Age Discrimination - English Teachers Vietnam

by Tim Stotts
(Sacramento, CA, )

What is the reality on age discrimination in What is the reality on age discrimination in Vietnam among English teachers?

I'm American, white, blue-eyed and blond. I am fit, trim and a "typical" looking American.

I have a bachelor's degree with many years of professional experience in the health care industry. I will soon have a CELTA certificate and I have experience as an English teacher in Brazil and as a student teacher at California State University.

I am also 55 years old. I would like to make a living as an English teacher in Vietnam, however, I am worried that my age will disqualify me from securing any teaching jobs there.

If I got a job there would I be able to work as an English teacher until I retire at age 66?

I need to know what I'm facing in terms of age discrimination before I continue moving forward with this goal to work in Vietnam.

Thanks for any advice you can give me about this.

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Reply from Travel-Budget-Asia.com

Hi, Tim. I know another Tim. He is currently teaching English in Vietnam.

He lived from paycheck to paycheck in the US until I met him in the staff room of a private English school in Ho Chi Minh City.

He was 62 when he left the US and landed in Vietnam. That was 7 years ago. He does have more difficulty getting work than the young but he has no qualifications at all. Not even a TEFL.

This leaves him nothing in which to compete with and leaves him exposed. He is thus forced to work in the small private English schools where the electricity keeps cutting out and the air-conditioning with it.


That is not you and I think you are over-reacting about your age.

You are just 55 and have some fantastic qualifications (Hopefully with documentation). You would be about average age amongst most of the university Professors.

My friend is still teaching English in Vietnam and I'll bet he is nearly 70, although he stays very fit, looks good and never smells of booze. It took him a long time to build up a good 30 hours of work a week.

That will be your biggest problem. The older teacher usually gets the least amount of hours. You might need to work at 3 different schools to make about $2,000USD a month.

My friend might be a harder worker than you, is never late and makes his students somewhat enjoy the hour they have with him.

If you can do the same then my answer is yes, there is age discrimination but it can be overcome with time, commitment and hard work.

My advice to you is to hit the top level universities with the knowledge that your age is actually an advantage and your qualifications look good for a school to brag about of their teachers.

Your post to this website shows a guy that seems unsure if he is worth anything.

The Vietnamese will see that as a weakness and offer you less. The truth is that, especially in the Universities, Vietnamese students expect a serious education to come from an older person.

You qualify as a high level university professor. You were a student teacher at California State University!

Start acting like it and you will find a great job.

Philip