For more than 2 decades pursuing the philosophy of “Education for Life”, educational organization ILA has just been awarded the “Best Companies to Work for in Asia” award by HR Asia magazine in 2022.
Despite being a well-known educational institution, at ILA, leaders still struggle with the question: How can tomorrow be better than today? “We have to accompany and sympathize. It is an educational journey that is constantly changing to become more mature every day…”, said Ms. Tran Xuan Dzu, CEO of ILA Education Organization.
25 years of pursuing a life-changing educational philosophy
Best Companies to Work for in Asia is an annual award to honor the most ideal working environments in Asia. ILA Human Resources Director – Ms. Nguyen Thi Xuan Chi shared: “This is not the first time that ILA has won the award for the best working environment. Best Companies to Work for in Asia 2022 is a reward for humane human resource policies that put people as an important core value creating the sustainable development of the organization”.
After more than 25 years of development, with more than 60 centers nationwide, ILA has trained more than 1 million excellent English learners, supported more than 10,000 successful study abroad students and nurtured more than 300 children. Happiness at the ILO preschool system applies to the quintessence of Finnish education.
More than 2 decades ago, ILA was the pioneer organization to bring international English standards to Vietnam with 100% foreign teachers and a 25 square meter office. At that time, just explaining to parents how to let children learn with native teachers at an early age is very difficult because of certain language barriers.
Mr. Jonathan Bird, before choosing ILA to pursue his passion for education, was a principal in European countries. He started at ILA as an associate academic manager of a center, going through many different positions before becoming the current director of teaching & training.
In 2011, a friend in Bulgaria who used to work at ILA revealed to him: “If you are passionate about education, then ILA is the place to go”, that advice is probably not only for Jonathan.
“At ILA, I feel that I have all the excitement and am fascinated by the passion and enthusiasm of the leaders and employees who have been with me for many years. During my 10-year journey at ILA, I went to school every day still full of inspiration.
I especially cannot forget two years of living with the challenging COVID-19 pandemic, ILA still strives to maintain the best conditions for employees and find new perspectives and new opportunities for development. This makes for a great work environment. After the pandemic, ILA continued to build an educational technology (EduTech) platform, strongly expanding the school system”, Jonathan shared.
The story of a student and an expensive phone being stolen
Ms. Nguyen Thi Bich – executive director of ILA – once decided to quit her job as a statistician and switch to a consultant for ILA. Having been with ILA for nearly 20 years, advancing through many positions and then holding the position of CEO, this is a journey of continuous efforts to grow and develop strongly.
A particularly emotional story in her career is about a student whose expensive cell phone was lost in class.
She recalls: “When we found the phone from another student in the class, we were very confused. And the way we chose to handle it was to meet the parents of both children and return the phone to the parents. We asked both parties to agree not to disclose information, so that the student who accidentally stole someone else’s belongings did not have to face psychological guilt.
Today, the student who made that mistake has grown up and still talks to me often and has become a good international student. It is an indescribable joy that any teacher desires in his students”.
“For an educational organization, the most important value is the future of students. This is also the value that makes ILA successful. Students are the core center in every development stage of ILA. All research and investment starts with the question of what is best for the children’s future”, added Ms. Bich.
Greater you Everyday – Change to become more mature every day
Before joining ILA as a teacher, Mr. Todd Bierbaum was a director in a business. “ILA is more focused on students than profits. Student outcomes are a measure of an organization’s success.
They are the inspiration that makes us constantly work hard every day to bring about the better quality of education that every ILA student deserves”, he said.
After 10 years working at ILA, Todd Bierbaum has received two things as originally planned: “I have seen the development of ILA from the first day I came to Vietnam until today. The number of centers has increased 3 fold. Just walking past the buildings with the ILA sign, for me that is a great pride.
My opportunities also opened up when I was developing the OLA English system for students in other provinces across the country. I am very interested in providing the opportunity to learn international standard English at an optimal cost so that Vietnamese students can integrate and become global citizens”.
Today, ILA’s common roof has more than 2,500 employees, coming from more than 30 countries with diverse cultures and generations, from generations of elite leaders present since the first years of ILA, to Gen Z, Gen X.
Most of ILA’s leading personnel started from ordinary positions and persistently developed themselves into managers and leaders who understood ILA’s standards and desires.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Xuan Chi, ILA’s human resources director, is no exception when she started working as an assistant general manager, experiencing 6 different job positions before becoming HR director.
Ms. Chi shared: “Each individual is always challenged with bigger and more valuable tasks along with the mission for a superior Vietnamese generation. Greater You Everyday – growing up every day with ILA is the spirit of work that ILA has given to the team”.
At ILA, it is easy to find a lot of passionate, persistent people working like Todd Bierbaum, Jonathan Bird, Nguyen Thi Bich, Nguyen Thi Xuan Chi… They have lived their lives with ILA, and grew up with ILA.
Like a ship that never stops rolling, the vitality of ILA comes from members who are constantly innovating, passionate and persistently devoted. Their joy is that generations of students are like the blue sails of the ILA ship reaching far in the ocean, realizing their own ambitions and contributing to changing the world.
Choosing the philosophy of “Education changes lives” with the spirit of “Greater You Everyday”, ILA is making relentless efforts in the journey to honor and promote human potential. More than a good working environment, ILA is a place where many people find their dreams, ideals and life plans.
Source: Tuổi trẻ
