Posted by
Johnco
17 yrs ago
..but I do not want to take the plunge by taking a flight out of Australia to find:
a) I can't afford to pay for accomodation.
b) Dealing with the insecurity of landing and staying in a Hotel or Backpackers and finding I can't get a full time job.
I am an Australian qualified Teacher and am waiting to hear if I have been accepted in to the PNET scheme or not. Visionary and wise advice is most appreciated.
Thanks
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Stay where you are at least until you have talked to some nets and pnets already working in HK and probably until you hear more from the EDB. It is a very slow process. In the meantime, have a look at www.hkpnets.org for pnet information and advice and the Yahoo allnets group for SNET and PNET advice. Also check out the Australian International School in HK.
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I agree, stay where you are. HK accommodation is even more expensive than it seems when you are looking on the internet - you don't get much for your money.
I have yet to see a backpackers here....
Good luck!
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Stay where you are. I applied for the NET scheme (from OZ) in Jan last year and didn't get a final placement until late August. It's a long and I might add painfully slow process. You just have to hang in there 'cos I guarantee the EDB will frustrate you so bad you'll want to throw in the towell! But it's worth it once you get here.
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Thanks for the advice people.I did try the HKPNET.org site,but I am accepted as a guest only and my queries are limited to the guest page. One has to be a PNET to be granted access to the whole site,so much for liberal democracy and the sharing of explicit information. It would have been of greater help if I were able to access the job boards,it make more sense. It looks like I will have to wait for the hard facts to find out if my applications have been successfull with the University positions I have applied for or the PNET scheme.
Cheers again.
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aemom
17 yrs ago
It can take months after the interview to hear about acceptance from the EDB especially waiting for the qualifications assessment. Then there is a wait again to have a school offer a job, either through the EDB or by looking on your own. Then there's the wait for contract signing and the 4 - 6 weeks wait for the employment visa. So, if you haven't even been accepted by the EDB, you have a long wait ahead of you. Coming to HK now would be expensive.
I really don't understand your negative comments directed at hkpnetsforum.com. It is a forum for PNETs , i.e. people who have been accepted by the EDB to teach under the PNET (Primary Native-speaking English Teacher scheme). The forum is part of an incredible website called HK PNET Resources which has a wealth of information for PNETs, teachers and others working in HK, eg the Living in HK section.
I'm not a PNET and not a member of the PNET forum. Given the time of year, I would assume that their job board is quite empty - or has a few listings of schools in which the PNET could not last until the end of the school year.
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Accommodation is not expensive IF you are prepared to live a little way out of town - but as there are a lot of schools all over town you really need to wait until you get a job before signing a lease, or you might end up having to travel for hours to get to work. However, there are lots of short-term accommodation options if you don't mind living in a small space for a while - there are serviced appts, or hotels that offer monthly rates (one near us does HK$6K a month, sea view, balcony).
If your quals are ok you should have no problem getting on the PNET scheme (I hope - I am also waiting to hear but am in HK already), but agree that EDB is slow.
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Pay is not 'better' in International schools.
The NET scheme is well paid.
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