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EF (Education First)

Engaged employer

Ef360 program is a glorified internship (intern ++) - EF360 Tech Trainee EF (Education First) Employee Review

1.0
22 Nov 2019
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The rotational aspect of the program was great for figuring out what technologies I was interested in working with (eg. mobile development, microservices, cloud development). I would spend perhaps 3 months on one team and then move to another once I finished up a main project. In terms of travel, I did get the opportunity to travel abroad, but due to personal conflicts, I asked the company to send me on an EF tour in NYC and they kindly accommodated. The office is also beautiful, and the park outside of the office is great for having walking meetings, one-on-ones, or simply relaxing. Furthermore, although a bit pricy at times, it is quite convenient to have Lingo (the company cafe) right on the bottom floor.

Cons

Firstly, the lack of attention that people of color get at the Boston office is severely lacking. EF utilizes minimal effort when it comes to recruiting a diverse workforces, and, although this has been addressed to many executives (including the CEO), management refuses to do anything about it. For example, when a black employee brought this problem to the CEO, the CEO responded with "but we have many international offices in places like China and Europe". Although I did learn a lot during my time at EF, it became evident at the very beginning of my time at EF that the company does not invest very much in their employees. Although there is a rotational aspect to the program, there is very little direction once you arrive on the team. There was also minimal communication from my manager and the team I was entering, which made my entrance into the teams quite abrupt. They advertise the "independent" aspect of the program as a pro, but they forgot to consider that you need SOME direction and guidance when it comes to projects. They seem to expect that one person can be a programmer, pm, designer, scrum master at once without any help. Furthermore, the reason why this program felt like an over-glorified internship was because I seemed to always be given miscellaneous projects that died the moment I left a team to start the next project. The teams themselves were always too busy with their own responsibilities to maintain the projects. I joined the program mainly because of the supposedly high impact.

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EF (Education First) Response
6y
Thank you for your feedback. While I'm glad to know you enjoyed the rotational nature of your role, the travel, and the office amenities and location, I'm really sorry you had a negative experience overall. Our EF360 Tech Program is designed to give trainees exposure to multiple teams and technologies and to empower trainees to do important work that impacts the business. We certainly do not view our 360 trainees as interns - in fact, we view this program as a way to develop future leaders of EF. As for hiring people of color, I want you to know that diversity has become core to our recruitment efforts, and this focus is supported by all of management, including our CEO. We know our business will thrive the most when our employee base reflects the diversity of our world. We are committed to increasing our diversity and to making sure everyone who works at EF feels a sense of belonging . Thank you for your feedback, and we wish you all the best in your future career endeavors. - Emily

Explore other reviews about EF (Education First)

5.0
20 May 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Fun place to work at. Lots of opportunities especially early on in a career.

Cons

Sometimes salary is not as competitive as other places in Boston area.

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EF (Education First) Response
1mo
Well this is what it's all about! Early career opportunities while having fun along the way is a big part of what we hope people experience working at EF, and we are happy to hear this in your reflection. Thank you for sharing your note on compensation as well. We review our compensation packages regularly to make sure they align with our industry standards, and we appreciate your perspective on that.
4.0
2 June 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

You get to choose your tour and recruit the students you want to bring. The paid chaperone ratio is 6:1, so it is very manageable. The tours are great and the local experts are wonderful.

Cons

Company support is variable. There is high turnover and new consultants are very sales motivated and don't always get the nuances of your school or community group. I have had some WONDERFUL concusltants, but they have always been promoted before I get to work with them again.

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