My January with U Plus Education
What motivated you to join U+?
I was intrigued by U+ upon seeing the listing on WaterlooWorks as the job description included many areas of interest while centering around teaching and management – which are practices that I have done in the past but have not honed yet. I saw it as an opportunity to develop many new skills, while simultaneously enhancing older skills I learned previously. Teaching and playing around with kids have always been something I found amusing due to their spontaneity and energetic nature. I would often join reading buddies and play around with younger kids during recess, so I found U+ as a perfect place that fits my interests. Moreso, I found the idea of working hybrid pleasant, as that would mean I can go in person, meet new people, but not worry too much about transportation, as I would work from home most days.
What was your impression of first interactions with the team and the organization’s culture?
My first interaction with the team was overwhelmingly pleasant. Everybody I met was extremely kind and welcoming, completely unlike what I had thought. Upon meeting everybody for the first time, I was beyond nervous and expected a strict atmosphere, one with white-collared workers. However, I quickly realized that everybody was friendly and easy-going. I had no trouble talking to anybody despite usually being very introverted and quiet. When I found out that we all went to the same school, I was filled with even more comfort as I felt like we were all from the same place. I viewed everyone not as just coworkers, but as friends I could grow close with over the upcoming months.