This year saw us going virtual with our ACE Programme and it has been incredible – our team has been working hard to provide exceptional service to young people who need tools to accessing careers, now more than ever.
As a result of this, we offer our Fellows (those who have completed our workshop) the opportunity to upskill themselves via exclusive masterclasses. So far, we have delivered 19 masterclasses; with over 400 young people joining us to connect with brilliant organisations and build their skills.
Our first virtual masterclass in April was with Madano, a Public Relations and Communications Firm, who hosted two fantastic sessions on Social Media and Communications. We were delighted to see so many young people attend, it truly set a precedent on what was to come.
The styles in which we incorporated in our delivery of the masterclasses were varied. We took conversational approaches where our hosts gave invaluable advice to our Fellows. Here we had a brilliant Q&A session with Nadja Bellan-White, Executive Partner of WPP at Ogilvy, on Women in Leadership, and an inspiring conversation with Jo Kanani, CFO at Grayling, on Imposter Syndrome. Both hosts gave honest and heartfelt insights into their journeys and how they are continuously challenging day-to-day obstacles.
We asked our Fellows to share their thoughts on the sessions and one young person had this to say,
“At a time with so much uncertainty and a small shadow of self-doubt towards my future career choices, listening to Nadja experiences was inspirational. From the insightful tips on balancing work and family life during global adventures to how she overcome imposter syndrome daily. The masterclass was an intimate and relatable conversation. Truly appreciative I was asked to log in.”
Masterclass session with The Guild of Human Resources Professionals
We also had sessions that gave industry and organisation insight. Sessions with Fullwell 73 (Film and Media Production), Saba Zdandowska; Founder and CEO of Venture Consulting (Careers in Tech), and The Guild of HR Professionals highlighted the pathways to take in achieving fulfilling careers in these industries. Fellows and Friends had a fantastic time exploring different career journeys, asking lots of questions, and having their aspirations raised.
Another young person commented,
“[the sessions] gave me a positive outlook on getting into [the industry] and some insight on what it’s like to work with a great team!”
Other sessions took on a more interactive Webinar style, where we made use of polls, breakout rooms, and role-play to broach topics to boost our skills. Sessions like Financial Wellbeing with HSBC, Practical Lessons on LinkedIn with Reward Gateway, Partnership and Negotiations with GroupM (where our young people explored advocating for themselves in their careers) – all encouraged our young people to extend their knowledge, ultimately boosting their commercial awareness.
When asked for a key takeaway, one Fellow was happy to share,
“I enjoyed the sessions and felt that I learnt a lot especially in the aspect of being yourself and having confidence in your own ability”.
A Masterclass session with GroupM
Overall, we have enjoyed the last five months of masterclasses and incredible virtual events, namely our seventh annual careers fair this year which, if you haven’t already, read all about it here.
If your 18-30 and looking for work, we can help you – check out how to sign up to our Virtual ACE Programme below.
Stay tuned for more!
