DEVELOPING YOURSELF THROUGH EF INITIATIVES

You have arrived in China and are finally feeling settled in your new teaching career. What else could you ask for? After a few months, you may find the urge to continue challenging yourself. You did just move across the globe and start a new career; most obstacles will begin to feel miniscule at best. Here are a few ways EF enables you to develop yourself within the company.

EF really cares about their employees and wants them to succeed in their desired career. They are constantly providing training seminars to help you develop in the areas you are interested. Some of these trainings are provided quarterly and are highly specialized for the classroom. Your center may also offer weekly training on a wide variety of topics like problem solving, workplace health, communication skills, managing disruptive behavior and proper office etiquette. Use these opportunities to your advantage and soak up as much information as you can. Attend and implement the training into your classroom and daily routine. You have the ability to shape your development at a pace that fits your schedule and others will certainly notice.

EF offers various opportunities to grow your network. There are weekly ‘Happy Hours' at many locations where you can enjoy a healthy snack and chat with coworkers in a comfortable environment. Some offices have a designated event coordinator, who creates great team building experiences with new and exciting events like cake designing, arcade days, and even visits to the museum. You never know who you will meet at an event, they could even be your future best friend, or your next boss. It is important to get out, network and share experiences with as many people as possible while you are at EF. The EF culture is really welcoming and everyone has a vested interest in a positive social experience for all employees. Finally, the one of the biggest event of the year is the summer party. It's based regionally and more than 3000 EF employees gather at each location for a full day of fun under the sun. There were awesome activities like slacklining, soccer, music, obstacle course, rock climbing and plenty of food. Make sure to attend next year's summer party!

If you are seeking an opportunity to be a part of something bigger and are eager give back to your global community, look no further. There are countless volunteering programs through EF and their partners. EF recently built a school in Nepal after a horrible natural disaster destroyed education facilities. Through EF you can volunteer your teaching abilities for one month and truly make a difference in the lives of so many students. If you're looking for a shorter experience you can participate in one of EF's summer camps all across China. Are you familiar with the Olympics? EF is a proud partner for their sixth Olympic games. An Olympic experience might only come once in a lifetime and volunteering with EF might just be your ticket to check out the games firsthand.

EF gives you access to the resources you need to take your teaching qualifications to the next level. If you are interested in building your teaching skillset, EF has distance learning courses that specialize in phonology, grammar and reflective practice. Are you thinking about moving into management? EF has courses to develop your leadership and coaching skills so you can land that dream management position as you climb the corporate ladder. You can even apply for accredited teaching and management certification programs available through EF. The Trinity College partnership offers a Diploma in TESOL, Cambridge University offers the Teacher Knowledge Test certifications and the University of Queensland offers an International Diploma in Language Teaching Management. These are just a few of the possibilities you will find with EF's distance learning program as you develop yourself for the future.

At EF, the options are endless and the sky is the limit, if you are willing to put in the hard work EF is willing to invest in you as an employee and empower you to take control of a rewarding career. The possibility to develop yourself through EF initiatives and be successful in new career is waiting for you.