The BBELS Job Club

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Max, our friendly Job Club manager

The BBELS Job Club helps our students find work in and around the Byron Bay area. Since 2014 we have been establishing connections with local businesses that are happy to employ our motivated and hard-working students. We have helped hundreds of students on Working Holiday visas and Student Visas find work.

What kind of jobs can we help you find?

Byron Bay’s main industry is tourism so there are a lot of jobs in the hospitality services. Students who join our Job Club often find work in the local Byron Bay hotels, restaurants and cafes. We also help students find work on farms around Byron Bay or in other locations.

Who can join the Job Club?

If you are an Intermediate level (or higher) student with a Working Holiday visa or Student Visa you can join the Job Club.

What will Job Club do for you?

The Job Club manager will help you write your resume so that it is in the Australian format. The manager contacts businesses around town and takes students to their job interviews. After we find you a job the manager checks you are satisfied with your job (hours, pay).

Working in Australia is a great way to buy a car and travel. It is also a fun way to study English and learn more about the culture of the country. If you would like to know more about our Job Club service please contact us at info@bbels.com.au

 

 

 

 

 

BBELS Job Club helping our South Korean students

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Mamiko talking with some of our Korean students

The BBELS job club is a great way to help students find work in and around the Byron Bay area. With the assistance of the Job Club our students typically find work in the hospitality industry (restaurants, cafes, hotels) as well as work on  farms. Since we started the Job Club we have helped many students on Working Holiday visas and Student visas find work.

Today we met with some of our Korean students to discuss the benefits of joining the BBELS job club. Mamiko talked with a couple of Korean students who already had jobs in Byron Bay and reminded the others that we are happy to help them find work too.

We encourage all of our students who have an Intermediate level (or higher) of English and who have the correct visa to join the club. We help with resume writing, contact businesses around town, take students to their interview, and later check that the students are satisfied with their job (hours, pay).

Our staff have excellent work contacts throughout the Byron Bay area. Managers of these local companies will telephone us when they need new workers. We also actively phone managers whenever new students join the club.

Not only is working in Australia a great way to save money (of course), it is also a useful way to study English and learn more about the culture of the country. If you would like to know more about our Job Club service please contact us at info@bbels.com.au

 

 

20 reasons to study English at BBELS in Byron Bay

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The BBELS school building

Thinking of studying English in Australia?

Here are 20 things that show why BBELS in Byron Bay is a great study destination for you!

  1. Location – BBELS is in the CBD – heart of Byron Bay

It will only take you a few seconds to be on Jonson Street, Byron Bay’s main street with plenty of trendy cafes, restaurants, and shops. And only a few minutes to be at some of Australia’s most beautiful beaches. We have it all just around the corner!

  1. Class hours

We offer 22.5 hours of face-to-face tuition with highly-qualified teachers. All of them are native speakers, and have been working at BBELS for many years.

  1. BBELS Job Club

Brian, our Job Club Manager, can help you find a job in Byron Bay. During his Job Club workshop he will also show you how to create a CV in English, apply for your TFN, and set up an Australian bank account.

  1. Owned by a long-term local family- BBELS is a beautiful and charming boutique school

If you are looking for a school with a laid-back atmosphere which is also very professional, then BBELS is the ideal place for you!

  1. BBELS has 2 dedicated people to activities and travel desk

Max, our activities coordinator, organizes activities for our students each and every day. Whether you’d like to combine your English course with surfing, yoga, or some music lessons, you will surely have a ball in Byron Bay!

Reuben, our travel advisor, can help you with the booking of some Aussie tours including accommodation and flights. This way, you will have the chance to explore the rest of this amazing country just before you head back home.

  1. BBELS offers a supervised school party evening every 2 weeks at the school

The school parties on the BBELS balcony are legendary! The students easily make friends at these functions, and enjoy the evening with some live music.

  1. BBELS offers Buddy BBQs every 3 months

Each student joins the FREE barbeque with another BBELS student from a different country.

Our English only policy is a must during this fun event, and you will enjoy meeting people from all over the world.

  1. BBELS has its own licensed café- Café Oska

We have a school party on the balcony every second Friday, and a Buddy Barbeque every 3 months.

What happens when we don’t have the school parties? Then the fun goes on at Cafe Oska!

Besides special live-music events during the weekends, Cafe Oska offers some delicious breakfast and lunch specials with a great student discount. And yes, there is also a happy hour from 3pm until 5pm.

  1. BBELS has multi-lingual staff to assist low level students (we speak Spanish, Italian, German, Portuguese, Japanese, and Korean at the school)

 We understand that our students might struggle with the language barrier during their first weeks in Australia. That’s why we are here! The team at BBELS is fluent in many languages, and we can assist you with anything you might need to know in your mother tongue.

  1. BBELS building is solar powered

Because here in Byron Bay, we like to protect our environment!

  1. BBELS is an IALC school

We have all the accreditations that Australian language schools require, but one accreditation is a bit special. IALC consists of a network of language schools world-wide that „have individual character and a real connection with their local community. All IALC language schools are quality assured and boutique, providing guaranteed professionalism, personal attention and an exceptional learning experience.“

For further information about IALC, please check their website here.

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One of our Cambridge classes on graduation day

  1. BBELS is an authorized Cambridge exam centre in Byron Bay

This means you can sit your Cambridge exam at BBELS, there is no need to travel to any other testing centre up the Coast.

