We are often asked if there are any international school jobs available for the partner of an educator looking to move overseas, or indeed if there are certain other non-teaching roles available in our schools.

A large number of international schools are the hub of the local community and may offer many ways for non-teaching partners to become involved in school activities. It would be advantageous for a non-teaching partner to get a ‘working with children’ clearance from their home country if they intend to be involved in school life or possibly work at the school.

Many international schools employ a range of people with varying skill sets beyond primary and secondary teachers. Not all schools are looking for the following support staff, but we certainly do work with schools that have needs in the following areas:

• Early childhood educators 
• Guidance counsellors
• Careers counsellors 
• Psychologists 
• Admissions officers
• Activities directors 
• Sports coaches 
• Music tutors 
• Nurses 
• Occupational therapists 
• Speech pathologists
• Business managers/marketing
• Librarians 
• Information and technology support 
• Teacher assistants 
• Alumni Co-ordinator

You will need to be qualified in the field (or at the least a related field) to apply for many of these positions, but in some cases relevant experience or sheer enthusiasm might be enough. Also, previous experience working in a K – 12 school setting is an advantage.

Unlike early childhood educators in Australia and New Zealand, those working in international schools receive the same holidays and pay scale as all other teachers within a school (as well they should!) if the job is deemed to be full-time. In fact, early childhood educators are always in high demand because of their unique skillset and are often the first hired.