Saturday 26 May 2007

Not good at selling? Try teaching.

Teaching what you are good at crafting is a good way to show off your talents. Some creations look very simple to the eyes but once you try to recreate the design, you may find that it is not as easy as it looks. So, when you start teaching, you may come across students who prefer to buy your creations, over making their own, even when they already know the basics.

So, where can you start your class? If you have an odd student now and then, consider teaching from your home. If you need a classroom to teach a group of students, look around your neighbourhood to see if there are societies or associations that have vacant halls available for rent. Some of these establishments subsidise part of the fees for members to encourage higher participation in activities they organise. So, that could mean more students for you.

If you live near my neighbourhood of Kajang or Cheras, check out the facility of Bandar Sungai Long Buddhist Society, as they do rent out their halls on adhoc basis. If you time your lessons to start when their library is opened, you can leave your elder children to enjoy the books there while you teach.

Recently, I attended a cooking class organised by a company selling cookware. They held it at a shop selling wares and ingredients for baking. So, if you are a good cook, you may want to ask shops you regularly buy your ingredients from to see if there is such an option for you.

Do you know anyone in the civil service? Some government agencies organise pre-retirement training programme for their staff. There are some that organise training for the underprivileged or single parents. Following are some I know of:

INTAN Bukit Kiara
Jalan Bukit Kiara,
50480 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel : 603 – 2084 7777
Fax : 603 – 2093 9490
E-mail : maklumbalas@intanbk.intan.my

Kemas
Community Development Division (KEMAS)
Ministry of Rural Development,
Tingkat 5, Blok E,
Komplek Pejabat Kerajaan Bukit Perdana,
Jalan Dato' Onn,
50606 Kuala Lumpur
60-3-2066744
60-3-2069308

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia
Wisma Putra
No 1, Jalan Wisma Putra
Precint 2
62602 Putrajaya
Tel: 603-8887 4000
Tel: 603-8887 4570 (after working hours)
Fax: 603-8889 1717 / 603-8889 2816

Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (KPWK)
Aras 1-6, Blok E,
Kompleks Pejabat Kerajaan Bukit Perdana,
Jalan Dato' Onn
50515 Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA.
Tel: 03-2693 0095
Faks: 03-2693 4982
E-mail: info@kpwkm.gov.my

If you are good at sewing and living in Kuantan, write to Hamimah of Women's Institute of Pahang (WIP) Needlework Centre
Lot 14, Taman Mahkota Putra,
Bandar Indera Mahkota,
Kuantan, Pahang
Tel: 09-573 3241

Think you are the brave type to try this out? Federal prison inmates need vocational trainers.

If you see potential in teaching at these government agencies, you may have to register your company to be eligible to apply. myGovernment Portal is the best site to visit for information about setting up your company.

What? You think it is better to sell over teaching after all? No worry, I have covered that in my earlier posting.

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