Oleksandr Maklakov
IT Professional's Journey: From Modest A2 to Technical Spokesperson of an International Company
I began individual English lessons with Alexander Maklakov when he was the Chief Technical Officer at the IT company ZEO Alliance. Alexander understood that a lack of English proficiency would hinder his further advancement. Without it, communication with people abroad, collaboration with international companies, obtaining quality education, reading books, and watching videos in English would be challenging.
Learning
We started lessons at the Pre-Intermediate level (A2). After several years of our study, Alexander had mastered English so well that he was offered the responsibilities of a technical spokesperson for the company. Alexander agreed. His tasks included representing the company on issues of information security to the press, giving interviews and comments to specialized publications, and participating in conferences.
From 2014 to 2020, I assisted Alexander with English to achieve various goals. For example, during his studies in the MBA program, including completing a module at the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University in the USA. I also helped polish, structure, and review notes prepared by Alexander for participation in conferences and seminars for employees.
Results
In 2021, Alexander secured the position of Chief Information Security Officer at Raiffeisen Digital Bank in Ukraine, and later in the company's Slovak branch. Knowledge of the English language played a crucial role in this.
Alexander emphasizes that our English lessons played a decisive role in his language proficiency and professional growth. Currently, he confidently operates at a C1 level and uses English in a professional environment – conducting presentations, and meetings, and engaging in oral and written communication. Alexander consumes 90% of all information in English.
When recalling our sessions, Alexander describes each lesson as a unique blend of demanding tasks and engaging activities. He mentions that the approach tailored to his learning style helped him avoid feeling overwhelmed or underprepared.
Testimonial
"Ksenia's experience in the field of business English was particularly transformative, equipping me with linguistic tools and confidence for successful work in a professional environment. The flexibility in approaches and tools that Ksenia selected to adapt our sessions to changes in my life was crucial to me. Ksenia's dedication to her students and her unwavering passion for teaching played a significant role in my success. I am immensely grateful to her for her experience and guidance and wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone aspiring to succeed in learning English."