Management Administrator

[Jbarratt]

Hi,

We are in the process of viewing properties in the Lot et Garonne area, last week in a village Villareal where friends currently live. We have three children 11, 8 and 7 and they will go to the local college, my husband will return to the UK for seasonal work, leaving me.

I am currently a management administrator for a secondary school which involves a lot of data manipulation. I have the European Computing Driving Licence and also the ECDL Advanced in Excel. I would be interested in staying at a school, I do a lot of classroom assisting, invigilating exams and read with the children.

Ideally I would like to have something lined up for September if not Christmas, this would give us a time line to work with. Any help on how to go about this would be appreciated. I have asked our Head of Languages to help with my C.V. as an O'Level B in French is only so good.

Thanks in advanced for any pointers.

[letrangere]

I have several friends who worked in the French public education system as 'une assistante' for a year as part of their French degree course, and I would have thought that schools would be grateful for a native English speaker to assist the regular French teacher, assuming there was a vacancy. But for anything else I would imagine stronger language skills are required. Those working in admin in French public schools are presumably "fonctionnaires" (correct me if I'm wrong please). Just out of interest, does anyone know any British nationals who've obtained positions within the French civil service?

Margaret

[Jo53]

You need to be realistic. You obviously have good computer/admin skills, but how will you function in an office environment when you don't speak the language? Would you employ someone at your office in England if they hardly spoke or wrote any English? Your lack of French language skills, both spoken and written, will be a huge barrier and will, unfortunately, far outweigh the skills and experience you have to offer. Maybe you need to spend your first year in France on improving your language, and then launch yourself on the job market.

Where you might have some luck (if you get at least your spoken French up to the level of communicating reasonably freely and understanding instructions/concepts) is in jobs where they are actively seeking someone with good English. Good English is very highly prized in the job market, though of course only by companies whose business is international rather than purely local.

Alternatively, if you like working with children, consider getting TEFL qualified and teaching English.

Sorry to be brutal,

Jo

[Sasha]

Hi there

Interesting posting and replies. A few things i would like to add. 1. The French government is making cut backs in education and is proposing the closure of a lot of rural schools this will mean jobs for foreigners will be hard to get in this field.
2. Having TEFL will be of little use in a school as one must have a proper teaching qualification. It could be used for teaching english in other environments.
3. Office environment would be as the others say but onr small factor which would need to be mastered...the key board on French computers is different and does take time to get used to.

Good luck

Sasha