PwC's Academy Middle East’s Post

"On my first day at PwC, one of the leaders said a phrase that I keep repeating in my mind daily “Make the best of it while at it”, Either at PwC or elsewhere. I believe that you have to work smart enough to be more than “present”, you should actively aim for growth. This shift involves changing from just sticking around to actually working towards being better, I learned throughout my career that I shouldn’t trade progress for comfort. Set goals, learn new skills, regularly check in with yourself, find someone to learn from, or find a better job opportunity while keeping gratitude to your current institution, but never stay still.”-Yomna Tolan, Associate at PwC’s Academy #HumansofPwCAcademy

PwC Namibia New joiner and new Manager welcoming event Thank you Estelle Tjipuka for joining us in welcoming our new trainees and managers earlier today. It was great to have you back at PwC and also sharing your inspiring journey with us. On the importance of having a mentor, I took with me: “Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction.” Much needed! #mentorshipmatters#pwcproud#pwctalent

As I bid farewell to my journey at PwC Canada after 4.5 years, I want to express my deepest gratitude for the invaluable experiences and my amazing colleagues while highlighting some of the remarkable moments that shaped my professional trajectory and my personal outlook. FFtF Program: I am profoundly grateful for the enlightening rotational program that kickstarted my career. It provided me with a comprehensive understanding of consulting essentials and allowed me to cultivate an extensive network. Impactful Work: The unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic tested our resilience as a community. Amidst uncertainty, I found solace in the impactful work we undertook in serving Canadians. Collaborating with inspiring leaders and mentors, I discovered a newfound determination to push boundaries and make a meaningful difference. Reality of UX: Engaging with end-users on diverse UX projects was a profoundly personal and enlightening experience. It allowed me to delve into a myriad of perspectives, understanding needs, and crafting solutions that resonate. Broadining my horizons and reinforcing the importance of empathy in design. Technical Growth: Whether through the Digital Accelerator Program or learning on the job, I am deeply grateful to Cloud & Data Practice for fostering my technical acumen. In a world teeming with possibilities, PwC has played a pivotal role in shaping my trajectory. I am grateful for everyone who contributed to this journey and I hope our paths cross again. The memories and lessons will forever hold a special place in my heart. Here's to the next chapter! #pwccanada #pwcproud 🧡✌🏼

🎓 Excited to share my recent certificate achievement from EYouth! 🌟 This certificate covers various topics, significantly contributing to my personal and professional growth. I learned these key points within just three months, and I am immensely grateful for this opportunity for growth and development. 1. Soft Skills: Mastered essential interpersonal skills vital for effective communication and collaboration in professional settings. 2. Digital Skills: Acquired proficiency in diverse digital tools and platforms, enhancing efficiency in digital environments. 3. General English: Strengthened language proficiency, facilitating clear communication and improved understanding. 4. Professional Development: Developed strategies for personal and career growth, including time management and leadership skills. 5. Digital Marketing: Gained insights into digital marketing strategies, enhancing efforts to promote brands online. Excited for the challenges and opportunities ahead! #SkillsDevelopment #ProfessionalGrowth #ContinuousLearning #SelfImprovementCertificates #EYouth

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐚 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 🌟   Before I took the leap into the world of consulting with Deloitte Digital, there was one particular person who inspired me to pursue this path – my amazing friend Julia. We met during my exchange semester at Vancouver Island University in Canada, and she was, in fact, the only consultant I knew before I became one myself. Her journey and her #encouragement inspired me and gave me the confidence to take action. 🚀   One valuable lesson I've learned from Julia is to always keep an open mind and look left and right for opportunities. Sometimes, the most unexpected paths can lead to the most rewarding journeys. Embracing this mindset has allowed me to grow both personally and professionally. 🌐🔍   Another important takeaway is to never underestimate yourself. We often undervalue our abilities and potential, but with the right inspiration and encouragement, we can achieve remarkable things. Julia really is a role model for me, and I am so thankful that she always had faith in me.   𝑰 𝒈𝒖𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒈𝒖𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒋𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒚; 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔, 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒆𝒓𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒑 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒏𝒆. 😊

Today, I had an amazing opportunity where I attended an Alumni Mentorship Program organised by Precious Sisters. The topic of the day was our Expectations as young People verses the Reality. This was aligned to world of work given that most of us are transitioning to the job market. We were privileged to have KPMG team and our mentor Maria Simiyu who shared some of the realities the Human Resource are looking for before hiring the job candidates. The following are some of my takeaways from today's Mentorship; 1. I have to be fully aware of the current trends in the job market and know the skills and competence that I will bring on board. 2. I have to be prepared to serve the global market as many organizations have adapted global perspective in their operations. 3. I need to know my industry.  4. Long life learning mindset is a key thing.   5. I need to focus, always be present where I am, and do my best. 6. Finally, I need to be a critical thinker and a problem solver. Many organizations don't want people who can only identify problems but they need people who can come up with solutions as well. It was a day full of learning and networking. Thanks to Rosemary Wambui and Precious Sisters at large for planning and facilitating such an amazing event.

