Paid Teaching Program in Japan with TravelBud

Response from provider

Hi Mark, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re always open to hearing ways we can improve our program and service. That said, we also need to follow the requirements set by our partner schools in order to maintain our promise of guaranteed placement. While some of these policies may feel strict, they are in place for valid reasons, which is why our application process includes detailed questions to identify any potential concerns early on. To clarify, the enrollment fee only applies once a full application has been submitted, reviewed, and accepted by our team, and you’ve chosen to move forward. We ask all applicants to provide full and accurate information, as undisclosed details can unfortunately affect eligibility later in the process. In your case, some important information was not disclosed during the application stage, which ultimately led to challenges with moving ahead. Despite our terms and conditions stating otherwise, we offered you a full refund of your fees as a gesture of goodwill. Our intention throughout has been to handle this matter professionally, fairly, and with understanding. If you could kindly respond to our email from early August regarding this matter, we would be happy to continue this conversation.

Response from provider

Hi Lilah, Thank you so much for your glowing review and kind recommendation. We're thrilled to hear that your time with our team has been so positive and that their expertise and support have made your teaching journey in Japan such a smooth and enjoyable experience over the past six months. Your encouraging words inspire us to keep delivering outstanding experiences for all our future teachers. We also love seeing your incredible posts on social media, showcasing all the amazing adventures you've had. Wishing you even more fantastic experiences ahead! Best regards, Ben & The TravelBud Team

Response from provider

Denise, thank you so much for your informative, honest and lovely feedback. We are thrilled to hear that you're enjoying your time in Japan. I remember when we first spoke on the phone, I knew you would make an excellent addition to our team of teachers with your passion for Japan and your love of new cultures- and I was right! Taking the leap of faith to teach English abroad can be daunting at the best of times- let alone in a world pandemic. We are so impressed by your positive attitude, resilience and adaptability and we can't wait to follow the rest of your journey, as a TravelBud Alumni and beyond. We appreciate your trust in us and we're sending you all the positive vibes from across the globe all the way to Japan! Warmest Regards, Grace

Response from provider

Hi Nikhil, <br><br> We appreciate you taking the time to raise your concerns and give us feedback. I have reached out to you directly to further discuss your review and the points you have raised seeing as I have been working with you since you enrolled in the Japan program at the end of October last year. <br><br> Nikhil, we completely understand how frustrating the long wait has been, and we do apologise for the delay. Unfortunately, Japan’s border closures and Covid19 regulations paired with a backlog of teachers who have been waiting to head over since the beginning of the pandemic have caused significant delays. <br><br> During our initial correspondence with you, we did outline these delays, and alternatives such as placement in Thailand, followed by placement in Japan, or giving things a bit more time to settle and heading over in 2023 were discussed. We have also always emphasised the fact that if the wait for placement in Japan became too lengthy we would be more than happy to assist you with a placement in one of our other destinations across the world. The option to apply for a public school intake was also an option offered to get you over to Japan as quickly as possible. <br><br> Whilst we do state that placement is guaranteed, we also mention that applicants need to keep in mind that placements do depend on what jobs are available. We specifically do not outline a timeline of how long it takes from enrollment to placement, as the interview and visa processes can be quite lengthy. As you know, most schools also require applicants to have their degree diplomas in hand, and the issuance of your diploma in April 2022 also had an effect on the timeline. <br><br> As with all teaching positions across the world, schools are required to do their due diligence and interview their teachers before hiring them. We do assist with interview preparations by outlining general questions which are asked and giving tips and pointers. Our Head of Program and our TESOL Instructor had separate calls with you to help best prepare you for your interviews. Schools will always have the final say with regards to who they hire though. After an interview you had in April, a school was ready to offer you a position, but you notified us that you did not want to teach such young learners. This is completely understandable and we continued the search for a position. <br><br> Applicants with less experience than you have been placed, Nikhil, and the fact that you haven’t been offered another placement yet, is solely due to the slow pace at which schools are currently hiring teachers. Many schools that offered teachers contracts right before the pandemic have only been able to bring their teachers over to Japan in the past few months. <br><br> Nikhil, our fee, which is only due upon acceptance of a contract offer letter covers a range of things beyond the placement service - a lifetime of placement guarantees, an in-country orientation, support throughout your time in Japan, assistance with finding accommodation once you’re in Japan are just a few examples. We also work with schools that have been vetted and carefully selected to ensure our teachers have the best experience possible. A free recruiter will place you with any school, regardless of how they treat their English teachers, and we have heard some horror stories. These recruiters also tend to take a cut of the teacher’s salary, which is something we steer clear of completely. <br><br> Our placement team did contact you regarding interview opportunities and did their very best to arrange a placement with a school that came as close to your preferences as possible. <br><br> We would still very much like to assist you with a placement in any of our destinations, Nikhil, and will always be here and happy to assist you. <br><br> Warm regards, <br> Saskia Smuts