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Young Professionals Blog

Young Pro – Apprentice of the Year!

Congratulations to Kathryn Adams who won Apprentice of the Year 2019 at the Young Pro Awards!

Kathryn started her role as Office Administrator for Advent Communications back in May 2017. Advent Communications is a public relations consultancy that operates across the Midlands and the UK. We asked her what she enjoyed the most about her job. “What I like the most about my job is the people I work with and the connections I have made through our clients throughout Coventry and Warwickshire. I also like being part of running the social media for our organisation and our in-house photographer.”

The team are incredibly proud of her success and Kathryn added “It is such an honour to win Apprentice of the Year, the amount of support from my colleagues and our clients has been overwhelming and I am proud to show how valuable being part of an apprenticeship can be for your career.”

The thoughts and opinions expressed on this blog are those of the Young Professionals team and guest contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of Coventry and Warwickshire First. All content on this blog is for informational purposes only. The owner of the blog is not responsible for content found by following any link on this site.

Patrick McCallum – Winner of Young Pro Legal Professional of the Year 2019!

Patrick McCallum recently won the Legal Professional of the Year award. Patrick has worked for Wright Hassall for almost 7 years. He started his career back in August 2012 after finishing law school.

The law firm, Wright Hassall, supports individuals and businesses across Warwickshire. Patrick is a Commercial Solicitor and assists businesses of all sizes. “I like the diverse range of clients I get to work for and the wide range of contracts I get to be involved in – I could be advising a local gaming company on how to licence the software in their game in the morning, delivering GDPR training to a major children’s book publishers over lunchtime and drafting changes to a regional sports club’s new catering contract in the afternoon.”

When asked about what it meant to win Legal Professional of the Year, Patrick responded “It was really humbling to win the Legal Young Professional of the year 2019. I started my career in the legal industry nearly 7 years ago and it is wonderful to be recognised by my colleagues and peers for all the hard work that I have put in over the last twelve months. In the busy working world which we’re all a part of, it is rare for you to have the opportunity to take stock and think of how much you’ve learned and developed as a person. This award has given me a chance to remember the family, friends and colleagues who have helped me to get to where I am today, be proud of what I’ve accomplished so far and look forward to all that is still to come.”

 

 

 

The thoughts and opinions expressed on this blog are those of the Young Professionals team and guest contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of Coventry and Warwickshire First. All content on this blog is for informational purposes only. The owner of the blog is not responsible for content found by following any link on this site.

 

 

 

Spotlight on…Molly Alcock

Molly joined the Young Professionals Leadership team in late 2017. “I joined the YP team after realising there were no support groups for Young Professionals like myself. It’s a great chance to meet people just like me!”.

After completing an Apprenticeship in Business Administration with The HR Dept, Molly became Business Development Assistant and for three years has delivered marketing and business development support for the company. Whilst completing her Apprenticeship, she was awarded Apprentice of the Year 2016.

Molly has recently completed her Level 4 Certificate in Professional Marketing and is awaiting her results this November. “I feel like YP helped me through my qualification. By discussing the balance of work and study with those in the same boat, it’s made it so much easier”. Molly looks forward to making use of her new knowledge and hopes her new marketing techniques will help small businesses understand the need for retained HR Support.

 

Spotlight on…Andriy Buniak Winner of Young Pro 2018!

How does it feel to have won Young Pro?

“It’s a great feeling, something that I’m really proud of. When you look at all the other finalists and everyone who was shortlisted in the subcategories, and you see the great work they are all doing it really is an honour to be singled out for my work and contributions to the area. Not only that, but it also serves as a bit of a driver, not that you do the work to win awards, but it certainly helps put a smile back on your face when you are having a bad day and you can look at your award and think – yeah, I did that.”

How long have you worked for Mander Hadley?

“I’ve been at Mander Hadley for four years specialising in Mental Capacity Law, and Wills and Probate. Prior to that I’d spent three years at Coventry City Council Legal Services in the Adult Social Care department.”

