Question for ESL teachers: re Nova Japan or No-vacation japan

so I have been accepted to teach with nova group in japan. Intially i was pretty excited to go as it seemed like a big company with alot of benefits and it is the largest ESL school in the whole of japan.

However, these past couple of days I have been doing some research into this company to see how much I will be able to save up over the course of a year and all i have found is website upon website devoted to exposing the horror that is this company.

I guess it has a horrible labor rights record and the Osaka bar association has ruled against several clauses in its teachers contract (of which it has altered parts of it to comply but the principles are the same).

Also apparently the company rents out apartments to its teachers at above 50 percent market value.

The company insurance policy is about double the normal cost of insurance in japan but with half the coverage.

If you are late they dock a full mornings pay.

- all other companys for ESL give thier teachers paid national holidays off. Not nova
- with several other companies you start off with 4 weeks of paid vacation. At nova its 7 days.



From what i have read the whole bussiness model of this company is based on a unending supply of naive teachers who have little knowledge of japans labor laws and other policies. The company essentially makes alot of its profits off the rent and low wages they pay thier teahers and the insurance policy. In a company of some 60,000 teachers if you milk each one just a bit it adds up.


that being said i have also read that alot of this stuff comes from whiny kids on thier first time away from home and who have never really had jobs etc...

So....just wondering if anyone here has any experience or any first hand information on this.

All the research stuff i have read indicates stay away at all costs. But there is also a percentage of the material that says dont believe everything you read and see it for yourself.

Sounds fine and all except that I dont want to spend 1200 on a flight to then realize that I am indebt and with no money and in a crappy job eating ramen noodles to pay off my loans because my jobs sucks so much.


Also I am sure tribe wont appreciate thread upon thread of my new job sucks even more etc...

cheers
swilly

LOL, you had to throw that last line in there.

Jokes.

But yeah, apply at the more reputable companies and see what they give you. Make it a last resort.


Karim

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a baby seal walks into a club....

i've also read a lot of bad stuff about nova.. JET seems highly recommended, but i don't know the specifics on either, so meh

sorry for not contributing.

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kyo wa!

I have tonnes of information about ESL jobs in Japan...including NOVA (i think). I assume you have already checked out their web site: http://www.teachinjapan.com/

Make sure you speak to the Japanese Embassy in Ottawa. I found that they were extremely helpful with this subject. Their email is [email protected] ... and the person who will help you is Masae Sato, who is in charge of the information and culture section.

Also, a good thing to do is ask NOVA for contact information of some people who have worked with that company. That way, you can hear what they think about working there.

If you need any more information feel free to ask me.

Matane!



Katie