Testimonials

We would like to share our impressions of the intensive English language course organised for oil and gas professionals by Premium Vektor in London in August 2009. Normally we prefer not to leave online feedback, but in this case we need to make an exception and express our sincere gratitude to Premium Vektor. Professional development courses are typically dry and impersonal affairs, so much so after money changes hands. Not in this case; not only was the programme of excellent standard, but we were also taken care of in the most attentive manner throughout our stay in London.

We are extremely pleased with London. Everyone, from the organisers to people in the street, has been most friendly and approachable (perhaps they smile so much just in case, considering that each Englishman appears on 50 CCTV cameras and leaves his or her impression on 15 tourist photos daily). We were pleasantly surprised by the comprehensive and very intense course agenda, which included important practical advice, live presentations and clear differentiation between the language proper and the industry side of studies.

Due to the separation of participants into two groups in accordance with their professional specialisation (traders in one group, and people involved in E&P, refining and gas exports in the other), my sister and I had two individual tutors, both native speakers. Words fail us when we try to describe how talented they were! Suffice it to say that both our general and industry-specific English knowledge has improved beyond all expectations.

Had we been told on the first Monday of our studies what we would be doing in just one week and at the end of the course, we would have undoubtedly said: "This is too difficult, even impossible for us, not just in English but also in our native Russian!" The first day may have proven our fears true - such was the quantity and depth of information, coupled with the feeling of regret at not yet being able to escape to the Buckingham Palace. However, by Thursday the joy of the approaching weekend was clouded with a new regret that there will be no class on Saturday and Sunday. Still, we spent that day's lunch break at the British Museum with our tutor who also happened to be a wonderful guide.

It will not be an overstatement to say that the improvement in our English proficiency as a result of our two-week stay in London has been far greater than any progress we had made over the previous years. All thanks to the well balanced course and to the most attentive and professional of tutors. In addition, we are taking back to Moscow all of the course materials, including presentations and contracts, which will help us in our daily work and remind us of the wonderful time in the classroom and about town.

It is with great pity that we are leaving behind the cosy PES centre, coffee-breaks spent in discussions with interesting people from around the world, and all the kind souls (not least the organiser of this  course) who we have met in London. Yet even the saddest day of our visit was made memorable by the gift from Premium Vektor to each of us of a 45-disk set of audio books by famous British authors. Thanks to their generous gesture, we will never again feel bored sitting in Moscow traffic, what with Charles Dickens keeping us company!

One cannot help laughing at the thought that we were close to cancelling our trip due to the swine flu scare being spread by the Russian media. Not everyone in the UK is even aware of the so-called epidemic. But after all, what better way is there for promoting "satycations", Russian national resorts and diverting the public's attention from the ubiquitous financial crisis?

Who knows, perhaps the old saying does indeed hold water: "One day there will be only five kings left: of hearts, spades, diamonds, clubs, and England."   

Traders, Moscow