What is the most satisfying part of what you do? / what is your favourite part of your job?

“It’s the ability to genuinely help people through a difficult period using skills and knowledge I have had to work hard at to get. My area of law is very client facing and people focused, and I’m often dealing with clients who are going through some kind of crisis. Being able to advise them, and assist them through these times and seeing the resulting relief this can bring is really rewarding. Whether that be obtaining legal authorities to assist loved ones who have Mental Capacity Issues, or just taking the pressure off the family when a relative has passed away, it’s really satisfying to be in a position to help, but also doubly rewarding to be in that position and have that opportunity because of the work I’ve had to put in to get that skill set.”

What tips would you give for someone wanting to become a Solicitor?

“Learn to love coffee – it’s your friend!

Joking aside, it goes without saying but – work hard. The legal profession is ultra-competitive, so you are only doing yourself a disservice by not going for it 100%. This applies to all aspects, whether it be at degree level, training, applying for jobs and in even more so when practicing. That one extra change to a CV, or that additional networking event, might just be the difference to being given a great career opportunity!
Be open minded. None of the practice areas that I’ve had exposure to were areas that I thought I would want to work in. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t aim for the area you want, or indeed that you should settle for something else, but at least be open to trying your hand at something different as it often turns out to be really enjoyable, and in my case lead to developing a specialism in an area of law that I can really focus my career on.
Be patient and resilient. Not everyone will fall out of law school and into the dream training contract with the big city firm. Whilst this does happen, there are even more stories of people having to start at the very bottom and work their way up, and there’s often a lot of heartache and rejection along the way. Wherever you end up, it’s important to maximise these opportunities and get the most out of them and learn from the experience. If you can stay patient whilst maintaining the drive to achieve your goal of qualification you will ultimately get there, (it took me 8 years after graduating!), and it makes it even more satisfying in the end.”

 

 

 

 

 

The thoughts and opinions expressed on this blog are those of Andriy Buniak and do not necessarily reflect those of Coventry and Warwickshire First. All content on this blog is for informational purposes only. The owner of the blog is not responsible for content found by following any link on this site.

Paige Howitt takes over as chair of the Young Professionals network

We are delighted to announce that Paige Howitt has taken over as Chair of the Young Professionals network for the next 12 months. Paige takes over from 2017/18 Chair Holly Brain.

Paige is a Corporate Tax Senior at Dafferns and has been an active Young Professionals committee member since 2013. She is an avid fundraiser and has achieved her ACCA and a Batchelor’s degree alongside working full time. She is also a finalist in this year’s Young Professional category at FirstPro.

Paige said:

“I am delighted to be taking over as chair of CWFYP and look forward to the year ahead. I’d like to thank Holly Brain on behalf of the network for all of her hard work over the last year. I hope to increase the size of the network and fulfil members’ expectations. If you have any suggestions on what you would like to see from the network, I’d be happy to hear from you.”

If you’d like to get involved in the Young Professionals committee yourself we do have a small number of vacancies for motivated, enthusiastic individuals. For further information and to express your interest please contact Paige.

The thoughts and opinions expressed on this blog are those of Chrissie Elliot-Duxson (or guest contributors) and do not necessarily reflect those of Coventry and Warwickshire First. All content on this blog is for informational purposes only. The owner of the blog is not responsible for content found by following any link on this site.

A year in Young Professionals – 2017

2017 has been another great year for the Young Professionals group with plenty of events, fundraising and networking opportunities.

We started the year with the inaugural YoungPro awards. These were put on as a joint project between the Coventry and Warwickshire First main group and the Young Professionals, to showcase the region’s most talented young people. We were able to recognise some of the impressive work going on in and around the city, and we were delighted with the calibre of the nominations received. The next YoungPro event is due to take place on 26 January 2018 with the shortlist to be announced soon. Book your tickets now.

Also in 2017 we were delighted to announce that we had raised £650 for our nominated charity for 2016/17, Molly Olly’s Wishes. We continued our 2017 fundraising efforts with our 2017/18 nominated charity, Free Radio’s Cash for Kids, and we have already raised over £800.

