ILSC student Alessia Pagliaroli (left) with her Business Interview Skills teacher, Sandra Miller (right)
Alessia Pagliaroli, an ILSC student from Italy sat down and shared with us her ILSC experience as she prepares to take the IELTS exam. Read what she had to say about studying at ILSC and how this experience is helping her create an exciting career future:
Why did you decide to study abroad?
My real goal was to improve my English, as I would like to speak very fluently, and I love studying English – it’s my second job. I really like the English language; it is one of my passions. The other reason I decided to study abroad was I think when you attend an English school in an English speaking country, you have the chance to learn in the best way, because you have the opportunity to learn new vocabulary, new words, and to practice immediately.
Why did you choose ILSC?
I liked the variety, the wide range of courses that ILSC has. There are lots of Business classes, for example human resources, and because I am a recruiter I noticed the opportunity to take this class and other management classes in general. Other schools don’t have this variety so I was really impressed.
Can you tell us what program you are studying at the moment?
I just finished my first session of the IELTS Preparation Course. In the afternoons I was taking the Business Interview Skills Course which I found really useful because I am actually a recruiter back in Italy. I wanted to understand how the interview process works here in Canada; here you need to have stronger English skills so it’s a little bit different.
For the next session I will continue to take the IELTS Preparation Course in the morning, and in the afternoon I will take Business Presentation Skills course. I really like business courses in general! When I first arrived, I started the Business English for Management & Human Resources Course, but I discovered because I would like to apply as a Skilled Worker I needed to take the IELTS test, so I had to move courses to IELTS Prep.
What has been your favourite class?
My favourite class was Business Interview Skills which I took with Sandra. She’s really nice and a great teacher. I like her way of teaching – she is very professional teacher, but at the same time very humorous, she made me laugh. Also because I’m a recruiter, I was really interested to understand the Canadian way to interview, so that’s why it was my favourite class.
What is your favourite thing about studying at ILSC?
That you can share your opinions and speak with everyone in ILSC – you discover new things every time. I am a very curios person and like to go under the surface; I like to speak with my class mates, with the teachers. The thing I like in general is the exchange of knowledge from other cultures. The environment, the mood in general, it is very positive.
What are you future plans once your ILSC experience comes to an end?
I would like to stay here in Vancouver and work as a recruiter or something similar, or in marketing or communications. People working in Vancouver are willing to work hard to get recognition, from your company, your boss. It’s not just about money, but for personal satisfaction and to stay stimulated. I think Canada is a great place to work and live.