On October 4th, we kicked off a fantastic partnership with Visa, welcoming 30 students aged 16-18 years of age from Prendergast School in Lewisham to Visa’s London office for a day full of learning, networking, and STEM career inspiration.
Dianne Johnson, Head of Programmes at Urban Synergy, and Antonia Emegha, Visa’s Inclusion & Diversity Analyst co-hosted the day, and Katherine Nelson, Visa’s Talent Acquisition Program Manager shared information about recruitment, apprenticeship and graduate schemes.
Top tips came during a panel with Visa’s Daniel Farrar - Director of Early Careers, Natasha Stowe - Small & Midsize Business Analyst, and Khan Grenardo-Simpson - Merchant Sales & Acquiring Team for UK & Ireland.
Volunteers from the VISA business took part in the speed mentoring session, offering a chance for the students to ask questions in smaller groups.
“I’m so happy that VISA is part of the Urban Synergy family,” says Leila Thomas, CEO and Founder of Urban Synergy. “Our young people can learn so much at Visa, which is at the forefront of new payment, electronic and contactless payment technology. This expertise is so important for those mentees on our programme looking to branch into professional jobs, especially in the STEM-related (science, technology, engineering and maths) careers.
What did the students say?
‘The discussion with the 3 VISA volunteers was really helpful in deciding which options I should pick, what to put in my CV and the types of work experiences that could help.’
‘The overall experience was honestly 10/10. The employees were so useful and I feel this will heavily contribute to my future decisions. My knowledge about career paths such as apprenticeships has widened.’
‘I enjoyed the speed networking sessions as I got to understand different people’s viewpoints and journeys.’
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- 100% of students said that they learned what skills are valued in the workplace
- 82% of the students felt more confident about their future
- 82% of the students said they learned about a career they were not aware of before
Thank you to everyone at VISA for an enjoyable day.
About Corporate Insight Days
These give students (ages 15-18) a look into various careers through role model panels and speed mentoring sessions with industry volunteers.
Outcomes: young eyes opened to new opportunities and employers, enhancing social mobility and increasing belonging in the world of work.
Follow these links to learn more about our Programmes, School partnerships or become a Corporate partner. For other enquiries, please Contact Us on this link.