KiwiDreamer

In my experience this is the first or second question a Kiwi will ask you. A liitle rude/direct but more a question of wanting to know how you survive here? A genuine interest in your strategy and whether they can tap into something that they hadn't considered.

DC10

It's also one of the first things the Queen asks people, but her motivation is probably different

Stormer999

It would be interesting if the people asked the question.........

lardyl

other one is "why did you come to NZ?"
sometimes it seems that they have no idea why anyone would move here. other times they seem to be sussing you out.
perhaps they are doing some form of market research?

who knows???

DC10

believe me, the brits ask that one with genunine puzzlement of kiwis in the uk, especially of my parents who moved there aged 50-something

jmh

Yeah I was always being asked that. Why come to the UK when you can live in paradise!

jmh

I moved out here in April, so I'm still getting familiar with the sector, but my impression is that with funding being cut, jobs are being cut just like they are in the UK. The funding my current employer receives has just been cut by 11% for next year and further cuts are likely.

I only work part time hours, and make enough to live off because I am living rent free right now. However if you were needing to pay rent/mortgage and support a family I'm not sure you would be able to find enough work. As I'm sure you are aware, contact teaching for more than 20 hours a week is exhausting, and with sessional teaching you don't get paid for prep time. My aim is to continue the part time teaching, which I love, and balance it with the CV business which is mostly working from home. My goal is quality of life rather than $$$, although of course we all need money too.

As for rates, I have had offers of work between $20 and $70 per hour. I wouldn't touch $20 with a ten-foot barge pole. I think this is mainly aimed at students. $40-$50 is about right for the sort of work based training I am doing right now. $70 if your skills are a bit more specialist and you have the right qualifications. I imagine others earn more but I haven't got to that league (yet!).

I hope this helps - feel free to ask more questions. If you click on the link in my signature you will find a link to my Linkedin profile which will give you an idea of my experience.

Edited to add: I suspect there may be more opportunities for ESOL teachers. If I was looking to retrain I would consider this option.

kazmac72

Thanks very much for that, I will be doing the CTLLS then DTLLS, mainly because I can do it quicker, I will also be looking at the NVQ Assessor course, which I have been told would be beneficial (over here). This will be useful if the move the NZ doesn't go ahead for any reason.

I have been encouraged by my tutors to take this route

I'm not sure how the quals stack up over there (or in fact whether it means anything unless I get the Cert Ed), I figure if I do this I am widening my options somewhat and I suppose if all else fails, I now have the hairdressing to fall back on, or could even go back to the office

jmh

I agree that those are the best routes for teaching in the UK. I don't think they will be recognised here though. The biggest thing will be to get as much teaching experience under your belt and do the relevant quals when you get here. What do you teach by the way?

Bo-Jangles

We find that they generally are seeking a positive affirmation for their own fragile egos and will only be accepting of the right answer.

Call me cynical if you will, I always get the impression that they are trying to suss out how much you're worth and if you have anything to bring to the party that might be of any value to them.

They do nothing to allay my suspicions, what with their amazing powers of recollection; remember your name and what you do from the briefest of introductions. Generally it seems anything you tell them about yourself is saved for later and will stay in the memory bank until such time they can find some useful purpose for you / something they can cadge / someway they can derive a benefit from you either for themselves or a mate / something you can do to get them out of bother / anything at all that you can provide for free / or at least for a perceived reduced rate. Being largely a nation of Del Boys, free loaders and cheapskates, mates rates, scratching backs and all that jazz do mean much more than real or unconditional friendships.

Am Loolah

I think I've been asked twice in 4.5 years? Both times I took it as small talk, like all UK dinner party conversations really. Possibly, just possibly they were trying to see if there was any mutual interest or conversation to be had?

MrsFychan

hubby is IT Web Manager and is working very hard in Wellington atm.

I have previously been a Nanny (not qualified), Data Entry Clerk, Service Desk Operator, IT Administrator, Catering Assistant (not qualified). SAHM.

sheene

I remember asking my technician that very same question. He was a lovely old bloke, a real gent. Apparently in the 70's he worked for an advertising agency, who produced the the artwork for the Grattan catalogue. His specific role was working in the lingerie section, airbrushing out any stray pubic hairs.

shelloid

I am a pharmacist working in a hospital. I also did this job in the UK, but slightly different role within the hospital pharmacy. I have been here about 17 months and been promoted twice.
I am now doing a much more senior role than I could have hoped for with my experience in the UK, but I think it was a bit of a fluke me getting it here!

OH was an independent mortgage adviser in the UK before the sh!t hit the fan on the financial world....then ended up in telesales.
He is now an assistant manager in a bank.

As a couple we're much better off financially here than we ever were in the UK.

BEVS

I am enormously pleased to read this