Programs for university students in Europe, Australia and New Zealand are the new trend: interview to Alejandro Tamayo, V.E.T.E. Education and Travel

Here’s a new episode with the ETN Focus interview. This time Alessandra Martinelli, Head of International Relations for ETN Focus, talks to Alejandro Tamayo, Sales Director for the Mexican agency V.E.T.E. Education & Travel.

What are the topics covered during the interview? Just read and see!

Hi Alejandro, how are you? First of all thanks for giving us the chance to speak with you. I am pleased that you are willing to take some time for this interview.

Sure, thank you for thinking of us. It’s a pleasure to speak with you

I would start with the first question; What does your agency do and how many years have you been working in this sector?

We have been part of an educational group, an English school and a Spanish one here in Mexico for 40 years. VETE Education & Travel is dedicated to the organization of study programs abroad; we focus on new ways of traveling in distinct areas and we organize Summer Camps, language courses, internships abroad. We also dedicate ourselves to the real organizational part, so we have air flights, visas, etc.

Well, what do you like about your job? Are there positive aspects and difficulties?

There are so many positive aspects in my job. The first thing is surely the satisfaction that me and  the whole team have in seeing the students realize their dream of going abroad to study or to carry out internships and therefore to acquire knowledge from various points of view.

All of this gives me even more satisfaction because these guys contribute to create a better future for Mexico, for the future growth of the country. Expanding their horizons, enriching themselves, exploring, they will be able to look at things with different eyes, with the eyes of the world once they come back home.

Negative aspects? Well, there are no real negative sides. The part that I consider the most complicated is the management of very special requests but luckily we have enough experience to manage them without any problem, from the departure to the arrival.

So are you able to create tailor-made packages, is that correct?

Yes, we offer various types of programs, for example from 2 weeks up to a complete bachelors degree or post graduate studies of 2 or 3 years. We work with individuals but also with groups. We are versatile in this regard. We are also approaching programs for university students both in Europe and in Australia and New Zealand and this is because we have seen that this is the growing trend for price reasons and for a matter of quality.

What’s the average age of V.E.T.E. Education & Travel?

We usually work, especially with regard to these university programs, with students between 22 and 29 years old. Obviously we also have several students who require something else, such as Summer Camps programs for example.

Whats the most popular among your clients?

I would say that the most requested destination is Canada, due to its proximity, cost and because itìs easier also for Visas. There are many cities in Canada that have a good standard of living, that are safe and are a great destination for students. As for Europe, England is certainly very popular, like Ireland, France and Spain.

I am pleased to know that there are still various Latin American students who choose to spend a training period in Europe. With regard to public funding, do you provide National Scholarships allow students to live this kind of educational experience abroad?

Yes, there are scholarships that support students who want to go abroad, but they are mainly for people who are attending a Master or for those who want to attend a semester or the whole university year abroad. They are therefore scholarships for university students more than anything else but at the moment there are no public funds to study in a foreign country.

So most of the students who go abroad are mostly individual. What do they require most? Language course, Summer Camp, College experience?

This is a very interesting question; as for us, we have more requests for language courses abroad.

To be honest, a frequent request is also for programs that also involve the aspect of professional practice, therefore a language course + internship.

Generally how do you choose international schools to work with? Do you participate for example in international fairs?

Here in Mexico there are two types of fairs: those in which the students participate directly and then we have the fairs in which international schools meet local agents, such as your ETN Focus.

We participate in this kind of events but we carefully choose which ones to attend also because we want to go there prepared to exchange all the necessary info and therefore this implies a preparation and a considerable job. However I consider this kind of events very useful because they allow you to meet in a few days many new schools or even schools with which you already work.

Last year you participated in our event in Mexico City. What was your impression?

I especially liked the BOUTIQUE format because it allowed us to create real relationships with the schools that were present and then it lasted only two days and this is excellent because it is not demanding and we can organize ourselves.

It was a new type of event in which I met new schools and the types of schools present were really interesting.

Thanks for these kind words. One last question, please: If you were to attend the next one, who would you like to meet?

Ah, do you already know when it will be?

Yes, at the end of October.

Ah well. I’d like to meet… mmmhhh it’s a good question… I would like to start working with Australia and New Zealand but also to look at new or fresh destinations like the Czech Republic for example because I think we must never stop opening up to new markets

Well Alejandro, I thank you and I will keep you updated with our next event in Mexico.

I thank you for having thought of V.E.T.E. Education & Travel and see you soon for the next event.