CEC Week: Interview with Elena Babinets

April 30, 2013

Please, tell us a little about yourself and your professional background.

My favorite subjects at school were mathematics, drawing and singing. When it came to choose what to study, I chose engineering and graduated from Frunze Polytechnic Institute. 

For years I enjoyed working as an engineer-designer of machine tools with numerical control. It's like Lego game for adults, but here you first have to draw all parts, and then watch the process of production and assembly and at the end of the game – launch of a new machine. One day we received a call from a technical college. They urgently needed a part-time teacher on special subjects. I decided to try a new career path, and I did. I soon took up full-time work as a teacher. Gradually I became the head of a department. I dedicated 10 years to this job. I think it was a miracle that I got my next job in "ASANDA" company, working in partnership with “Phillips Lighting”. It was interesting to learn how to make an electronic version of technical drawings, learn English and fulfill orders, sending them over the Internet.

What led you to AUCA?

I was lucky to have a happy coincidence. That day was worth all previous years of my life. When Natalia Slastnikova was appointed as Vice President of Advancement, she called and asked me about my professional skills and abilities and asked me to be interviewed for the position of her assistant. We knew each other from the technical college and she was aware of my abilities. It was so unexpected that I did not even have time to think, and here I was standing face to face with John Dreier, Acting President of the AUCA at the time. The next day, I was already a member of AUCA team.

Tell us a little about the programs.

The official birthday of CEC is the day of receiving the license of the Ministry of Education - December 26, 2006. CEC started with offering several language and business programs and trainings. Step by step the sphere of our programs became larger and now we offer many other programs for a wide range of learners. These are programs for children and preparatory courses for high school students, courses for university students and people who want to improve their language and other skills.

How does Continuing Education Center help people?

When people lack knowledge and skills to develop further, or to start their own business or to apply abroad for programs, they come to CEC. We do our utmost to help them to achieve their dreams.

<< go to news list