Becoming a Kumon Instructor is a rewarding and satisfying career decision and Maha Abhishek, of the Kumon Aberdeen, Cults Study Centre, is just one of more than 600 Kumon Instructors in the UK and Ireland who are managing their own thriving and growing business.
With a background in STEM engagement activities and experience operating a science festival, Maha always knew that a career in education was for her:
“I was looking for something different to my old career – I wanted to be my own boss and operate a business that was growable and sustainable while also following my passion for working with kids. I was exploring different options and found that Kumon ticked all of those boxes. Kumon was a good opportunity for me that I’m glad I took – it is fulfilling work and so satisfying at the end of the day knowing you’re literally making a difference to children’s futures.
“I was familiar with Kumon as many of my friends’ children were enrolled – I was able to see firsthand the difference that Kumon made in their lives, not just in their academic study but also in their ‘soft skills’, such as their confidence. While I did look at other franchising options as well, the combination of Kumon’s effectiveness as a method of learning as well as the very agreeable franchise fee lead to me choosing Kumon. When you’re starting a business, you need to be clear on what your outgoings are going to be. To have all the business, legal and marketing support behind you, that a large, experienced organisation like Kumon offer was crucial to me.”
Maha came to Kumon knowing that her experience would be useful and that she would be able to build on skills she had already developed in her career:
“I had a lot of experience in public engagement, working with schools and other programmes, as well as presenting to and speaking with young children and teenagers. I was also used to managing staff and festival activities – good practice for running a busy Kumon centre! All my past roles gave me experience in working with young people that I draw on every day.”
While it can help, Maha proves that you don’t need to have worked as a teacher to make a good Instructor, making it a perfect role to transition to for anyone with a passion for education, regardless of their current career.
Maha loves the active pace she is working to and is taking her centre from strength to strength:
“I love the busy pace of running my centre! During the day, I’ll give my students’ study plan a wee look to make sure they’re up to date and it’s still challenging them, then I review and assign each student’s work for the next class and for the coming week. It allows me to look deeply into how they are progressing. I’ll also be managing and liaising with parents and new enquiries and booking families in for an assessment. I set time aside to consider my marketing plans for the centre and try to post on the centres’ social media pages multiple times a week. When it’s a class day, I prepare my team of Class Assistants and we all get ready to welcome the students to the centre for their weekly session of focused studying.
“Training to become a Kumon Instructor has really stretched me but knowing how my efforts have paid off is such a reward. Aside from the personal satisfaction I feel, it’s worth it for the positive impact that I’m able to have on families in my local community.
“The support and advice I have received from my Area Manager and the wider Kumon Business Support team has been phenomenal. They’ve assisted me every step of the way and have always been happy to offer me guidance.”
The response to Maha’s centre in Cults, and across Aberdeen, has been fantastic, with students travelling in from across the area to attend:
“I didn’t expect the demand I’ve experienced! I was expecting ten students in the first month, and I reached almost 40 by the end of the second. Now I’m running the fastest-growing Kumon centre in Scotland. I’m really pleased with how the community has embraced the centre – parents have appreciated the centre being local and accessible, and they want more people to know about it! It really makes me feel like my centre is making a difference in the community.”
Looking ahead, Maha has a clear direction for her centre and, as her business continues to grow and more and more families experience the benefits of Kumon, Maha has a clear vision for how she will shape her business:
“I aim for my centre to be very open and welcoming, where students and their families can visit, share their experiences and learn. I want students to enjoy coming to Kumon, so that is a key goal for my team and me!”
If this sounds like an exciting career path that appeals to you too, click here to book an information session and take the first step to opening your own Kumon centre.