Jake's Journey: From Royal Engineer to TEFL Teacher

After Jake Canning left the army he went from job to job looking for something that he would really enjoy. Then he took a UK-TEFL course and within a few weeks he found himself living and working in China. We caught up with Jake for a quick Q&A to find out how he is getting on.

1. Jake, tell us a bit about your background. What jobs did you do before you decided to become a TEFL teacher?

Before teaching TEFL I was employed in the British Army as a plant operator maintainer within The Royal Engineers, I was in the Army for 4 years and 10 months. In this time I worked in Belize, Kenya, Canada and Jordan, mainly on construction tasks. I left the Army in October 2012 to pursue a new career within regular life. Between October 2012 and November 2013 I have worked as a Heavy goods driver, worked for a property developer, office fitting company, sales consultant at a gym and a sales consultant at a mobile phone shop. I quickly went from job to job trying to find something that gave me the same happiness that the Army did.

2. What attracted you to TEFL teaching?

I did the TEFL course because you never know what’s around the corner and I wanted some extra qualifications on my CV. If I didn’t like the job I was in I could just take off.

3. How did you fund your training?

The Army funded my training. When you spend a certain amount of time in the Army you are eligible for a resettlement fund.

4. Which course did you do and where?

I did the 3 day course and it was in Manchester

5. How much did you enjoy the course and what was your favourite part?

I really enjoyed the course as I really opened my eyes to new areas of employment and how easy it was to find work. My favourite part about the course was all the people I met. I still keep in touch with my trainer Liz every now and then, to let her know how things are.

6. How did you go about finding your current job?

I found the job on the internet. I applied for 10 in China at about 10pm GMT. I left my phone on loud that night and was woken 5 times at early hours in the morning with responses to set up an interview.

7. How did the recruitment process work and how long did  it take before you started work?

I applied for my job on the 10th November had an interview the next day had another interview the day after that and got offered the job. I then went on to sell my car and flew out to China on the 21st November and started my first day at work on the 26th.

8. Where do you work and who do you teach? Can you describe a typical workday?

I work in Beijing, China. I teach children ranging from 2-12, although the centre I am at I think the oldest child is 9. I work for a company called First Leap. They have centers all over China and they are rapidly expanding, since leaving the Army I feel true happiness in my work. A typical working day consists of me starting work at 3.30pm. I could have between 2-4 classes on a week day. Today for example I have 2 classes, the first one is logical and critical thinking (Maths) then I have Art. If you are planning on coming to China I would advise brushing up on your Maths skills, as some of the kids I teach are as quick as calculators. I will finish work today at 8.30pm. In total I’m physically teaching the students 1 hour 25 minutes in total, the rest of the time I am in the office with the Chinese teachers and 4 other foreign teachers preparing for future lessons. Most of the lessons at First Leap we finish off with a craft of some sort that is relevant to the lesson. Sometimes I find myself smiling to myself, thinking “ I wonder how many jobs in the UK you can get paid to paint a butterfly or make a jellyfish out of paper plates and tissue paper”!

9. How are you settling in and finding life outside of the classroom?

I’m settling really well outside the classroom. I am used to spending months away from home. Some days it’s not easy when you have to get simple things done and nobody speaks English. The best thing about living in China is the different nationalities that you meet and the food. The food is cheap and tastes like something you may find in a top restaurant back home, but the Chinese sell it at a tenth of the price.

10.   What would you say to anybody considering a career in TEFL?

I would say to anyone thinking of taking a career in TEFL is really do your research on the area and company you work for. Although I am in a good company that treat me well I have met a lot of people along my travels that aren’t. You need to look into how much things cost in the area rent, electric, travel etc. Also find out before hand from the company you work for when your first pay day will be as you may need to bring more money with you. I never asked this question so I found out the hard way. All in all if you are considering taking the step you should go for it or it could be something you regret later in life. It is definitely worth having the TEFL certification on your CV as you never know what’s around the corner.

If you have any questions about living or working in Beijing, then you can email Jake on jake-canning@hotmail.co.uk