College Grads: The Best Job You’ve (Probably) Never Thought Of

Brett Montrose
Jul 21, 2017 · 3 min read

There are over 300 million English language students in China. Three. Hundred. Million. That’s roughly the same population of all of the United States and ten times the entire population of Canada.

China has quickly become the largest ESL market in the world. And it’s still growing at an estimated rate of 12–15% a year…

To put that in perspective, this graph offers a snapshot of how rapidly China’s ESL landscape is changing and just how massive this behemoth market could become in only a few more years:

You might be thinking, what the heck does this have to do with me?

Well, for people like you — those with a Bachelor’s degree, a nose for adventure and travel, and a desire to take a big step in their professional career — the ESL market in China could have a lot to do with you.

Here’s why: China needs approximately 100,000 English teachers now and a whole bunch more after that. Private language schools and international schools, including reputable multinational education organizations, are working with the Chinese government to bring in the right people to instruct ESL to learners of all ages across the country.

English-speaking bachelor’s degree holders, including those with no formal teacher training, have been identified as the right people to do the job.

As a result, hundreds of recent college grads are en route to China to teach English. Some are embarking on a one-year experience of a lifetime, while others have set out to begin their careers in international education.

If you’re thinking teaching English in China might be for you, just be careful when you start your search for employment. China has heaps of schools, most of which are great places to work, but of course, with over 300 million people learning English, there are some bad apples with poor reputations where you could end up teaching.

To steer clear of the bad apples, you can always go through a North American company with a team who will help you find the right position for you. One such company, Teach Away, has just launched a new initiative called the Explore Program, which helps recent college graduates get English teaching jobs with their partner schools in China.

They’re working only with reputable education organizations that are providing awesome packages for their ESL instructors, including flights, a settling-in allowance, medical insurance, and reimbursement for the University of Toronto’s TEFL Online certification.

Sounds pretty good to me. For all the details, check out Teach Away’s Explore Program. The team at Teach Away also debunked some common myths about teaching China in this recent webinar.

Teaching English in China is an incredible way to enjoy a low cost of living, see the world, and gain some of the most invaluable life experience imaginable. And now’s the time to do it.


Note: The Post-Grad Survival Guide was not compensated for posting this article.

The Post-Grad Survival Guide

We're confused twenty-somethings. We dish on our post-grad blues, successes, failures, and everyday life right here. Featuring topics related to work, relationships, travel, finances, and so much more.

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Brett Montrose

Written by

Founder & Managing Director of Operations at Streamline Athletes

The Post-Grad Survival Guide

We're confused twenty-somethings. We dish on our post-grad blues, successes, failures, and everyday life right here. Featuring topics related to work, relationships, travel, finances, and so much more.

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