Chinese firm needs 30,000 online English teachers
China’s largest online English education company announced it needs 30,000 more online English teachers this year in addition to its existing 20,000 Filipino teachers to alleviate the shortage of 500,000 foreign English-language teachers in China.
Jack Huang, founder and CEO of 51Talk, said they have now 10 million registered students, and more than 20,000 partner teachers in the Philippines. He believes the current health situation as a turning point in the online education industry.
“With the exploding demand for English-speaking teachers in China, there is probably never been a better time than right now to teach English online,” Huang said.
Amid the pandemic, he said, online teacher turned out to be one of the least affected job. Many online teachers in the Philippines typically work from home, which insulated them from the home quarantine measures that have devastated other businesses.
At the same time, he said, being an online teacher can be very rewarding. In 2019, the average monthly salary in the Philippines was about P50,600, while a 51Talk online teacher earns more than P60,000 per month.
In a recent social media post, Huang called Filipinos to join 51Talk as online teachers to combat the coronavirus job losses. “If the pandemic took your job, then 51Talk can offer you a new one,” said Huang through the video, adding that “There is probably never been a better time than right now to teach English online.”
“The Philippines is one of the best English-speaking countries in Asia. Filipino teachers have standard American pronunciation. More than 1 million Filipinos work at call centers in the United States,” said Huang. “All you need is a stable Internet connection, a laptop, a builtin or external webcam, a headset, and a quiet space to teach.”
51Talk is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange (COE) in 2016. It brings together students and teachers for live, online English lessons. By providing students across China with access to the world’s best quality education, 51Talk is achieving its mission of helping China speak with the world.