Were you Ian, because as I recall you did change your name half way through that campaign?

No, I wasn't Ian. By the way, Ian was actually Welsh. I never met him. He arrived there subsequent to my departure. I was told that he was very popular with the company's leaders. They have 32 foreign teachers now, not 35. I wouldn't call it a staggering increase from the 23 they had when I was there. I don't refer Poles or Russians to them. I'm not recruiting for them and never have. I believe they'll consider all nationalities except Filipinos.

Oh, I was referring to the days when you fielded for the 'A' team and very much at the forefront of criticisms against Yuncheng IELTS.

Not true, I tried to defend that company, but to no avail. I still regard it as an average employer, though a good one for newbies without teaching experience who wish to learn the ropes.
Treining centres and some private schools here are much worse. Oh, and Yuncheng IELTS is good for older teachers who cannot get jobs easily due to ageism and the Chinese employment regulations. Salary levels aren't paramount with many of them, 5000 a month, but no end of term holiday pay is fine in their eyes - you see, they are getting pensions from their homelands in addition!
Too much snobbery on this board re workplaces and qualifications, I'm sorry to say! Typical Western attitudes, understandable though short-sighted.

to put the record straight, I'm Scottish first and foremost, though my passport is British, unfortunately a necessity as there's no such animal aJust s a Scottish passport

.....to put the record straight, I'm Scottish first and foremost, though my passport is British, unfortunately a necessity as there's no such animal as just a Scottish passport.

I've managed to quote myself accurately, which you were unable to do. As for Yuncheng IELTS, my Chinese contact there says that that company presently employs 32 foreign teachers, rather more than when I was there.

I just, perhaps naively, take all the posts here at face-value. If I can offer some suggestions or help to somebody, I will.

That is a reasonable response that informs us you are willing to help those who may be in need of it with advice that you believe to be valuable. But beware of clowns who are out to waste you and others' spare time! Another poster, one whose moniker is remarkably similar to Apole, thinks my reply to that Pole is a waste of my time. But I beg to differ. You see, it might well be that other readers who are from the East of Europe are seeking employment as teachers of English in China, but haven't yet found a compliant agent. My post will probably be of use to them. Let's hope so.

By the way, Turino (from memory) is from the UK, and a graduate with a PGCE (Post Graduate Certificate in Education).

Just to put the record straight, I'm Scottish first and foremost, though my passport is British, unfortunately a necessity as there's no such animal as a Scottish passport.
And I wouldn't go so far as to describe my teaching qualification as a PGCE per se, but maybe I should, given the blowing of personal trumpets practised by some posters on this board. They love to talk the talk, but I wonder if they can walk the walk! As I regard myself as an unassuming kind of mortal, I'd rather just say what it says on the tin, namely that I have a postgraduate teaching qualification in secondary education in maths and physics, which is actually mandatory for secondary school teachers of either of those subjects in Scotland, and obtainable by degree holders in the relevant subjects after an additional two terms of study at a college of education. As for the rest of the UK, I couldn't say for certain if the employment regulations for secondary school teachers are the same as those mentioned above. However, in all probability they will be somewhat different.