  1. Excellent Cambridge exam preparation courses

Cambridge teacher Ash has been working at BBELS for 11 years, read an interview with him here.

Cambridge coordinator Kat has been working at BBELS for 8 years, read an interview with her here.

If you are still wondering why you should study Cambridge at BBELS, then read this interesting article here.

  1. Excellent IELTS exam preparation courses

IELTS teacher Liese is also an IELTS examiner, and has been working at BBELS for 9 years. Read her interview here.

Are you not quite sure what the differences between our IELTS and Cambridge exam preparation courses are? We explain this here.

  1. Own student housing close to school

We also have our own shared-accommodation for our students. All student houses are close to the school, so you can simply walk or ride by bike to BBELS!

  1. Lovely homestay family accommodation

Many BBELS students also choose to live with an Australian homestay family in Byron Bay. This is the perfect way to practice your English with some locals after classes while getting to know the Aussie culture.

Satomi volunteering

Satomi, one our Japanese studenst, volutnerring in the Northern Territory

  1. Own volunteering programs

As a volunteer you won’t only make a positive impact, but you’ll also have the chance to meet the locals, improve your English language skills and boost your CV!

Read an interesting article about the benefits of volunteering here.

  1. Academic Pathways with Southern Cross University and TAFE NSW

After successfully completing their English studies at BBELS, many students decide to continue studying at an Australian university or TAFE. BBELS offers an Academic Pathway with the Southern Cross University and TAFE NSW, which means you won’t need to sit an IELTS* exam. As long as you enrol for a General English upper-intemediate/ advanced or IELTS exam preparation course and you pass the English test with our Director of Studies, we can give you a reference letter confirming the direct entry to SCU or TAFE NSW.

*Direct entry is not accepted for the Bachelor of Nursing and Interpreting Services. Direct entry might also depend on the assessment level of the student visa application.

  1. Teen programs during Aussie winter months

 We understand that teenagers would also like to experience the fun at BBELS, and have therefore created a customized teen program which includes a General English course in combination with some typical Aussie activities like surfing, playing the didgeridoo, bush walking, and a lot more.

  1. Great nationality mix

Students from all around the world come to share the same experience at BBELS:

Study English and have fun with some typical Australian activities in beautiful Byron Bay!

 According to the BBELS motto: Learn to Live!

Friday afternoon classes at BBELS

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At BBELS full-time students have the option to study in our Friday afternoon clubs. Students can attend a conversation club; a homework help club; a resume writing club. These clubs are a nice change in routine for our students.

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In our conversation club students from different classes and levels are encouraged to sit down in a relaxed environment to discuss various topics introduced by the teacher. Our students love this club as they can finish the week practising the vocabulary they have studied in class and also learn new vocabulary from other students (and of course the teacher).

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The homework help club is another popular class that our students regularly attend. In this club students can ask for extra help on certain points that they may have had trouble with throughout the week. It could include grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation. This club is usually small enough for the teacher to give personalised help to the students.

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Finally, the resume writing club helps students who are looking for a job to write a clear and professional resume in English. Our Job Club manager can then assist students to find a job here in the Byron Bay region or in other areas throughout Australia. It is a valuable service to our students.

The BBELS clubs are held from 1:15-2:45 each Friday and are open to all our full-time students. They are a great way to improve your English while making friends from other classes.

 

 

 

Meet the students: Francisco from Chile.

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This month we are proud to introduce you to Francisco. Francisco is from Santiago, in Chile, and he has some nice tips to share with those who want to come to BBELS.

How long have you been studying at BBELS?
I studied in BBELS for 6 months. At the beginning my English skills were a disaster, however after the first month I started to improve more and more. My first class was “Intermediate” and when I completed that level I moved to the “IELTS” class. I think it was a perfect decision because during my last month in Australia I decided to take the IELTS exam and to be honest I am really happy with the score that I got.

What do you like best about BBELS?
The BBELS staff is just amazing. They are always dedicated to students’ needs and one of the things that I always remember from my first day in the school is their effort to learn the name of every student before they arrive and that is something I appreciated a lot.
The school is situated in a beautiful building and the teachers are excellent. Nevertheless, the feature that I like more about BBELS is the possibility to meet people from different countries, make friends and know new cultures. Overall, all knowledge acquired there is going to be useful for life.

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How did you find your job?
I printed some resumes as soon as I arrived in Byron and I left it in every shop that I was interested in. Furthermore, I got some jobs through the Job Club at BBELS and from some of my friends who I met in Byron Bay.

What kind of work have you been doing in Byron?
I worked in different places such as industries, restaurants and in the BBELS school, mainly as a cleaner. I worked in some houses as a painter as well, but it was just a temporary job. The most important one was working for BBELS cleaning the rooms after class time.

What do you like about Byron Bay?
Byron Bay has so many things that I love. The people are special, so friendly and environmentally conscious. In the town you can always feel a positive atmosphere everywhere and it is so peaceful if you are not in the main street where the fun is guaranteed, and the beach is just amazing. The hippie-style makes this town one of the best places that I have visited.

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What advice would you give to a new student?
First of all, the most important thing is to always speak in English, even when you are speaking with people from your own country. It makes a big difference between improving your English skill a lot or just a little bit.
Another important piece of advice is to try to get involved with locals. For example, when I was studying at BBELS I played in a local soccer team and we qualified to the final round of the tournament. It was my best experience there due to the people I met. The Eureka soccer team is a wonderful family.