Facts
Number of employees: 34, 000 across the world. 9000 full-time employees and 25,000 teachers and guides.
Geographical spread: 400 schools and offices in over 50 countries. Headquarter in Luzern, Switzerland and regional offices in London, Zurich, Boston, Shanghai and Hong Kong.
Web
www.ef.com/careers
why we are an interesting company to work for
As a privately held business, we’re not listed on any stock market. The chief benefit of private ownership is a thriving entrepreneurial spirit. It permeates everything that we do. We believe in fast decisions, taking advantage of unexpected opportunities in the marketplace and investing substantially in the right ideas. Our flexible corporate structure mirrors these beliefs and allows for rapid growth.
EF Education First takes care of talents and gives them an opportunity to develop themselves. At EF, you will get real responsibility, real challenges and the opportunity to influence your job from Day One. EF was founded by an entrepreneur whose spirit still runs strong throughout the company. Regardless of where you are in the world or where you are in our organization, we will give you the freedom you need to succeed. Some companies want you to sit quietly and do as you’re told. At EF, we want you to make noise, reach for new opportunities and take responsibility for moving the business forward.
At EF we don’t define ourselves with titles and functions. Instead we share a passion for the company and also have adventuress individuality in common. Today EF is a global company in a fast growing industry where entrepreneurship, flexibility and “street smartness” is highly valued. Who says work can’t be both fun and rewarding?
our corporate culture and values
We invite you to contact us to find out more about our company culture and our core values!
EF Education First is looking for talented entrepreneurs, with a university degree, who would like to work for a truly international company. We are more interested in what you are passionate about than what you have studied.
With our business exploding in every corner of the world, we need enthusiastic self-starters who can help manage our growth. Our challenge is not to find the market, it’s to find the right people to help drive our business. We are looking for personalities dreaming of an international career and we appreciate a flexible thinking together with a good educational background. If you are looking for a short period abroad to look nice on your CV – EF is not the right company for you as we have limited career opportunities in Sweden. But if you want a truly international life and career – we are the right company to fulfill your dreams!
We are looking for skilled sales & marketing people, finance profiles as well as “experts” in a field like web design, web search optimization or social media. We are specifically looking for talented programmers or system architects that want to develop our global online school, Englishtown, in one of the world’s fastest growing cities, Shanghai.
Languages are a must at EF. You need to be fluent in English and preferably fluent in two additional languages.
There are no predetermined career paths at EF. Instead, you can count on your job taking you from place to place, whether laterally, upwards, at top speed or at your own pace. What’s important is that we meet our goals and that you’re able to make the most of your talents and aspirations. A person with the right qualities and attitude can go far at EF.
Different positions at EF
Sales & Marketing positions:
Sales Product Manager
Regional Sales and Marketing Manager
Country Manager
Web Marketing Manager
Social Media Manager
Finance positions:
Financial Manager
Business Controller
Group Controller
Accounting positions and internal audit
Financial systems
Design & Innovation:
Technical Lead
Software Architect
Product Manager
Art Director
International opportunities / Work around the world
EF is expanding rapidly around the globe. Over the past three years, our business has doubled as a result of continued expansion, innovation in new business areas and opportunistic acquisitions.
As a consequence, openings continuously arise at all levels of the organization throughout the world. EF enables you not only to work with colleagues of different nationalities and cultures but also gives you the chance to gain valuable international exposure.
Internal development
Our greatest investment is in helping our employees reach their full potential. In fact, the majority of our top managers worked their way up through the ranks. Training and feedback are central to the way we operate. You will enjoy access to managers at different levels to give perspective, advice and support.
EF Education First and Nova Pro have worked together for several years and we are very happy with the team behind Nova Pro. Our partnership has generated many talents joining EF around the world.
EF is constantly looking for talented people with higher academic background, interesting work experience and people dreaming of an international career, qualities Nova Pro members often possess.
Things you didn’t know about EF
- China is one of EF’s strongest growth stories: in 2005, EF had 250 employees and today it has 3,500 in China.
- EF was the first English school to be granted a license by the Chinese government in 1993, opening our first school in Shanghai.
- Today, EF has 130 English schools across over 50 cities in China.
- EF’s flagship school, the mega center, in People Square Shanghai is the city’s biggest English school.
- Everyday, about 1 million chinese students receive an English lesson from EF (email English).
- China has a huge market potential with more than 300 million people studying English (more than the population of the United States!).
- EF, following the Beijing Olympics 2008 when we were the Official Language Supplier has become a very popular brand. Ranked one of “the top 50 best foreign companies in China next to Louis Vuitton, Siemens etc by China Enterprise Union 2009.
Key milestones in the company’s history
- 1965 - EF was founded in Sweden by a young entrepreneur named Bertil Hult with the objective of bringing local high school students to England to learn English
- 1985 - EF celebrates its first 20 years with its millionth traveller
- 1988 - EF opens an office in Seoul and is chosen the Official Language School of the Olympic Games held there
- 1994 - EF opens the first EF English First School in Mexico City
- 1995 - EF works with Apple Computer to develop the first demo school which is today, the world’s online English school Englishtown.com
- 1998 - EF Language boat skippered by Paul Cayard wins the Whitbread Round the World Race, today Volvo’s Ocean Race
- 2003 - EF takes over the Arthur D Little School of Management, today the top ranked Hult International Business School with five global campuses in Boston, San Francisco, London, Dubai and Shanghai
- 2005 - EF breaks the Guiness Book of World Record for the world’s longest English lesson (72 hours)
- 2008 - EF named the Official Language Training Services Supplier of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games
- 2014 - EF is working to help Brazil train 80,000 tourism and hospitality professionals a year to help prepare for the Brazil 2014 World Cup.
Success stories
Behind each of EF’s successes, there invariably lies a story that is linked to an enterprising EF person who had a clever idea, led a strong team or found an innovative solution. It is thanks to the people who work here that a small Swedish company has turned into the world’s largest private education company. And it is also because of our people that EF is such a dynamic and fun place to work.
Read more about some of our successful people:
Johan: