Teaching Jobs in Italy
There is a big demand in all the major Northern Italian cities for English language teachers. Private language schools tend to have a fast turnover of teachers and so vacancies are regularly available. Vacancies are also to be had within the state education system, although these posts are more difficult to come by and generally less well paid.
The system for applying for a teaching job, either in the state or private sectors, is to write a domanda, a letter of request. Your letter should include a curriculum vitae and a photograph of yourself, and should state the dates from which you are available for work.
If you are already living in Italy you should look out for the ordinanza, a decree by which you can enroll yourself onto a teaching register. The ordinanza appears in the newspapers and is circulated around schools once every two years. The resulting register, known as the graduatoria, is then used by schools in order to fill vacancies. Teachers who are listed on the graduatoria have precedence over teachers who make private applications to a school.
Teaching jobs in private language schools tend to be paid by the hour, while state schools pay a salary per month. The state is renowned for the tardy payment of its salaries - be warned! However, a job in a state school is the more secure option as your contract will probably ensure that health and pension contributions are paid on your behalf. If you are employed on a full-time basis, you will be paid the equivalent of 13 months per annum, the month of December being paid double. Contracts with private language schools generally do not involve the payment of health and pension contributions. You will simply have the 19 per cent IRPEF income tax, which is equivalent of PAYE, deducted each month.
Since wages in private language schools are calculated by the hour you should find out whether there are a guaranteed number of working hours, and the policy on being paid for students who book a lesson but do not attend.
