This is the downside to public schools but as some more experienced foreigners (and eventually me) figured out its better to be paid 6000 rmb with 15 hours a week + housing than to be scammed every other month, have to do 'midnight runs' or find out they did some 'creative accounting' and the training center ultimately paid 5000 a month after all.

But the best bet might be a public school and then go ahead and do those side jobs. Okay, maybe you work for a training center on the weekend or whatever else. If you do get cheated its a loss but its not your entire month (6-7 weeks actually) lost forever. Plus the hassle of then finding something else.

IF you DO get most of the money for the extra private company jobs okay great. That makes your difference but you still have your more reliable core job to carry you through. You aren't destroyed.

Oh, something else I just discovered (dont know if this is new or what?) but has anyone else known about these public school affiliated training centers? They are private companies yes. But they are somehow contracted with public schools. Maybe the 'official training center of #X milddle-school' and these are also far less likely to scam, cheat FTs because they are actually held to the public school rules, standards etc or at least in theory