backdraftuk

Just wondering... did you or do you know of anyone who got a teaching job in NZ whilst still in the UK?

I can guess the the numbers must be low. So what is the best way around the no job no visa, no visa no job situation?


Steve.

ballsrburning

It is posible my partner teaches english language and she got offered a job to start in jan this year well now really but timing was bad so we said no (we are going jan 2008)The first thing you have to get done and you really need to do this is get your qualifications asscesed by the nzqa i thiink its called that. This alone takes around 3 months well it did for us. They will inform you of the teacher level you are, you will need pgce cert, gcse certs a levels, degree etc everything, also time spent teaching yadda, yadda.

Alternativley and our backup plan is to get a whv and enter that way, but we reckon the school will offer her a job as they were really impressed by her. Also, do not make the mistake of thinking uk teachers are better they are not seen that way in nz, just different. Head masters do come over from nz and interview but this is not very often, we were just very lucky. good luck with it.

Also if you teach primary level you will struggle i hvae been informed there is high compettionat this level. If you teach secondary (especially maths/science)you have a great chance of getting in. good luck there is no reason why you cant get there just research. .

P2L

Seem to remember a stand at the NZ Expo in London specifically for teaching recruitment.

Next one is in March @ Earls Court.

http://www.expo-newzealand.com/

Lots of great info & possible contacts there. NZ immigration are there too.

HTH

Sarah

backdraftuk

Did the Manchester Expo last Nov (I think) and a TeachNZ seminar about the same time as well which is when the ball started to roll. Just couldn't get a good answer to the visa/job, job/visa conundrum.

Its great to hear that it is possible to get a job from the UK. The plus point is that I am Secondary Science the bad news is as an older *art I can't use the working holiday route.

I have already started getting together everything to send of to NZQA, just waiting on one more piece of info to go. Because of a medical issue which will come up we have already allowed at least a year to get all this sorted.

soulflour

Hi there

My dp got his job (HOD music, high school) on the telephone from our living room in the UK! I'll briefly explain our experience (we've been here 17 months now).

Firstly, we applied for PR (started the process in the January). As that process continued and we were pretty sure that we would get it, my DP started to email teacher agencies and schools. Martin Strang at Oasis in Auckland was the guy that ended up getting my dp his job, email him - he's very helpful and we've passed lots of Uk teachers his way!

So, eventually we got our PR (all without a job offer, and my dp at that point only had just UNDER two years teaching experience, so that shows that teacher's are quite valuable!) and around the same time he started to talk to the head of his school here about this job. They had several conversations on the phone and we flew out here to Bream Bay. Now, at this point DP didn't have an 'official' job offer - the head couldn't do that without actually meeting him in person (which is understandable). So it WAS a risk, but one that we were willing to take, since we knew that we wanted to be in the Northland and not in Auckland. Unofficially he had the job, so it wasn't a massive risk... if that makes sense?!

Once we were here we spent 8 days in a motel before moving into a staff house that went with dp's new job (some schools here have staff houses which they own, and rent out to teacher's at very low rents!). And that was us sorted!

Along with many other teachers coming from other countries, it then took a few months to get dp's salary sorted out... that meant 2 months on a whopping $20k a year salary!! (although when it was sorted it WAS backdated, and we also got the $4k relocation grant that they give teachers). So be aware of that and allow for it.

We bought a house after 3 weeks in the staff house and had no probs with the bank - all they needed was a letter from the head of the school confirming what my dp's salary WOULD be!

Hope that helps a bit! good luck!

x

mazi

Are you certain? You are quite possibly right but I didn't have to do that and I taught in NZ for 3 years (job offer came while I was there though, I didn't get it while in the UK). You may not like the following so if you are easily upset by negatives about NZ do not read:

I asked about getting my qualifications 'converted' to Kiwi-speak and to quote one of my Kiwi bosses: "No need for that, we know UK degrees are far superior to Kiwi ones anyway." Also whenever I had to send my certs off to the Immigration bunch they didn't ask for NZQA assessment.

But I taught in a university so I don't know if that makes a difference - it may well be that with kids they are more stringent.

backdraftuk

I am sure you are right about University Teaching. However according to TeachNZ getting your qualifications passed by NZQA is a must.
With out an assessment you can't register with the teaching council and without registration no job in a school. Well that's the theory, but is it the practice?

Steve.

mazi

Yes, now you've mentioned registration that rings a bell - a couple of NZ friends teach in schools and I believe they had to teach for a year before they could be registered as bona fide teachers.

Stung

I registered first and then began applying for jobs from the UK.

Had no luck so came over for a holiday and got a job that way.

I actually found out about my job through a friend of a friend - but before this happened I registered with Oasis who arranged an interview for me (but by this time I'd found a job - same day!)

I am primary so it's a bit harder - but there are jobs about - mainly in the areas kiwis don't want to work - ie I'm in Otara decile 1.

Cheers

soulflour

yes, you def need to get your degree and teaching cert assessed by the NZQA in order to teach - i'm currently exploring doing the teacher training myself and am in the process of getting my degree assessed even to get on the course!

My dp had to have his degree and PGCE both assessed, and also get himself registered with the teacher's council.

I have to say that from our experience here the quality of NZ universties is great - until i've seen a peer-review study, I wouldn't believe any half-arsed comments about 'NZ degrees versus UK degrees', frankly.

JMHO

x

mazi

Neither would I in all areas (some, but not all), but she didn't seem to be being half-arsed about it.