ABOUT US
At our heart, English Wizards is a community of teachers. Sure, we offer teaching programs, training camps, and visa services, but the core of our organization is our community.
Our Wizards come to Poland from all over the world with a few shared passions: teaching, traveling, and pushing boundaries to live overseas. We come together at work, training, and social events with the common goal of sharing a piece of our own culture and learning pieces of a new culture.
Where do we come from?
There are currently over 200 Wizards in the English Wizards community, and we represent a total of 32 countries of origin. We are proud to be one of the few TEFL programs in the world that is open to teachers of all nationalities.
By the Numbers
Nationalities Represented
The most common countries of origin of our Wizards are the United States, United Kingdom, and South Africa.
Visas Approved
English Wizards has assisted over 600 Wizards from outside the EU get work permits, visas, and residence permits to teach legally in Poland.
Placements
With most of our placement Wizards getting positions before they arrive, it’s no wonder this is our most popular program!
Languages Spoken
All of our Wizards speak a native level of English; however many also speak other languages as first, second, third, or even fourth langauges!
Schools We've Worked With
Our Wizards have worked at over 500 schools, businesses, and training centers all over Poland.
Median Age
We’ve had Wizards as young as 18 and as old as… well our older Wizards prefer not to say exactly. But we have welcomed many Wizards in their 60s and beyond on our programs.
THE
– ENGLISH WIZARDS –
DIFFERENCE
A COMMUNITY FOR TEACHERS
English Wizards is not a recruitment agency. We do not charge a recruitment fee to the schools where our Wizards work. As such, we choose our partner schools based off the value they bring to our teachers and greater community – and not based off who’s paying the highest commission. This also means that, as member of our teaching community, we will be working to match you with the school that’s best suited for your personality and teaching styles, rather than the one paying us the biggest finder’s fee for recruiting you.
COMFORT AND SECURITY
Trust us, we’ve heard all the horror stories. Schools that refuse to pay, schools that completely mislead teachers and leave them stuck in a contract, schools that cancel on a teacher last minute, the list goes on. No matter where you are teaching, the English Wizards community provides teachers with an extra layer of protection to prevent the worst from happening, as well as a safety net to catch you and help you stand back up should you end up in a tight situation.
YOUR TICKET TO EUROPE
Those from outside the EU looking to work in the European Union are usually faced with a “chicken and egg” situation: It isn’t possible to get a job offer unless you have a work visa, and it isn’t possible to get a work visa unless you have a job offer. At English Wizards, we provide a simple way around this by offering work visa services through our organization. We work closely with all of our partner schools to manage the visa process through our professional immigration and visa support staff.
THE SUPPORT TEACHERS REALLY WANT
From the minute you apply to the day you finally return home, our team will be there for your support. We are human beings and so are you; we hate call centers and automated email responders as much as you do. Furthermore, our teachers have access to a collection of exclusive online resources to help stand out, including an online system to log hours and calculate pay, an online resource library with all the lesson materials you’ll ever need for the classroom, and an online booking platform to market yourself to private students.
A GENUINE TEACHING COMMUNITY
OUR
– STORY –
English Wizards was founded by English teachers, for English teachers, out of the necessity to provide teachers in Europe with a support system and community, which at the time did not exist on the continent.
Typically, the reality of teaching in Europe means that you are very much on your own. Schools will rarely offer any relocation support, and most prefer to hire teachers who are already in the country, either EU citizens or foreigners who already have a work visa. This means that teachers are often left to do everything themselves, which is a daunting process for someone in a foreign country who doesn’t speak the language. At English Wizards, we want every teacher coming to Europe to have the freedom to do what they do best (teach!), without worrying about all the little things, like if a visa will be possible, if a school will pay on time, or if that €20 taxi fare was actually a scam.
English Wizards has grown exponentially over the past few years and is now one of the most popular teaching abroad programs on the continent of Europe. Our company is currently based in Krakow and operating with teachers all over Poland, with plans to open branches in other destinations in Europe within the next year.
THE ENGLISH WIZARDS TEAM
Our programs are run by a dedicated tight-knit team based in Krakow, which we call “the family.” Not only is every member of our team highly experienced in what they do, but we have also all been in your shoes living abroad and work with 100% dedication to the well being of each of our Wizards.
Nick Wood
Operations Director
Hometown: New York, USA
A founding member of the English Wizards team, Nick has called Krakow home for the past 5 years. He now overseas the development, marketing, recruitment, and day-to-day operations of English Wizards’ teaching programs. Before dropping his life in America and moving to Europe, Nick organized study abroad programs and lead educational tours in the USA.
A native of New York City, Nick began developing English Wizards’ programs after moving to Krakow and realizing how difficult it was for fellow Americans and other non-EU citizens to find legal work in Europe. True to his goals, Nick continues to work tirelessly to ensure the well being of every teacher on our programs. He will be your primary point of contact both before and after arrival for everything related to day-to-day life, visas, teaching jobs, and program support.
When he’s not on the phone with teachers and support providers, Nick can often be found traveling Europe and attempting to discover the continent’s hidden wonders. On weekends, you’ll often find him hiking and kayaking in his current second home – the Tatra Mountains of southern Poland.
Rob Ludwig
CEO & Founder
Hometown: Sydney, Australia
Raised in Australia by Polish parents, Rob always felt his heart being called to Poland. His first experience was in 2004 where he fell in love with not only Poland but Europe. During his childhood his family was a huge supporter of home-stay programs, over 21 years worth, and as a result, felt he had already started to travel the world meeting all these different people from every continent.
In his spare time Rob travels, scuba dives, road trips and finds ways to see this beautiful world.
He’s a positive and energetic leader that does his best to motivate and inspire his team.
Veronica Cruz
Customer Success Specialist
Hometown: Manila, Philippines
Veronica originally hails from Manila, and now works with the English Wizards team as a Customer Success Specialist. Her job is to make sure that our Wizards have someone to turn to when they have questions or need help in the relocation process, and help build a smooth experience for everyone she speaks to. As a citizen of the world, she understands what it’s like to be moving to a new country and needing a helping hand!
When she’s not on the phone with Wizards, Veronica adores video games for thrills and loves to catch the latest movies in the cinema. She is also an avid cat lover, and proud owner of 5 cute feline companions.
Agnieszka Bzdek
Administration and In-Country Support Specialist
Hometown: Jastrzębie-Zdrój, Poland
Agnieszka is the proud cornerstone of English Wizards’ administrative and support team, the expert there to take care of all the necessary government paperwork and applications, always triple-checking everything. She also serves as the first point of contact for English Wizards’ in-country partners, and will likely be the first to meet you on the ground when you land in Krakow!
In her free time, she likes to sing, play video games, and watch movies and TV series. She also enjoys cooking, and is especially fond of Italian cuisine. She is a lover of languages, especially the English language, and is currently studying English philology.
Aikks Angeles
Recruitment and Program Support Specialist
Hometown: Manila, Philippines
Say “Aikks” like “yikes” because she loves surprises and being spontaneous! Aikks works as the front face of English Wizards, and will probably be the first one you speak to when you give us a call or fill out our application.
When she’s not speaking with new Wizards and determining who’ll be the best fit for our program, Aikks adores everything to do with music and adventurous activities and lives with the mindset that doing what scares you makes you stronger. She’s also a huge lover of music, and loves to jam out to some good tunes.