February's Team Member Highlight: André Van Niekerk
What made you join Leading Language?
Two guys with baseball bats! It was so unnecessary, though – I’d been told about the company by another trainer and gave them a call and they asked me to come in for an interview and hired me then and there. I would have accepted anyway – really, no one needed to force me. In fact, it would have needed two guys with baseball bats to stop me!
How long have you been with Leading Language and what is your favourite thing about being part of the team?
I submitted my first invoice for May 2017. My favourite thing used to be the teas we had when the food came from Fournos Bakery. Perhaps the best thing overall, though, has been the switch to online teaching – I used to spend huge amounts of time on the road driving to clients.
If you could do anything else outside of being a trainer/translator, what would you do?
Be a best-selling author!
What’s the one fun thing that the team doesn’t know about you?
This is a difficult one. I don’t think I know the meaning of the word fun – I’m always so serious... Would being a deipnosophist count as fun...? ;)
What is your favourite thing about your job at Leading Language?
Definitely filling in Team Member Spotlight questionnaires. In second place, deepening my knowledge of my own language in a way that only teaching it could do.
Networking or 'Neflix-ing'?
‘Neflix-ing, I suppose, except that since I started teaching I never seem to have time to watch movies anymore. Or maybe I just don’t like the stuff they make these days. I used to be a bit of a movie buff, but now I’m lucky if I watch more than two or three a year. Perhaps if Netflix showed more classic movies instead of their steady diet of ephemeral latest releases… . So instead I read lots of books nowadays...
January's Team Member Highlight: Dr. Beverley Cowper
Our team is our greatest asset. In our upcoming newsletters, we will be shining a spotlight on our dedicated and hardworking team members who play a crucial role in delivering exceptional service to you. An opportunity for you to get to know all those who make Leading Language great. For the month of January, we get to know Dr. Beverley Cowper!
What made you join Leading Language?
I was retiring and wanted to remain informed and active and I love teaching of all sorts; I had done the TEFL course + business and online options prior to retiring in preparation.
How long have you been with Leading Language and what is your favourite thing about being part of the team?
I joined Leading Language in 2022 (May – I think Dimakatso!?) and I have met some very kind people in the Team. I am also VERY impressed with ‘the forward thinking-ness’ (doesn’t sound like English to me!) of the company strategy on Diversity, Sustainability, Governance and International Partnerships….really impressive and essential in the current work environment.
If you could do anything else outside of being a trainer/translator, what would you do?
I am a Doctor by profession and work in infectious diseases….I continue to consult in this field since I retired and will always love medicine and pathogens and ways to prevent them meeting each other plus treatment if diseases happen….
What’s the one fun thing that the team doesn’t know about you?
I am very young at heart…comes with having a young daughter!!!
What is your favourite thing about your job at Leading Language?
I LOVE the students I meet; they are mostly very diligent learners of English and some of the lessons I prepare can ‘challenge them’ intentionally…..keeps their attention for the lesson and beyond...
Networking or 'Neflix-ing'?
During my life, I always considered a network essential to establish and it was a valuable decision…..as a result, I’ve missed the Netflix-ing! but I can catch that up one day…..