Teaching in China’s Private Sector

China’s private education sector includes local private schools and major international companies providing language training to staff. The money is much better in this sector but the hours longer and the demands greater. Those teaching in China’s private schools are usually looking for stability, money and the chance to forge a career. • The first group you’re likely to come across at major private education companies in China are those who see teaching overseas as a career and longer-term commitment. On the back of Asia's insatiable demand for English, many of the companies have grown into major corporations and can offer high salaries and good promotion opportunities. At the top end of the market, salaries can be much higher than those offered to teachers in the West. • Private teaching institutions in China also tend to attract older professionals on career breaks or seeking a change of pace. Although older professionals may have taken a pay cut to come to China, the salaries are still high enough and the cost of living low enough to tempt them overseas in the face of a mid-life crisis. At many of the bigger companies in China’s private education sector, teachers are required to sign contracts for at least a year. This does not necessarily mean they’ll stay in the job for much longer than that, however, as the competition for talent is fierce and they’re likely to get better offers once established. This creates a teacher migration from the lower end of the market towards the higher end as teachers accrue experience. In closing, when looking for a teaching job in China, think about what you want and where you want to go before taking the plunge.