Testimonial

I had heard many awful stories regarding schools and agencies in Thailand before, which made me nervous. So I was absolutely delighted to find an agency that offers such wonderful support and genuinely has the teachers’ best interest at heart. If I were to return to Thailand, I would most definitely use their services again.

I highly recommend Essential Education Staffing to anyone looking to teach in Thailand and wanting to find the perfect fit and an exceptional team to support them.

Nicole Enter

I applied for a job with Essential Education, had the interview and demo within days and within a couple of weeks I was in an incredible school working with a fantastic team. The communication during this time was lightening quick and amazingly helpful.

The support that I received from Stuart and Essential Education can not truly be put into words. They worked tirelessly to solve the visa issues I was having, supported me throughout my time in Thailand during the pandemic. They would keep us up to date with news and announcements.

If I were to ever return to Bangkok, Stuart and Essential Education would be my first call. I had a fantastic experience!

Jodie Punter

They offer a friendly, professional and fully supportive service to their teachers, which is accompanied by excellent and consistent communication throughout the entire work placement. Stuart always answered my questions and queries, recommended suitable accommodation, gave directions & maps to and from school, free online resources, games and lesson plans, excellent visa consultation, as well as providing information on flights, health insurance, bank accounts, immigration regulations and obtaining the work permit.

What I think is exceptional about Essential Staffing (which sets it apart from other agencies), is that they offer additional support. We had a professionally qualified teacher with many years of teaching experience observe our classes, give feedback and support regarding classroom management.

I would highly recommend Stuart and Essential Staffing to anyone who is interested in teaching, as it is important to know that you are looked after at all times. If you want to Teach in Thailand, then go for it and put your trust in Essential Education.

Ben Wickham

I was also pleasantly surprised by the efficiency and professionalism with which Essential handled my visa and work permit. I was used to waiting months and spending hours at immigration. However, Stuart and the other staff at Essential worked with the school to acquire my work permit and visa in just a few weeks, with minimal time spent at government offices. This is all the more impressive, considering the number of teachers that Essential are working with.

At this point, I was extremely happy with Essential. But, it only got better. I didn't expect to hear much from Stuart once I was settled and my paperwork was sorted. However, Essential is a very down-to-earth and personal company. Stuart is regularly in contact, just to make sure that everything is ok and to offer any advice if necessary. The regular observations are also a nice touch. Essential observe their teachers, not to judge them in a negative way, but to help them grow and improve as educators.

I would definitely use this company again and recommend a friend. There are a lot of horror stories about schools in Thailand and there are schools where you can get taken advantage of and not be valued as a teacher, just a means for profit (I know because I worked in one before coming through Essential). Therefore, I know I am so lucky for the opportunity I had with this great school and wage.

I highly recommend Essential Educational Staffing and would recommend anyone teaching in Thailand to get in touch..

Cillian de Buitleir

I was consistently paid on time, kindly given sick and vacation leave when needed and had regular class observations which provided helpful feedback to improve my teaching abilities. They even gave us gifts at Christmas time which was a very kind gesture.

I worked with, and met, many others who worked for various agencies around Bangkok and often I would hear anecdotes about their employers who were late on payments, didn't provide needed assistance or deducted pay for sick days. As I would listen to these stories, I would always be thankful that I found an agency who cared about their employees and who I could always trust to have my best interest, and the interest of my students, at heart.

That being said, I could not more highly recommend Essential Staffing, and Stuart, as an employer for those considering teaching in Thailand.

Dashell R. Fittry

I was on an excellent salary able to live a very comfortable lifestyle in Bangkok. The working hours were very good, with short lesson periods and small class sizes as well as opportunity for paid overtime. And the school itself was lovely - a nice, small international school with well-behaved, fun kids and a family atmosphere. I really enjoyed myself for the whole year I worked at this school.

Before I started work, Essential provided me with all the information I needed about the school and any cultural differences in Thailand. The company funded my visa, keeping me well informed and giving clear instructions of everything I needed to do for this.

Throughout my time working in Thailand, I received constant support from Essential and always received a quick response if I had a query. I never had a problem with pay, received holiday cover when needed and Stuart kept in touch with me to make sure I was okay with regular face-to-face meetings. This is a very personal, helpful company, not just a voice at the end of the phone.

