Career option for working in Ecuador

Dear Sjazuay,

Welcome to the Ecuador forums of expat.com ....

You are undoubtedly correct -- going into social work and mental health in Ecuador without good command of Spanish appears to be a dead end.

Apart from a recommendation to teach English, it may be difficult for Expats on this forum to advise you in a choice of a new major or career.  It also may be unwise to choose a career based on Expats' advice.  We don't know what you would find compelling or even satisfying.

What do you think about teaching English?

cccmedia

Thank you for your insight and I like teaching so I wouldn't have a problem teaching English.  Can I support a family in Cuenca teaching English?

Sjazuay wrote:

Hello, I just got married to a girl from Cuenca, EC and we are going to be living in the USA for now. We want to move back to EC in the next four to five years. I am currently in school studying social work with an emphasis in mental health. As I have been talking to several people here in Ecuador I have realized that this my not be a very profitable career for me here. I am considering changing my major  but am unsure of what I should pursue that would provide a livable salary for a family. I speak a little Spanish, but not much; although I plan on learning quite a bit more before returning to live in Ecuador. Any thoughts and/or suggestions would be helpful. Thank you.

I think it depends. I mean are you doing a BSW as an undergrad? And planning to get a MSW? Also how far along are you in your studies, how many credits have you completed so far?

If you are just beginning your studies then it might be possible to change majors to something that would benefit you at home and Ecuador, and you can still get your MSW. No matter what you decide, make sure you base it on the long term. Life in Ecuador might not work out for whatever reason, and it's important that you have a career that can give you a decent quality of life in your home country.

As for jobs here, like every where else STEM jobs are the way to go at least for now. Engineers make good money, and enough to afford a family a good quality of life, I know one engineer making about $2500, and another $3500. But being an engineer is easier said than done. Some public sector jobs make good money, but these people get with connections, and with seniority, but a foreign degree is respected.

IT jobs also pay well such as database/network administrators.

Lastly, if you truly aspire to work and earn a decent income here then dedicate some of your hours towards learning Spanish on a consistent basis. Best of luck.