With her partner facing serious medical issues and unable to work, Angelica shoulders the responsibility of being the sole provider for her family. But thanks to her employer, HireSmart Virtual Employees, she can still give her 4-year-old son, Blake, the quality education she knows he needs.
"When we got the scholarship, it was a really, really big help because we can still enroll Blake in a private school without thinking where will we get the money," said Angelica.
As a former teacher, she understands the critical importance of early childhood education.
"I'm a teacher by profession, so I know that the formative years of a child are really important," she said.
Blake attends a private school five kilometers from their home that uses the Singaporean teaching method, which Angelica describes as particularly effective for young learners.
"It's a seamless type of curriculum," she explained. "It's seamless in the sense that the child will not be confused because it's kind of progressive... They are enjoying and learning at the same time."
Blake has thrived in the environment, showing enthusiasm for learning and various activities.
"He's very vibrant. He likes to sing. He likes to dance. He's doing Taekwondo during weekends as well as swimming lessons," Angelica said. "He doesn't know yet what he wants to focus on, but it's a good thing because he's able to try a lot of things before he focuses on something that he really likes."
Angelica has worked in the compliance department for a U.S. property management company through HireSmart for the past two years. She said she enjoys working with both U.S. and Filipino teammates.
"We really enjoy working together," she said. "I believe we work great as a team. There's no tension at all. We're just enjoying what we're doing."
Angelica expressed deep gratitude to HireSmart for her career opportunity and her educational support for Blake.
"I'm really grateful, not only for the scholarship but for the opportunity of this career that I have right now," she said. "I really appreciate that she put her trust in me, knowing that I didn't have any experience being a virtual employee, but she trusted my capabilities and skills. So I'm really thankful for the opportunity, and then the scholarship is another blessing."
Angelica offers encouraging advice for those considering a career as a virtual employee: "Don't be afraid to try new things and learn new things. And don't be afraid to explore because if you stay in your comfort zone, you will not try new things."
She also urges VEs to communicate with their clients.
"If you don't understand something, you have to be really open and communicate with them so they will guide you," said Angelica. "So just keep open communication with your client, and you will make it."
HireSmart Cares issued 19 educational scholarships in 2023, and 25 in 2024, and plans to continue expanding the program in 2025 so that more Filipino children receive quality instruction.
If you're interested in helping HireSmart expand its Filipino educational scholarship program or in supporting one of our other workforce development or educational initiatives, donate here.
To learn more about adding a HireSmart virtual employee to your team, click here to set up a free consultation.
If you want to join HireSmart as a virtual employee, click here.
HireSmart Virtual Employees recently awarded Melrose Vito, a valued member of their training department, one of the company's 25 educational scholarships for the children of Filipino virtual employees.
The scholarship covers annual private school tuition for up to four years for Mel's 7-year-old son, Ike, and other scholarship recipients.
As part of HireSmart's training department, Mel plays a crucial role in preparing new virtual employees (VEs) for successful onboarding with clients. Her work involves conducting a rigorous one-week certification program that all HireSmart employees must pass before they can begin working with clients.
This certification process is a crucial differentiator for HireSmart in the virtual employment world.
Josephat, a HireSmart employee who serves a U.S. client, said the training program sets HireSmart apart: "It's very challenging. I also joined interviews and exams with other agencies, but not like HireSmart. They (HireSmart) really make you ready before you join your client. So it's really a big help."
Mel and her colleagues in the training department ensure that new VEs are well-versed in industry terminology and standards before they start working with clients, helping to create a smoother onboarding experience for U.S. clients.
This commitment to thorough preparation makes HireSmart a top destination for Filipino virtual employees seeking stable, full-time careers with genuine work-life balance.
Mel's dedication to HireSmart's "SMARTER" core values resulted in a significant benefit for her family through the educational scholarship awarded to her son, Ike. Mel beams with pride talking about Ike, who has a passion for basketball and dreams of becoming a scientist. He's particularly interested in the solar system and animals.
"He wants to get awards at school," she said. "He is very competitive. He always wants to study, to learn."
The scholarship comes at a crucial time for the family. Ike struggles with severe asthma, which has led to frequent hospitalizations. Mel's health insurance through HireSmart has been instrumental in getting Ike the treatments he needs.
Before joining HireSmart, Mel faced difficulties providing medical care for her son due to financial constraints.
"Before I got hired here at HireSmart, it was really difficult for me because I couldn't bring him to the hospital that can really take care of him, because we didn't have money," she said, adding that the scholarship and her salary from HireSmart now allow her to afford Ike's necessary medications.
The family has faced additional challenges, as Mel's husband, Neño, was diagnosed with cancer in 2021. At the time, Mel was teaching at a private school, and the family had to prioritize their son's health care over Neño's treatment. Now, thanks to Mel's position at HireSmart, both Ike and Neño can receive maintenance care for their conditions.
To supplement their income, the family runs a small food business, selling to students at a nearby school.
"That's our extra income to help pay our bills," she said.
Mel expressed her gratitude to HireSmart Co-founder Anne Lackey for providing her with an opportunity to support her family.
"For me, she is one of the instruments that God has given me to meet the needs of my family," she said. "So I'm very blessed."
Mel added that she loves the camaraderie at HireSmart.
"What I really love in HireSmart is we have a team," she said. "So every time I have a problem, I have someone I can talk to."
Mel said she finds great satisfaction in helping other Filipino VEs prepare for the roles with U.S. clients. She said VEs must focus on continued education, which is also a priority for Mel, who continues to take classes to boost her effectiveness as a trainer.
"Every day, I'm teaching the VEs about how to be successful with their client," she said. "It's a fulfilling thing for me because I want to be successful with my client, and that's the reason why I learned and tried to exceed her expectations. Don't just settle for what your client is telling you. If you can, upskill in other ways, and you can help your client with other things. So it's fulfilling for me to talk to them and share what I have experienced and what I'm doing to succeed."
HireSmart's commitment to its employees extends beyond providing jobs. The company offers good wages, health and dental coverage, continued education opportunities, and educational scholarships for employees' children.
Through its comprehensive approach to employee support and development, exemplified by dedicated trainers like Mel, and family-friendly programs such as
educational scholarships for children, HireSmart continues to set itself apart in the virtual employment industry.
Mel said her faith in God helps her through her challenges. She adds that a purposeful life involves supporting each other.
"Life is too short, so we have to live life to the fullest," she said. "We really have to create memories and just help each other grow."
To apply to become part of the HireSmart team, click here.