Many Filipinos dream of working as a healthcare professional in the United Kingdom. Luckily for 25-year-old Charles Castaneda, that dream will soon come to fruition.
In a few months, he will be flying to the UK to start his career as a nurse—a dream-come-true that Castaneda attributes to his success taking the International English Language Testing System.
IELTS is the world’s proven English language test. It is trusted and accepted by more than 10,000 institutions worldwide.
At first, Charles viewed IELTS as a challenge that he needed to overcome to push through with his plan of working abroad. “But the more I prepared for it, I realized it was more of a bridge that will bring me closer to pursuing my dream of becoming a nurse in the UK,” he said.
Taking IELTS is among the UK body requirements to work as a nurse in the UK. An IELTS band score of not less than 7 across all sections of the test is required to prove that the test taker is able to communicate well in English, something Charles knows important for nurses who want to work in English-speaking countries like the UK.
This will allow them to be able to communicate well, to build rapport with colleagues, understand the needs of the patients and explain therapeutic interventions.
“As a healthcare professional, being able to communicate well in English is essential because we deal with people’s health and well-being,” he said.
Charles took IELTS with the British Council earlier this year. His reason for choosing to take it with the British Council was because of its long history of teaching and assessing English, making them an authority in the English language.
“I also found out that upon signing up for the test, the British Council offered a lot of free resources for me to utilise, so I can really prepare for the test and achieve my desired band score,” he said.
Charles was very particular with the Road to IELTS, an online preparation course by the British Council, because it made preparing for the test convenient for him. Working as a nurse in one of the biggest hospitals in Manila, he didn’t really have time for himself because he often had to render overtime work beyond his assigned 9-to-5 shift, even on weekends.
“It was really convenient for me because I couldn’t find time to physically be at their office to use the resources,” he said. “With Road to IELTS, I was able to prepare for the test during my free time. I had 30 hours free access to its video tutorials and sample tests. All I needed was an internet connection and my phone.”
“Registering for the test was equally convenient because of the friendly customer service team that assisted me from the time I enquired to the actual registration,” he said.
“They made the whole experience as stress-free as possible by going out of their way to go the extra mile for test takers who dream big like me,” he said.
Overall, Charles is grateful to have the chance to make his dream of working in the UK come true through taking the IELTS test. “I’m excited to practice my profession in the UK, and I’m happy that I will soon be reaping the benefits of the hours I spent in preparing for this test,” he said.
The British Council is the UK’s international organization for cultural relations and educational opportunities. It works with over 100 countries across the world in the fields of arts and culture, English language, education and civil society.