Pros
I fell in love with Madrid a while back and had been looking for a way to return that wouldn't cause me to go completely bankrupt. Also, I'm in my early thirties and wanted to find something that I could add to my resume and would give me more of a competitive edge in the job market when I returned home. Working at Training Express helped me fulfill all of this! I was able to live and work in Madrid, got a monthly stipend that allowed me to pay all of my bills, and was even able to network and meet others who needed extra English training on the side. What I loved most about working with this company is that it helped me to realize how much I really enjoy teaching and even trained me to become a capable, confident and adaptable instructor. I received thorough training before starting my classes, got great feedback from my observations, and my Spanish improved in leaps and bounds. Of course, I had to put in the effort to improve my Spanish language skills, as all of my colleagues and students spoke to me in English, but Training Express allowed me to take complimentary Spanish conversation classes through Skype and I also did what I could to go out and use the language, myself. I learned so much about writing lessons, giving classes, assessing students, making error corrections and quite a few tricks of the teaching trade. In fact, I believe my experience and time spent working with this company has helped me to stand out among other applicants and I am now working as a full-time Spanish teacher back home. I absolutely love coming to work each day and have not only continued to use many of the skills I learned while working at Training Express, but am still able to keep in touch with former colleagues for professional support and advice whenever I need it. I wouldn't change my experience for the world and am so glad I was able to find a company that really was able to play a big role in getting me where I am today.
Cons
I honestly didn't experience anything negative while working here, even when I had to go through the process of getting my NIE, I had a ton of support and guidance! I guess the only con would be for those who don't like to commute. Many of the classes required me to take a train and then sometimes a taxi to get to the students. However, you never pay for the cab fare (the company gives you vouchers) so if you love to read or have something to keep you busy during the commute, it's not that bad.
