This blogpost is going to be a little bit different from the others. That is because this is the last blogpost that I will be writing for Oxbridge Academy. After having worked at Oxbridge Academy for almost two years now, today is my last day here. So what better day to reflect on my experience at this college?
You may not know who I am, but you may have read some of the things that I’ve written over the past two years—from e-mails that we send out to our students, to infographics, e-books, videos, and blogposts such as: 15 Things Only Distance Learning Students Will Understand.
As you can see, I had the unique opportunity to do work that was fun, that I could be passionate about, and that I could look forward to doing (even when I had to get up early in the winter to get to the office on time!). And that is really what Oxbridge Academy is all about to me. It’s about giving people the opportunity to pursue their passions and get the training and qualifications they need to get the jobs they want. Oxbridge Academy, as a college and as a company, embodies this idea (Did you know? Over 30 of our own staff members are currently studying via Oxbridge Academy to qualify for their dream jobs one day).
Over the past two years I’ve moved around a lot as well. From one desk to another, from the office in the corner to the one down the hall, and even from our old building to a brand new one this year. But, as the old adage goes, a company isn’t in the bricks of the building, but in the people who work there. Oxbridge Academy has grown tremendously over the last couple of years—almost doubling in size! And although it’s difficult to keep up with all the new faces, the people I’ve worked with on a day-to-day basis—from my own team, to the Oxbridge Academy principal—have all been the most passionate and hardworking people I know. I am very hesitant to leave this college, because I’m afraid that I won’t find colleagues like these anywhere else!
This brings me to the question you might already have wanted to ask: why am I leaving, then? The reason I am leaving is not because I found another job. I told my manager that I wouldn’t be able to leave for a silly reason like that—an exceptionally great opportunity would be required to get me to go. And that opportunity came in the chance to further my studies overseas! When I told my manager about this opportunity—and that I was hesitant to give up my job—she told me to just do it! (She had even written a letter of recommendation that helped me get my scholarship). And thus, from my experience as an employee, Oxbridge Academy as a place to work can be summed up in the words of Richard Branson:

“Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don’t want to.”