Alan works as part of the growing team at The TEFL Org. He is the Sales and Marketing Manager and works with partners to deliver outstanding experiences for newly qualified English teachers.
After teaching English as a foreign language in Spain, Alan builds on his experience to help others who wish to do the same.
What is your favorite travel memory?
After Christmas, I flew out to Bangkok to meet my sister who had been traveling around Southeast Asia for six months. We spent an amazing three weeks traveling around Thailand – from visiting an elephant sanctuary in Chiang Mai to island hopping in the south.
Celebrating New Year in Krabi was something that will stay with me for a lifetime – a couple of drinks and fireworks down at the beach to bring in the New Year. It was a definite break from the tradition of the usual ceilidh dance and steak pie dinner back in Scotland!
How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?
Having worked for the company for 7+ years, I think I have grown at the same pace the business has! Thinking back to when I first started, a lot has changed – especially in the area of the business I work in – which is great as I’m always learning new skills and facing new challenges. It keeps me motivated as no two days are ever the same.
What is the best story you've heard from a return student?
There are lots of different reasons and motivations behind embarking on a TEFL course. From the thousands we have trained to teach English, I think the shear number of experiences some people have had after completing just the TEFL course is astounding. One of our students has taught in Italy, China, Thailand, Spain and is now back in the UK teaching at a summer school.
If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?
I’d definitely sign up to the Semester Teaching Position in Vietnam. It’s a country I’ve always wanted to visit, plus we always receive tons of great feedback from those who complete the program.
A group orientation before your placement starts and in-country support throughout means you’re never far away from a helping hand. Plus, accommodation is provided so what you do earn can be spent on experiencing all that Vietnam has to offer!
What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?
I think the amount of support students receive throughout their studies is over and above what you’d expect and normally receive from an online course. Our tutors have decades of EFL teaching experience behind them, so they know exactly what student teachers need to succeed. I was amazed when I completed my TEFL training the depth of knowledge tutors have about the English language – a language I grew up learning, however, I struggled to explain simple grammar rules.
What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?
To be a successful company, you have to put the student first and foremost every time – after all, the company wouldn’t exist without students. Our company was founded by English teachers, and all of our staff are TEFL trained, so we know what obstacles student teachers can face before, during and after their TEFL training, so we’re able to help them overcome them!
