Hi,
Found your site when looking up GKR and thought I would add my experiences and warnings to anyone approached to work for GKR.
I signed up to GKR after the famous door knocking and at first enjoyed it as it got me out of the house and doing something.
Then it all went wrong.
I was approached by my Instructor and asked to attend a different class, which was by invitation only, run by the Regional Manager. On attending it turned out it was an assistant instructors course or Sempai course. Only being an orange tip made me feel uncomfortable and on my next grading I passed even though some of my blocks and punches sucked.
The Sempai training lasted for 10 weeks and then there was an exam (multiple choice I think), after passing you were assigned to a class to assist the Sensei and became a Black & White belt. (I still felt uncomfortable as I was still only a 7th Kyu).
I was asked to go and work for GKR and had the presentation which was when I became suspect.
During the day you trained with the RM to achieve your black belt, on an evening you went door knocking to recruit more people. You were classed as self employed and the only money you received was the fee when people signed up, this money you kept. The only salary you receive is when you become a Regional Manager which was £24k plus bonuses depending on how many people trained.
This was when alarm bells rang. I asked how many new regions were there to be set up and was advised that all the regions were in place and the only time a region became available was when somebody left or moved on. I asked how often this happened and was told that it could take at least 2 years.
Needless to say I declined the job.
Also as a Sempai I attended senior class (instructors only classes) and was horrified to find that as an Instructor you only received your expenses: once you had passed all the necessary training, it also depended upon how many students you trained and it was also paid anually.(The instructor I was with received £100 expenses for the year).
After a major foot injury (I could not walk or train) I was told by the RM that I didn't have the commitment to GKR that he expected and I was asked to hand by Sempai belt back.