I would definitely use this company again and recommend a friend. There are a lot of horror stories about schools in Thailand and there are schools where you can get taken advantage of and not be valued as a teacher, just a means for profit (I know because I worked in one before coming through Essential). Therefore, I know I am so lucky for the opportunity I had with this great school and wage.

Felicity Vann

I would work with Essential again and would recommend any teacher moving to Thailand to get in touch. A supportive, flawless service which contributed to giving me one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Thank you Essential!

Thomas Ratcliffe

Essential does not just treat you as ‘another teacher’ they connect with you on a personal level, and have helped me with all manner of things such as; finding accommodation, recommending hospitals when sick, full help and assistance with work permits and visas, materials for teaching, where to eat (it’s important) and more.

If given the chance to work with Essential, take it! It is a fantastic company to work for, and you would struggle to find a better agent! Believe me!

Bruce Sharp

I arrived from a long flight and landed on, what felt like, a different planet. I’ve now become really comfortable with life here but it wasn’t always that way. Essential were open about all the documents I needed so it made the screening process really smooth. My interview wasn’t like back home because Essential presented me with the realities of what I was going to face, not only in the classroom but also in daily Thai life. That was a relief, especially when I started to hear the stories of others I had started to meet. I was shown details of the schools on offer, told of their philosophy and style so I was able to have some control over where I ended up.

Location was important to me. Essential guided me towards the right areas of Bangkok to live in and how I might go about connecting with like minded people I could relate to. It helped to build a network of friends and contacts for social and travel opportunities. All work and no play might have made me a dull boy until I worked it out myself, thankfully Essential’s advice allowed those things to happen quicker. I loved being able to do demo lessons that allowed the school to see who I was as a teacher and allowed me to see if the school was the right place for me.

Once that was sorted I made the commitment to find a place to live. There are so many pitfalls in finding accommodation but it’s only daunting because I couldn’t speak any Thai. Essential put me onto the ‘English friendly’ way to find good digs’. I didn’t want to live somewhere that made me feel alone, no familiar faces. Although, I know other teachers who wanted some isolation and difference. I also wanted good, easy access to shops and places to get a drink where language or lack of choice wasn’t an issue. Which supermarkets and areas would have the kinds of food or standards that I liked? Where and how would I make friends to hang out with? What were my transport options and how do I navigate the city without ending up in the middle of nowhere for no reason? I had spoken to more than one company about all of this before I settled with Essential and the difference was the little things that reassured me that I’d be ok. Sometimes even a confident person can have serious reservations but I felt satisfied that any problems concerning lifestyle, culture, procedures and day to day life could be overcome. The advice and guidance Essential gave me allowed me to overcome anything that might normally hang in the back of my mind and create unnecessary stress.

Once I started at my school, I received training about how to start lessons, timings, how to make lessons fun and the importance of being a part of the school culture and operational fabric . Essential organised short sessions to give me ideas, deal with problems I was facing as a beginning teacher and direct me towards the right resources to use to get me through those daunting first few lessons. I was scared to death of facing kids as a teacher. The training and support sessions helped me grow in confidence and be more efficient. I felt that it helped me get on with a life rather than always be afraid of what’s to come. So yeah, I actually started working before all the documents were sorted which is the normal way it works here. As I was getting my teeth into the job, Essential were taking care of the ‘red tape’ and handling everything on my behalf. In a short space of time I had the right visa and a work permit. Once these were sorted, my life began.

To be honest, I had problems adjusting to the job. I was never a fantastic student so it was no surprise that it took a month or two to get into the rhythm of a teacher’s life. Essential made visits to the school frequently, not to check up on my work ethic, but to see if I was ok and needed anything. It was refreshing because I had never received that kind of support in my home country. It was always good to see a friendly face and to know they cared. I have never once felt like I was abandoned or forgotten. The best aspect of their support was the observations because I received direct feedback that I could work on immediately. Some of the training sessions were with other teachers from other schools so we could share our successes, difficulties, tips and tricks. I learned a lot from that. I also made friends that I have to this day and hopefully for the rest of my life.

Thailand is the kind of country worth exploring and immersing yourself into. Because the worry of what to expect had been wiped away, I have concentrated on making a life for myself. The impact on my way of viewing life has been so positive that each year now makes me want to stay even more. I have friends, I’m part of a few social sports teams, I go and share a meal or a drink with friends. Most importantly, I do not feel like I’m on a distant planet anymore. I have Thai friends too and know that we are enriching each others’ life with every second we spend together.

Andrew Hays