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| AuQi - don’t risk it! | ||
| I worked here for about two years, I even went to the effort to get a CELTA in an effort to get some job satisfaction. The boss of Auqi told the chinese staff that she paid for my CELTA training, which was a complete lie, but when you are in China, it is the usual situation for chinese to believe what they hear from other chinese(the reverse is doubtlessly true in my home country). The conditions have steadily deteriorated as the boss constantly cuts corners to maximise her profit. I was let go after refusing to work a full day on Christmas and complaining about them cutting my electricity three days before. They don't give a crap if you can teach they just want a foreign face to shove in front of a group of mostly apathetic, over-worked and over-tired students. Your travel time isn't included in your work hours and you will be required to stay overnight usually twice a week. Travel time can vary from none for lady teachers to about 14 hours per week for the guys. The advertisement on this site about Auqi is either BS or they are so desperate to get new teachers the boss is actually willing to part with a tiny piece of the massive amount of money she is making from students, parents and teachers who wouldn't know a qualified ESL teacher if they spoke to one. Previously when I asked for over-time pay I was screamed and yelled at and threatened, then when they were absolutely desperate for me to teach an extra eight hours that week they offered me 150 RMB. The next week I was told that I wasn't working as much so I wouldn't get the bonus. Nice. Every teacher in the last six months has been threatened to have their return ticket cancelled for some minor infraction of a contract that is never even given to the teachers. The standard ploy has been to 'forget' to give the teachers a contract to sign, so the teachers aren't protected. Not that the contract is worth anything more than toilet paper anyway. Don't even get me started on the teaching material. It's find your own way as far as that's concerned. Training? Ha! What a joke! No teacher has ever had anything even resembling a training period at this school. The last lot of teachers who were suckered in to coming to Auqi were immediately thrown into the deep end. It's sink or swim and they don't give a crap either way. The current group of teachers are working close to 40 hours a week as other teachers at this school have just up and left. Yet they can't complain to anybody or ask for extra pay as the boss is in Australia and the manager is one of the deserters. The usual tactic used by the boss for overtime is that once it is done they don't have to pay you, which is why the smarter teachers always asked for it in advance. In my experience and the experience of all the teachers I have talked to, everything you are told before you get to the school is a lie to get you there. Once you're there, your arse belongs to them. I don't mean just for the duration of the contract, if you want to work elsewhere in the city after your contract expires the boss will threaten you. She doesn't want you to work for the competition. And, as you are only supplied with cheap tourist visas as opposed to legit (expensive) work permits, all she has to do is call a friend at the police station. It doesn't matter that she was the one who supplied you with the incorrect visa. There are other better places to teach - if you have a university qualification teach at a university. Universities in China have legal obligations to their foreign expert teachers. You will be much safer all round. Check here (http://www.esljobfind.com/main_bw.php?action=6&bw_country=CHINA) for more info on this school that is damaging and dissatisfying students and teachers alike. Note the obvious fake postings by a lack of return email address and atrocious spelling. Finally, why did I work at Auqi for two years if it is so abominable? First, my girlfriend is from this city, second, I needed to develop my contacts to be protected from any legal trouble that would be incurred when working for a rival of Auqi. Bottom line - work elsewhere. Remember if you work for her once she (the boss) thinks she owns you and you won't be able to work elsewhere in the city of Qiqihar. Don't risk it! A totally unprofessional outfit. Jeremy 30/06/04 hoccalugee@yahoo.com Qiqihar, China. |