This year’s social events included a beer and pizza evening run jointly with Handelsbanken, and our annual rounders tournament. We also took a trip to The Other Place in Stratford for a theatre and costume tour as well as some networking.

In October we held a second successful Young Professionals quiz at the Triumph Club in Coventry. This was in aid of our charity of the year and was won by Shakespeare’s.

Chair Holly Brain announces the winners of our charity quiz

The end of the football season saw Nathan Lapsley from Wright Hassall win the Young Professionals fantasy football league.

Last but not least we’ve had some committee changes this year. I handed over my Chairmanship to Holly Brain of HCB Group. We also said goodbye to Carl Malcolm, Phil Ballard and Sal Khan, and welcomed Vangeya Murphy and Molly Alcock.

In 2018 we look forward to bringing you another exciting range of events including a murder mystery and a networking event at Rising Café in Coventry.

In the meantime we wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

The thoughts and opinions expressed on this blog are those of Chrissie Elliot-Duxson (or guest contributors) and do not necessarily reflect those of Coventry and Warwickshire First. All content on this blog is for informational purposes only. The owner of the blog is not responsible for content found by following any link on this site.

The hunt for Young Pro 2018 is on!

Introducing a new category to celebrate talented apprentices.

The search for the YoungPro 2018 was launched at a Gala Reception for leaders of Coventry and Warwickshire First’s professional services community, held at Mallory Court on 26 October.

New this year is the category of Apprentice, complementing the existing categories of Legal, Finance (including Accountancy, Insolvency and Banking) and Business Services (including IT, Marketing, HR and other business support services).

Coventry & Warwickshire First’s YoungPro celebrates the breadth and depth of talent within the region’s professional and financial services sector’s next generation of leaders. It is open to all in the professional services sector who are under 35 years of age and based in Coventry or Warwickshire.

Holly Brain, of HCB Accountants and Chair of Coventry & Warwickshire First’s Young Professional Network explained: “There is a growing number of talented young apprentices in our sector. We want to recognise both their achievements and invaluable contribution to our sector. Attracting the right talent is always a challenge; the growing popularity of apprenticeships is helping us grow our own.”

Vangeya Murphy of Shakespeare Martineau, the winner of last year’s inaugural YoungPro Awards attended the launch. Explaining what the award meant to her, she encouraged everyone to give it a go!

Nominations are welcomed from individuals, their peers, colleagues, clients and managers, with referees required for anyone self-nominating. Nominations are open until Friday 15 December 2017; all details can be found on Coventry & Warwickshire First’s website, www.coventryfirst.co.uk.

Each shortlisted nominee will be interviewed by a panel of judges comprising leaders in the sector. The judges will look for superb performance in the workplace, a commitment to the region and the all-important and intangible x-factor.

The category winners will be announced at a Gala Reception on Friday 26 January 2018 in the wonderful surroundings of St Mary’s Guildhall, Coventry. The overall YoungPro 2018 will be announced at the FirstPro Awards Gala Dinner, taking place on Thursday 19 April 2018 at Coombe Abbey.

Photocaption: Trish Willetts (Coventry Bid), Vangeya Murphy (YoungPro 2017, Holly Brain (Chair of Coventry & Warwickshire First’s Young Professionals Network)

Coventry BID Announced as Headline Sponsor of YoungPro

Coventry Business Improvement District (BID) has been announced as the headline sponsor for YoungPro 2018.

Trish Willetts, Manager of Coventry BID said: “Sponsorship of YoungPro 2018 gives us a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the developing talent in the city’s professional services sector. Having sponsored the event last year, we know it’s the perfect platform for promoting Coventry as a great place to work and build an exciting and challenging career.”

In its second year, YoungPro 2018 celebrates the breadth and depth of talent within the region’s professional and financial services sector’s next generation of leaders. It is delivered by Coventry & Warwickshire First’s Young Professional network and is open to all in the professional services sector who are under 35 years of age and based in Coventry or Warwickshire.

