PwC’s mentoring programme has won Brunel University’s Employer of the Year Award for the fourth year in a row. Risk Assurance Manager Rohit Rai from our Uxbridge office, was also presented with the university’s long service award for completing five years of mentoring.
Brunel University’s Widening Participation programme is designed to help students from under-represented backgrounds to enhance their career opportunities and their professional development.
Rohit said: “As well as providing one-to-one mentoring, we’ve helped Brunel to enhance the programme with extra events through the year, including shadowing opportunities, an internship, interview practice and a bespoke Open Evening.”
The young people selected for the programme by Brunel may be suffering from disabilities and/or come from a variety of backgrounds. These can include being the first generation of their family to attend university, having experienced serious disruption to formal education or coming from low income or low education-participating communities.
Rohit added: “We actually have more volunteers wanting to mentor students than the university needs. The mentors really enhance the short term and long term outcomes for the widening participation students and Brunel and the students really appreciate that we go the extra mile for them.”
Sponsoring Partner Chris Maw said: “PwC is already committed to increasing social mobility, so we are keen to help these young people develop their workplace skills. I’m very proud that the team’s enthusiasm continues to be recognised by the university and our colleagues.”
Rohit has mentored, Anika, who was awarded a Mentee of the Year award and who is studying Finance and Accounting, and in her feedback she expressed her appreciation of all the support, including help with her CV, covering letters and interview practice, that aided in her securing an internship with the company she wanted.
Anika said “My mentor has made sure I fully understand the role that I was applying for as well as the industry. Doing this research helped me to pick out the vacancies that I was most interested in. The advice that I have received has proven to be very useful. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Rohit for his support and patience during that time.”
