to put some positive ideas on the list!

GillyG

[QUOTE=stanage2;6654710]If you have taken a job in France,your girlfriend could possible sign on, and look for work.[/QUOTE

How easy is it to sign on in France? Do you have to be living here for a certain amount of time or is there a maximum household income where you wouldn't get it?

dmu

[QUOTE=GillyG;6658250] You go along to your nearest ANPE office with your C.V. and a fistful of documents justifying your existence, and sign on. If you're a EU citizen, they'll offer jobs that correspond to your qualifications, but apparently if you refuse more than two offers, you don't receive unemployment benefits. In any case you need to contribute to the Social Security for several months before you're entitled to the dole. I don't think they take other household income into account, but another BE might know.

val50

[QUOTE=GillyG;6658250] This information from the French embassy is quite good explaining how to claim unemployment benefit
http://www.consulfrance-londres.org/spip.php?article382

Khensu

With respect to GillyG's justified question, one thing my girlfriend does not want to do (I double-checked as this would be in France rather than the UK) is claim benefits. And to be frank, I can only fully support that - it's not like she can't work.

She does not want to be unemployed in France, as she's unemployed now (lovely employers and "recruitment agencies"...). It's terrible - she's got all this enthusiasm and skills which are going to waste because she doesn't have a year's experience in exactly the same job as they're recruiting for.

Hence why we've got so much "hope" on this teaching/teaching assistant stuff - it's something they would need in France (native or near-native speakers), and it's something she could do easily, as English is her native language and she's fluent in German (bar the English accent ). But I'm scared this will all fall through because of employers' unreadiness to hire someone like her, and I definitely don't want to move without her. We don't expect a contract on the spot, but a decent chance for employment would be grand. Moving to France is supposed to improve our future, not make everything the same for her whilst I get more money for less work (and have a much cooler job - not that that means anything without her by my side).

Pffff.... sorry for the rant, but all of this reminds me of a few years ago when I was on the dole, felt ashamed and desperate for work, and no one was willing to give me a chance (no experience) until the security company gave me a shot and I rocked at it. Not to mention that it's the girl I love who feels sad through the lack of employment, and it's not like I can go around beating people into giving her a job (not without going to prison anyway!).

Again, sorry for the rant. At the end of the day this comes down to modern-day survival, and it's hard to ignore our primal instincts. By no means I wish to denounce the already immense advice I've gotten from this forum!

stanage2

Not a rant in my eyes,you and all of us are free to have views.Good of you to have high standards.

val50

Agree with Stanage, it's not a rant, just stating your point of view.
The thing with going along to ANPE is though that she would be registered for work there, and they could try to help her find a job. Every little bit helps.

stanage2

There is the point that some ANPE offices will give you free French lessons,once you have registered.
Now that is a thought.

dmu

Absolutely. The purpose of the ANPE is to help people find jobs, and a job as an almost trilingual waitress, for example, would be a good start. The OP's girlfriend is only 19, after all... My mention of unemployment benefit in an earlier posting was in answer to some one else's question, but it seems to have hit a nerve. Sorry...

Khensu

Oh, no nerve hit at all - sorry if it came out like that

She'd definitely register with the ANPE, like val50 said, every little bit helps!