Hi PsyGuy,

Thanks for taking the time to post, much appreciated. She hasn't posted on here so it must have been someone else.

I've been checking the UCAS vacancies for a while and even now there are still a lot of vacancies for Primary salaried school direct positions. Unless UCAS continues to advertise filled vacancies? Apparently the number of applications for postgrad routes into teaching (in the UK) fell by 33% since last year, which might explain it. Only a small minority of the salaried vacancies on UCAS now are in Primary Maths and the rest are Primary General. Going off that, it seems like the salaried route might be possible.

When you say move into leadership positions in IE, what would be the typical routes to do this, the positions generally available and the typical timeframes to do so? I guess that's the crux of what I'm asking - to try and gauge the potential payoff/viability of switching career and where I'd set my goals.

Your last point is valid and something I'm giving serious thought. The Uni gig here is very generous in terms of work conditions and the free time allows opportunities to bank money on the side, but it's equally dead-end in that none of our faculty have ever moved into real leadership positions. Even those with a PhD only see a very modest salary raise and added job security. Each year in the job scarcely benefits my CV and should anything happen to the uni field here, I'd have all my eggs in one basket. I'm thinking that if I could go home and get my PGCE +2 years, and then IE doesn't work out, I could probably go back into the Uni field here as a plan B, or perhaps try for the Hong Kong NET scheme. The goal would be more career progression opportunities and opening more doors beyond Korea (it's rare in TESOL for employers to cover a spouse's VISA, for example).

Hi,

I've been reading through a lot of the excellent advice here and I’m hoping to get advice and information to make a more informed career decision.

I’m considering moving back to the UK to do a PGCE Primary (School Direct salaried looks the best option) and staying there for the NQT year (and perhaps an additional year) before later moving into IE (I'd be flexible about location, preferably Asia because my fiancée is Korean and there may be more opportunities for both of us).

I’m early thirties and have been teaching English as a foreign language in Korea for the best part of a decade both in public schools and for the past few years at university level. I’ve also worked as an IELTS speaking and writing examiner and have an MA but not in an Education field.

I’d be qualified to go for a PGCE in Secondary Spanish, but (correct me if I’m wrong) this wouldn’t seem to be the smartest move when targeting IE jobs in Asia because I don’t imagine there to be a high demand for this subject. I should add that I’m a native English speaker but not a native Spanish speaker, if that matters. Secondary English is another option, but having spent some time volunteering at a Primary School in the UK, I feel I’d rather teach the full range of Primary subjects at KS2 level.

I understand that none of these are shortage subjects and that bringing a non-teaching spouse will further reduce my prospects. I’m wondering about the longer term prospects if I’m willing to cut my teeth for a few years at lower tier ISs? I’m also wondering if anyone else has been in a similar circumstance and how they have found the job market? Which countries might represent better opportunities for both of us to find work?

I enjoy working at university and it offers a great work/life balance, but possibilities of career progression here are very restricted and staying in the TESOL field with a trailing Korean spouse would seem to leave my options beyond Korea very limited. We would both like to work internationally which is why we’re looking at this move. Short term it's a financial hit but longer term I'm looking to know if the potential outcome and possibilities for career development will be better.

Thanks for reading and any advice would be much appreciated.