Typical young citizen of Ho Chi Minh City: learn English to use it, not for a certificate

The one who took the first steps so far – Mr. Nguyen Tan Sang – has just been officially elected “Typical Young Citizen of Ho Chi Minh City” 2024.

He studied criminal law, graduated and then went to work for two foreign banks. The work was good and the salary was pretty good, but Mr. Sang still directly taught a few evening English classes.

He thought it was a side job, but without realizing it, his business became bigger and bigger, so he quit his job at the bank and opened a foreign language center. Mr. Sang began the story:

– Before, I still thought I could speak English. If I worked in a foreign company, everyone would probably use English a lot. In fact, you don't have to be very good, as long as you know how to communicate and understand, you can do anything.

I always think that the most important thing in learning English is being able to use it, not chasing a certificate or diploma, unless the research is in-depth and too specialized, requiring another level.

Tools You Need and Should Have

*But why English and not start a business with something else?

– When I was in high school, I learned English quite well, so in college, I started giving private lessons to a few friends. Thanks to this person's introduction, many people knew about it, asked more questions, and wanted to study with me. After graduating, I worked in a bank during the day and continued to take English classes in the evenings and on weekends.

For me, foreign languages ​​in general or any foreign language are just tools. But this should be and is necessary so that every person, in addition to professional knowledge and other skills, can work. I built a foreign language training center with the teaching orientation so that learners can use it and use it with confidence, not to flaunt “I know a foreign language” without being able to do what with it. whatever.

* Did your years working in a bank help you when starting your business?

– I have a lot of knowledge and skills that have helped me a lot from my time working at the bank. Because it wasn't until 2019 that I officially signed up to establish the English Center for Creation (the English name is WESET English Center Co., Ltd.) even though I had taught for several years before.

Starting a new business means putting into practice what I learned while working in the banking sector in the corporate segment. Thanks to the opportunity to interact with many business people, I know about business management, human resources, treasury… – things I learned from my work at the era and now apply it to my own business.

Teachers must create attraction in the classroom

* What is the difference you have compared to many foreign language training establishments and units currently operating?

– I don’t dare say anything else, but we give priority to recruiting teachers with degrees in English or English pedagogy. I think that knowing English can be taught, but the teacher must be able to attract the students. Students should feel interested in coming to class, confident in their learning, and capable of using the foreign language they are learning. In other words, we strive to provide customer service so that they have the best possible experience and are satisfied with what they receive.

Therefore, I need you to have teaching skills and be trained and practice teaching for at least two months. Then, the professional department must check and re-evaluate the aspects before the teacher officially leads the class. During the teaching process, unscheduled observation sessions will be held to check between the center and teachers. The center targets a group of students aged 14 and over, so our teachers are currently mainly under 30 to integrate more easily with the students.

* In addition to teaching, he and the center are also known for participating in many social work activities…

– The center organizes English activities and clubs with sessions, foreign language experiences and communication with foreigners. These activities take place on the center's teaching sites and are completely free, so whether you are a student at the center or not, you can participate.

Many parents and students who came to register said they knew about the center through word of mouth, each telling the other, former or current students introducing us to new people. The center does not invest too much in marketing, advertising or the use of social media and in our focus we aim for social enterprise, not just profit.