Age and Teaching in Korea

[Niko]

Fewer teaching jobs in Korea if over 35

It's obvious from the many ESL Job ads that fewer schools are willing to offer teaching contracts as we get older. It's no surprise that schools do prefer younger teachers over their older counterparts.

EPIK (English Program in Korea) is a government sponsored organisation that overseas English teachers in government schools throughout South Korea. Having such an organisation is great for setting standards and protecting both school and teacher. But one can also be disappointed when EPIC recently dropped the maximum teaching age from 45 to 35 years old.

Why is it fine for heads of governments and prime ministers to be 70+, yet in Korea, a 40 year old teacher is classified as being past their expiry date?

Food for thought.

[tasha99]

This has me concerned. I'm 40, and I've been thinking of going back to school to get an MA in applied linguistics or education so that I could teach English in either Korea or Japan. I thought I would be pretty easy to place because I have a BA in English, I've done some professional editing, and I've lived in both Korea (as a soldier) and Japan (as a foreign exchange student). I was even going to brush up my language skills, which at one time were pretty good in both Korean and Japanese.

Am I dreaming about going overseas to teach English? I was 18 when I lived in Japan and 21 when I lived in Korea. The idea that I was employable as an English teacher then but not now seems ridiculous to me. Is it really so hard to teach in Korea over 40? How about in Japan?

[gfell]

In Japan I know many teachers who are over 40. Not that much over though... mainly in their 40s I would have to say. With you skills and background, you can definitely get a job in Japan.

Try Excel International in Osaka. They dispatch teachers to company classes. So does CTS and Phoenix.

[tasha99]

Thanks for the info, gfell. I am going to wait till I'm about 43 and work on my Masters and getting some recent ESL experience (even if only volunteer) while I'm spinning my wheels. I have a teenager who doesn't want to go.

[dogpound]

I'm in my mid-40's and work in the epik program so I was quite surprised at the information in the post. They hired me knowing my age so I think this situation is curious. Where exactly does it talk about the age limit?? I looked at the website and there was no reference to age for foreign teachers under 'basic requirements' - there is an age reference for korean nationals however. It's also true that my school hired me directly, but again also true that at an orientation for all new foreign teachers, there were quite a few epik teachers clearly over 40. I would have to say that this might not be true. There is a very good website if you have a question like this. EFL-LAW is a well-researced site which provides solid legal information for teachers in numerous countries. They also provide links to government websites to back up their findings.

[Niko]

Hi, welcome here! Good to have the first hand knowledge of an EPIC teacher. I was unable to find the age requirement on their site just now, but when I first wrote this post, it was there.

If you click on epik 35 korea teach - Google Search you will notice many references to the age limit of 35.

[dogpound]

I checked the website again and read it carefully. There is no age limit. It does state however "If you are a male citizen of the Rrepublic of Korea under the age of 35" and that you've completed your military service or received a waiver, then you can work in the program. That might be where you're getting your information from. Again, if you have any more insights beyond the website - a policy paper, a news release, please include it. You might still be right in another way - by asking for photo's they might vett out some older people by not responding, placing that resume at the bottom of the pile etc. That's unofficial age discrimination which sadly does happen all over the world.