25 February 2009
Bangladeshi City workers inspire next generation
City of London Corporation urges young people to reach
higher
The City of London Corporation is backing a new phase of the
‘Reaching New Heights’ programme, which aims to help young adults,
especially within the UK Bangladeshi community, to overcome social,
economic and other barriers in the pursuit of City-based
employment. On Wednesday 25 February 2009, the first in a series of
career-awareness events launched the project at Deutsche Bank. A
panel of City workers, who grew up in Tower Hamlets, delivered
their own personal stories of determination to succeed in the
Square Mile, before a Q&A session with youngsters to inspire
and help them take the first steps towards sustained
employment.
‘Reaching New Heights’ has been devised by the bobNetwork, a
voluntary network of professional and entrepreneurial British
Bangladeshis who work in the City. By providing positive role
models within the local community, the project aims to raise the
aspirations of 250 Bangladeshi young people and encourage them to
achieve their full potential. The bi-monthly career awareness
events will alternate with soft-skill workshops, which will focus
on CV writing, interview techniques and further education
advice.
David Pack, Partnerships Manager at the City of London
Corporation, says, “Reaching New Heights is one of many access
points for local young people to gain an insight into the world of
work. It is proving particularly effective by offering young
Bangladeshi people relevant and accessible role models from their
own community. From software engineering to law, the expert panel
at the Reaching New Heights event shows how many different sectors
are represented in the City, and in turn the vast array of careers
that can be explored.”
Sakir Ahmed, Vice President at Deutsche Bank and host of
Wednesday’s event, says, “With my own experiences in mind, I can
understand that the mental barriers to professional aspiration can
be just as obstructive as any material obstacles. It is important
that we reach out to the next local generation to demonstrate the
viability of many City careers and the need to work hard now.”
Reaching New Heights took place on Wednesday 25 February 2009 at
Deutsche Bank, 1 Great Winchester Street, London EC2N 2DB. To
attend future Reaching New Heights events please contact
rsvp@thebobnetwork.com or
call 020 7068 6955.
Ends
For more information, or for details about how to participate in
the scheme, please contact:
Rosalind Jeffcoat or Neil Cassley
Rain Communications UK
Tel 020 7222 4345
Email:
name.surname@raincommunications.co.uk
The City of London Corporation is committed to maintaining and
enhancing the status of the business City as one of the world's
leading international financial and business centres and is engaged
in many partnership and regeneration projects across wider London,
working with national and other local government – as well as
business and the not-for-profit sector.
About The bobNetwork
The bobNetwork is the largest network of professional and
entrepreneurial Bengalis in the UK. It was formed in 1999 to
provide these professionals with an opportunity to meet like-minded
people from similar backgrounds to exchange ideas and discuss
issues prevalent to the group. It is a not-for-profit organisation
with no political or religious bias.
The bobNetwork has forged links with local groups, setup a
volunteering database and are working to achieve one of their main
goals in becoming a driving force in positively helping the
community.
For more information please visit
www.thebobnetwork.com