New this year is the category of Apprentice, complementing the existing categories of Legal, Finance (including Accountancy, Insolvency and Banking) and Business Services (including IT, Marketing, HR and other business support services).

Holly Brain, chair of Coventry & Warwickshire First’s Young Professionals Network said: “We’re delighted to welcome back Coventry BID as YoungPro’s headline sponsor, particularly in this exciting year as we introduce the new category of Apprentice.”

The search for YoungPro 2018 is to be launched at a Gala Reception for leaders of Coventry and Warwickshire First’s professional services community at Mallory Court on 26 October.

Nominations are welcomed from individuals, their peers, colleagues, clients and managers, with referees required for anyone self-nominating. Nominations are open until Friday 15 December 2017; all details can be found on Coventry & Warwickshire First’s website, www.coventryfirst.co.uk.

Each shortlisted nominee will be interviewed by a panel of judges comprising leaders in the sector. The judges will look for superb performance in the workplace, a commitment to the region and the all-important and intangible x-factor.

The category winners will be announced at a Gala Reception on Friday 26 January 2018 in the wonderful surroundings of St Mary’s Guildhall, Coventry. The overall YoungPro 2018 will be announced at the FirstPro Awards Gala Dinner, taking place on Thursday 19 April 2018 at the new venue of Coombe Abbey.

Young Professionals raise £650 for charity

Young Pro 5

We are delighted to announce that the Young Professionals have raised around £650 for local charity Molly Olly’s Wishes during the past tax year.

 
Molly Olly’s Wishes aim to support the lives of children with terminal or life threatening illnesses throughout The Midlands and the UK, and to advise and assist their families. The money raised helps support children and their families who need additional help beyond that given by the NHS and its supporting bodies.

 
We have been really excited to support the charity over the last year and would like to thank everyone who contributed to the total raised. The money was raised through various events such as YoungPro 2017 and our Historic Warwick Charity Trail.

 
We can also now announce that our charity for the next year is Free Radio’s Cash for Kids. Charity Officer Paige Howitt said:

 
“With Free Radio being our local broadcaster, the decision was made to work with them and support the children of Coventry and Warwickshire. All money goes to local children so that they can ‘live life to the full and realise their potential.’ It seemed a good charity to support as our local children are the young professionals of the future and we felt that it’s important to support children now to ensure they have the opportunities we currently have as part of the network”.

 
Free Radio Cash for Kids is a part of Bauer Radio’s Cash for Kids, a registered charity (1122062).

 
We’ve started our fundraising efforts with a raffle for Coventry Blaze tickets at our summer networking event, which was won by Kimberley Brookes from Wright Hassall. We are also organising a charity quiz which will take place on Thursday 28 September 2017. If you would like to enter a team please contact Paige Howitt – Paige.Howitt@dafferns.com

 

In the meantime you can make a donation at any time by visiting our fundraising page.

 
The thoughts and opinions expressed on this blog are those of Chrissie Elliot-Duxson (or guest contributors) and do not necessarily reflect those of Coventry and Warwickshire First. All content on this blog is for informational purposes only. The owner of the blog is not responsible for content found by following any link on this site.

Nathan Lapsley wins CW First Fantasy Football League

We’re delighted to announce that this season’s online Fantasy Football League was won by Nathan Lapsley of Wright Hassall. That means the trophy has been won by a Wright Hassall employee for the second year in a row after Steve Halkett took it last year.

 
Steve was relegated to second place this season with Craig Spafford in third.

 
Chelley Yates and Patrick Murtagh brought up the rear with a total of 28 teams taking part this season. Better luck next time Chelley and Patrick!

Many thanks to former Young Professionals committee member Phil Ballard for setting up the league.

The thoughts and opinions expressed on this blog are those of Chrissie Elliot-Duxson (or guest contributors) and do not necessarily reflect those of Coventry and Warwickshire First. All content on this blog is for informational purposes only. The owner of the blog is not responsible for content found by following any link on this site.