Our Training and Quality Assurance Coordinator
Miguel Babasa
Mickey joined the team in 2019 as a part-time Project Coordinator. His passion for sharing knowledge with others played a significant role in furthering his career.
With his current position as Training and Quality Assurance Coordinator, he ensures that everyone who joins the team is ready and capable to take on The Ortus Club’s executive events.
How did you land your current role?
I started as a part-time Project Coordinator in 2019. There were only about ten people in the company back then. It was a busy month for the team, considering that only a few people were organising multiple events.
Because of my experience as Project Coordinator, I was already familiar with the process of organising. I was then offered to help organise one project for that same hectic month. It was for a dinner event in Toronto, which turned out to be a great success. From then on, I kept assisting whenever needed and occasionally worked as a research assistant too.
Last year, at the beginning of the lockdown, my Ortus friends, Mara and Jamie, started playing Dungeons & Dragons together. I taught them how to play it, sharing that I had a knack for telling people how things work.
Months later, the company realised that they needed someone primarily dedicated to training all the newcomers. Luckily, I was available and possessed the qualities the team required. Therefore, I was offered the opportunity to become a Training and Quality Assurance Coordinator. So now here I am, seven months later, having a lot of fun, enhancing my skills, and doing a great job!
What does a typical day at The Ortus Club look like?
That depends on which half of the month it is. During the first half, I teach newcomers everything they need to know. Then, I review what they have learned and go through operational activities.
Throughout the three weeks of training, things can become compact and information-heavy, so I let them take a breather now and then. Maybe take a snack break, or have a bit of a laugh!
On days without any trainees, I catch up on my other responsibilities. Often, colleagues join the Discord channel I’m in to take a quick break from work – they are great company! Then, at around 5:30 pm, I join the End of Day session. It’s a company-wide short activity to acknowledge the end of the workday.
Due to the work-from-home setup, some of us often forget to maintain a work-life balance. This meeting acts as an “off” switch to transition from work mode to person mode. I think it is very healthy and should be practised more in other workplaces.
What’s the most challenging part of your job as a Training and Quality Assurance Coordinator, and how do you overcome this challenge?
I think it is finding the right approach and connecting with the trainees. This is very important, especially for those who are working remotely. Establishing a connection entices them to be attentive during training hours.
Although the primary role of a trainer is to teach the trainees what you know, I believe that being able to connect with them first is the key to maintaining their attention throughout the training.
I’m sure that remaining friendly and approachable will encourage all batches of newcomers to open up to me and establish that needed connection.
“I think it is finding the right approach and connecting with the trainees. This is very important, especially with those who are working remotely. Establishing a connection entices them to be attentive during training hours.“
What’s the most memorable training moment thus far at Ortus?
I think the most impactful experience in training so far was last June. I was informed at the last minute that I had a trainee on the other side of the world. Being put in such a situation pushed out a side of me I thought I didn’t have. It was a steep learning curve, but it challenged me to become better at my role.
That experience taught me so many things that helped me keep improving my role as Training and QA Coordinator.
What’s your most unforgettable experience at Ortus?
One of the EoD activities we do is put someone on the “hot seat”, and everyone gets to ask random questions for them to answer.
I had the chance to be on the hot seat during one of those sessions. It was such an unforgettable experience for me. I ended up sharing a few facts about myself, my experiences, and other exciting things that were going on in my life. I had so much fun, and I felt the genuine camaraderie from the team.
If you were given a superpower, what would it be?
It would either be the ability to multiply myself or omniscience. Both, if you would permit. I want things to progress, not just within my personal life but also with my work life.
I’d love to be able to perfectly teach multiple batches of people while also buying groceries, cleaning the apartment, cooking, and catching up on sleep. It would be a symphony of Mickeys running around Manila doing things the original Mickey is too scared or busy to do.
When you’re not at work, how do you spend your time?
I almost always spend my free time surrounding myself with the people I love and doing things I enjoy the most: video games, time with my significant other, and hanging out online with friends.
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