Pavel Yeryomenko

19-year-old Pavel Yeryomenko is a second year student of the Faculty of Engineering and Digital Technologies at Kozybayev University in Petropavlovsk. He completed the Yessenov Foundation one year English Language Program at the University. Being the best student of the training course, the Kazakhstani passed IELTS at the expense of the Foundation. In this interview Pavel tells how he has improved his level of English and scored band 8 in one of the world’s most difficult language exams.

How did you learn about the competition?
The curator told me about it. Then I, along with other participants, wrote an essay in English, and so I have passed the selection test.

What is the need of the English language in your occupation?
Most of the technical documents and professional terms in my field – management information systems – are in the English language. Knowledge of language expands employment opportunities – one can also apply for a position in a foreign company. Foreign language gives you a chance to gain international experience without any problem. Take exchange programs or internships for example.

Who was your teacher appointed by the program? How was the training?
Nathan Maher taught me. The classes were online. Each lesson was a new and interesting experience for me. Besides, we often watched and discussed movies. We made small talk. The course of English grammar and vocabulary was intensive. It was interesting to learn from the teacher about the differences between New Zealand, where he lived for a long time, and this country, especially in terms of everyday life.

What do you remember about your training course? What was particularly helpful?
Learning to understand different accents and some peculiarities of the teacher’s speech, to apply what I’ve learned, adapt and use it, was quite useful to me. For example, when he was talking about books or movies, he always used some interesting colloquial expressions, which I think could be of any help to me in the future. Besides, in IELTS oral exam you have to understand people speaking with different accents. Nathan also shared tips on how to pass IELTS better, what to focus on and what aspects of knowledge I have to improve.

Pavel, what was the most difficult part in the IELTS exam?
It was difficult to be heard during the speaking test, because the examiner didn’t hear well, so I had to answer several times. It was also hard to analyze the graphs, since I hadn’t written an essay on them. I didn’t train actually.

How do you plan to use English in the next couple of years?
I plan to continue watching movies in English, reading books, communicating on the Internet and studying professional resources. First of all, I would like to graduate from the University on the joint educational program with the University of Arizona. Then… I plan to study a number of computer-aided design systems, also in the English language, to become an engineer. It will definitely improve my resume and allow me to look for a position in the companies where English language proficiency is an advantage.

What are your interests and hobbies in life?
I am interested in engineering systems and data visualization systems – I study AutoCAD, 3DS Max, Blender, Fusion 360 in my free time. I am also interested in design and modelling, because drawing is my hobby since childhood. So I plan to be engaged in these fields in the future.