PENARTH-based Teachers International Consultancy celebrated the opening of its new expansive office in Avon House last week.

This comes at an exciting time for the company which has also recently opened an Australasia office in New Zealand and hired two new additions to the Penarth-based head office including an experienced recruitment specialist.

Teachers International Consultancy (TIC) was established by Penarth native, Andrew Wigford in 2006 to provide a specialised and personalised recruitment service for the expanding global international schools market.

There are currently 7,300 international schools located worldwide teaching 3.7 million students. All these schools use English as the language of learning and hire skilled and qualified English-speaking teachers, including many teachers and leaders from Wales and the UK.

Welsh teachers and headteachers have a very good reputation within international schools and there is a notable tradition of teachers from Wales moving overseas to teach and lead international schools.

The experience benefits them in many ways; returning with vastly expanding international knowledge and understanding, developed pedagogy and significant skills in teaching children whose first language is not English.

TIC’s new office in Penarth was formerly opened last week by Dr Mary Hayden, Director of the Centre for the Study of Education in an International Context (CEIC), and Jeff Thompson, Emeritus Professor of Education at the University of Bath.

Katryn Max, who has joined the TIC Penarth office, spent six years working in London as a recruitment consultant for the banking and legal sector. Her experience and skills in the high-pressure recruitment sectors in London’s city district will benefit TIC at a time when the company is expanding significantly as one of the leading specialists for the international schools market.

“We are thrilled to welcome Katryn to our growing team here in our new office in Penarth,” said TIC Managing Director, Andrew Wigford.

“TIC focuses on a very personalised and supportive recruitment service for both schools looking for teachers and leaders, and for teachers and leaders looking for accredited, high standard international schools. Our new appointments, our new space in Penarth, and our brand new office in New Zealand will help to enhance our high quality and accessible service.”

Katryn is joined in the Penarth office by Owen Richards who has been appointed TIC’s Communications and Media Relations Consultant. On the other side of the globe, TIC’s Australasia office opening will mean that the company can reach and work closely with many well-qualified teachers from New Zealand and Australia.

TIC hosts seminars around the world for teachers wanting to find out more about the opportunities of teaching internationally. The new Penarth office space means that TIC will now also be able to host events especially for Welsh teachers and leaders. The first Welsh seminar will take place on Saturday, October 25, from 1pm to 3pm in Penarth. The next seminar in London will take place on Saturday, November 29.

Any teachers or school leaders interested in attending a TIC seminar to find out more about teaching overseas should contact TIC at 02920 212083 or visit www.ticrecruitment.com