Teachers And Other Professionals

In addition to the great demand for English teachers, FOC also receives requests to recruit those with other professional qualifications in such fields as computer technology, agriculture, the medical and health professions, and physical science. We continually receive enquiries from people with a wide variety of professional backgrounds who are looking for opportunities to work in China. During the year 2006, FOC successfully placed personnel in all the above fields of expertise.

The number of requests for English teachers, unfortunately, always exceeds our ability to supply. As mentioned previously, we are committed to recruiting teachers of excellent quality and high moral standards, so our selection process is stringent. As a result of strengthened recruitment efforts, however, the number of teachers introduced through FOC has increased in 2006.

In our screening process, FOC examines not only the academic qualifications and professionalism of a prospective teacher, but also their cultural sensitivity and willingness to accept conditions that may be simpler than would be expected in the foreign expert's home country. In order to assist the teachers to adapt to life in China, FOC provides an orientation to all teachers and experts who are recruited to work at Chinese educational institutions. Continued monitoring of their adjustment to life in China and their performance as teachers is also one of our priorities.

In 2003, FOC helped establish the Cornerstone Training Center in Zhengzhou, Henan, to provide English training programs for children, adults and teachers in Henan. Due to registration problems that developed in connections with an administrative changeover at the middle school where the Center rented facilities, a decision was made in July 2006 to temporarily close the Center. The Center is set to fully reopen in the autumn of 2007, and will seek to do more to assist rural areas to improve the quality of their English education.

In the year 2006, FOC was also able to arrange for several short-term groups of English teachers. These teams provide opportunities to study and communicate with native speakers of English for those who may not be able to attend regular classes taught by foreign teachers. Some teachers may initially offer to work in China for one or two semesters, and FOC is pleased to introduce them. We are even more pleased if they are able to continue teaching for a longer period.

Teachers are sometimes employed as Foreign Experts,and sometimes as Foreign Teachers, depending on their qualifications and experience. Contract terms vary, in terms of accommodation provided, salary offered and assistance with annual traveling expenses.

The table below shows the provinces and municipalities where teachers who were recruited through FOC were working during 2006.

Location and number of teachers recruited through FOC during 2006.

Province/Municipality	Number of teachers
Henan	13
Shaanxi	15
Sichuan	14
Chongqing	2
Qinghai	8*
Xinjiang	3
TOTAL	55

This figure includes six teachers recruited to teach at the Xining International Academy to help meet the educational needs of the children of foreign experts involved in community development.