Ash is a currently a recruiter for Wall Street English from South Africa. Through the English language industry, he has been able to live in Russia and China, as well as travel to several different countries in both Europe and Asia.
What is your favorite travel memory?
I think it is the people I meet on my travels that make the journey worth it. One journey that sticks out in my mind is when a decided to take a hike through one of the ancient parts of the Silk Road called the Huihang Trail.
To get there, I hopped on an overnight train where I met 2 friendly Korean students. The only language we had in common was Chinese (we were all beginner students) which led to some broken yet entertaining conversation.
When I arrived at the trail, I quickly made a Chinese friend who had also decided to hike the trail and we became travel partners for the rest of the trail.
These amazing people as many others I've met prove to me that language and culture are only barriers we create in our minds, that can easily be overcome with a bit of effort and lots of laughs.
How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?
One of the best things about working for Wall Street English has been the opportunities they've provided for both my personal and career growth. I've worked as a teacher, but also as a recruiter. I've been able to improve my skills not only in teaching but also conducting some interviews. I also like the structure of the company which give you plenty of opportunities to interact with locals and learn more about their culture.
What is the best story you've heard from a return student?
I always love hearing my students' success stories. I had a student in Russia who was in my very first class, and she couldn't speak a work of English. A year and a half later, she called me to say (in perfect English) that a guest had arrived at their offices that day and as the only English speaking person there she was asked to translate. Being able to assist in that capacity and gain recognition for her English skills was a tremendous milestone and I was so fortunate to be a part of that.
If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?
As I mentioned earlier, Wall Street English hopes to help those staff members that are interested develop within the company. Personally, I've always been interested in leadership and Wall Street has a couple great programs to help with that. One is the Service Manager Trainee program, the other is the Service Team Supervisor program. Both assist interested candidates develop their understanding of what goes on in the background behind the teaching and potentially develop in to Center Managers themselves.
What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?
Wall Street English has a very unique methodology which is based on natural language learning. When we are young, we learn our native languages through listening and speaking, not reading and writing. This company's methodology really focuses on providing students opportunities to listen and speak in English, rather than focus on reading and writing exercises. The students and the teachers find it more engaging and the success stories speak for themselves.
What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?
I think that a successful company focuses on quality of education and the needs of the customer. As a company, Wall Street English is very confident in its core product; it has helped us expand into 26 different countries. Being is different countries means addressing different needs from the students which is why the center can change as develop as necessary. In China, for example, we've allowed students to attend different centers, so they can join classes near their work and near their home!
