Toni Alleyne joined the London Enterprise Adviser Network in February 2017. This network connects business volunteers (known as Enterprise Advisers) with London schools, helping them to develop a careers education strategy that ensures young people are prepared for the world of work.
Toni has over 20 years’ experience in the airline industry, having managed 400 flight attendants as the Ground Manager for Qantas in London, and has always had a keen interest in the development of people. When she saw the opportunity to become an Enterprise Adviser she jumped at it!
I love seeing people succeed with their own goals – that’s why I wanted to get involved with the network
Toni was matched with Featherstone High School in Ealing, and soon began supporting their Business Ambassadors programme in her new capacity as Enterprise Adviser. The school’s Business Ambassadors help conduct mock interviews or hold careers related talks and so Toni used her own professional networks and introduced her colleague Sam Sprules to the school.
Sam is the Director at AeroProfessional, a team of bespoke recruiters for the airline industry. He was invited to bring his expertise to a mock interview day for Year 10s, where a number of Business Ambassadors from various industries held 15-minute interviews with each student and then gave tailored feedback. This was invaluable to the students, giving them the opportunity to practise interview skills and learn about different industries, but also get realistic and bespoke feedback from potential employers.
In just one day the volunteers interviewed 79 students and provided over 26 hours of support for the school, an impressive and busy day! Furthermore, Sam was so impressed with the concept and efficiency of a 15-minute interview that he applied the practice to his own company’s recruiting process. It appears the Enterprise Adviser network not only benefits the schools and students but also the employers themselves as they gain fresh perspective on their own way of working.