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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.