Advice on Choosing Qualification

[alopezg1]

Hello Everyone

Apologies if this is posted in the wrong place. I am very seriously considering doing a CELTA course . I wanted to ask you all what opportunities may be open to me and what I could do to improve them . Firstly I should explain a little more of my situation. I am 28 years old and hold no degree. I started studying for a degree in comparative literature in my early twenties but had to leave early ( very early in fact, after 6 weeks) after becoming unwell . I never returned to university and pursued other work options , totally unrelated to my degree for a number of years- in lots of different roles, horticulture , construction etc. I want to take the CELTA course principally because I want to travel , I feel happiest on the move , and this seems like a good way to go about it. South America appeals to me most of all- Chili , Colombia, Brazil , Argentina , Uruguay and Venezuela . I don't want to work in China and am not particularly interested in Asia in general ..... except maybe India . I am not interested in gaining a university job , or anything like that ; I just want to travel from place to place , for now at least , and see if I get on with the work. My question to you all is : will I need a degree to stand a good chance of finding work in South America? Will I be able to go straight from gaining my CELTA to a job abroad ? I am considering doing a degree , it certainly would improve my job prospects in this country at least ...... what I am passionate about is literature , and science , although these are not strictly vocational degrees , and by no means guarantee work . I have been considering a degree in Mental Health nursing as a purely vocational option . If I knew there was a good chance of getting reasonably paid work in South America without an undergraduate degree however, I would spend my money on that and follow that route . The problem is I am impatient and want to get out there as soon as possible. I am not particularly interested in doing things illegally , I have heard this is an option , but I wouldn't like to be in a foreign country working illegally somehow , t just doesn't sit well with me . Anyway, I have rambled on ..... sorry if the post is hopelessly naïve , I am just trying to get a sense of where I should go next , and any help or advice you good people could provide would most appreciated . Thanks

Alex

 

[Tdol]

Some countries insist on a degree, but I have heard of people working without one in South America, though I am afraid my experience has been in Europe and Asia. Getting the CELTA would be a good idea as that is the most asked for thing in job adverts. A degree would help, and some places will certainly not look at your CV, but that doesn't mean you won't be able to find work. The illegal option is a high risk- it's where the cowboy employers are, the ones who don't regard their word as their bond.

 

[emsr2d2]

My experience, too, is in Europe where I understand it is getting harder and harder to obtain employment without a degree to go with your CELTA. Have you contacted many schools in South America to find out what their requirements are?

I must respectfully point out that, in written English, we do not put a space before a comma, full stop, question mark or exclamation mark. If you click on "Edit Post", you can remove all those errant spaces from your post, then click "Save".

 

[alopezg1]

Ok thanks Tdol . I will start contacting places in South America . Anyone else have an advice/experience ? thanks , Alex

 

[emsr2d2]

I have the same advice I had in my last post. Stop putting a space before full stops, commas and question marks. If you're going to be an English teacher, you really must know how to space around punctuation. Please edit both your posts. Thanks.