Day 1: Business, Operations & Marketing Internship [IEUK-2024] ☀ 📣 Yesterday marked the beginning of an incredible journey with Philip Yarrow leading the way. We were honored to be inspired by James Uffindell, the visionary behind Bright Network. 🔵 Morning Keynote: Ajay Kabra from PwC UK kicked off the day with an insightful address on adapting to new work environments, emphasizing the importance of diversity and inclusivity. 🔵 Interactive Leadership Session by Joao Martins an advisor specializing in early career at Deloitte led a dynamic session focusing on: 🔶 Effective communication 🔶 Time management 🔶 Seizing leadership opportunities 🔶 Innovative problem-solving 🔶 Team empowerment 🔶 We tackled a challenging project, offering a real-world taste of leadership dynamics. 🔵 Transferable Skills Workshop: Zoe Wells and Aidan Ward-Hendry from ICAEW guided us through showcasing: 🔶 Teamwork 🔶 Leadership and 🔶 Professionalism Providing insight through analyzing a marketing scenario, evaluating responses, risks, and actions. 🔵 Personal Branding Workshop: Charlotte Sangster from PwC UK shared invaluable advice on creating a personal brand and leaving a lasting first impression, emphasizing Jeff Bezos' quote: "Your brand is what others say about you when you are not in the room." Importance of Personal Branding in Corporate Word ✔✔✔ In the business world, personal branding is your professional reputation on steroids. It's about strategically crafting how others perceive your skills, experience, and value. Here's how it benefits us: 🔶 Shine Brighter: Stand out from a crowd of competitors by showcasing what makes you unique. Highlight your expertise and achievements to attract clients or employers. 🔶 Become a Go-To Pro: Position yourself as a thought leader by sharing valuable insights. This builds trust and makes you the person people turn to for solutions. 🔶 Open Doors to Opportunity: A strong brand attract attention. It can lead to new projects, collaborations, or even higher-paying jobs. Day 1 was filled with excitement and opportunities for personal development, setting the stage for the next three days! 🚀 #IEUK2024 #BrightNetwork #PersonalBranding #PwC #Deloitte #ICAEW

𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐚 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲 🎉 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐰 👇 My manifestations are coming to life and as I reflect on the past six months, I feel overwhelmed. It's been a rollercoaster of challenges and triumphs, pushing me beyond what I thought possible. From overseeing my new home’s construction to achieving top marks in my MBA and earning five EY badges, it's been a journey of relentless dedication. Amidst this, I've had the privilege of leading and delivering three flagship programs at EY, each one a testament to the power of perseverance and teamwork. The days have been long, the tasks demanding, but through it all, I've found strength in discipline and optimism. Every hurdle has been an opportunity for growth, every setback a chance to emerge stronger than before. It isn’t easy but here’s how I manifest it all, and so can you. 🚀 1. 💡 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: I regularly define what my dream life looks like and visualize the details to attract my desires. This helps my senses to imagine the experience as vividly as possible. 2. 🌟 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: Positive affirmations rewire my thought patterns and remove limiting beliefs – shifting my focus to abundance. 3. 🙏 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞: I got this from my mom to appreciate everything I have and what’s on its way. Gratitude raises my vibration and makes me receptive. 4. ⏳ 𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐬: I introspect to understand my life patterns. This helps me break monotonous cycles and get off procrastination. 5. 🎯 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬: I have full faith in my God, the universe and myself. I trust that my dreams are achievable and that everything is unfolding as it should. Now, as I look ahead inaugurating my new home, the continuation of my MBA journey and the exciting projects lined up at EY, I'm filled with a sense of anticipation. Though there's much more to come, I'm grateful for the powerful energies that surround me, reminding me of my strengths and the blessings that grace my path each day. Life isn’t easy but I’m so glad that it is beautiful than ever. I’m grateful, thankful and cheerful. #gratitude #manifestation #ey #eygds #motivation #selfhelp #whatinspiresme #productivity #personalbranding

“Authentic leadership, the power of empathy, and owning your story. These are the skills I focused on first.” Meet Nick, strategy lead, Culture and People for Atlantic Canada, Quebec, and our National Capital Region. Earlier this year, we made ‘MasterClass at Work’ available for our people to help them build their skills and advance in their personal and professional journeys. We asked Nick how MasterClass has enhanced his approach to continuous learning and development at Deloitte. Q: What about skill-building is most important to you? “Learning-based skill-building helps to open doors and create opportunities for the future. MasterClass at Work has enabled me to grow in new ways. While I’m building professional skills that can help me to support others in my current role, I’m also building personal skills which transcend personal benefit.” Q: What MasterClass courses have you taken so far and what impact have they had on you? “I’ve completed eight MasterClass courses so far, learning from brilliant minds like Gloria Steinem, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Malala, to name a few. Here are some of the courses that have stood out to me: - The Art of Negotiation, Chris Voss (former FBI's chief international hostage and kidnapping negotiator). - Writing for Social Justice, Roxane Gay (a brilliant writer, professor, and author of ‘Hunger’ and ‘Bad Feminist’). - The Power of Empathy, hosted by Pharrell Williams and other co-instructors. - Self-Expression and Authenticity, RuPaul Charles. (A personal favourite).” Q: What message do you have for those considering joining Deloitte? “If you’re considering it, do it. I’ve been challenged to grow in countless, unexpected ways, and I’ve been supported in each instance by incredible leaders. Learning & development opportunities are just one of many facets underpinning an exceptional working culture. I’m very grateful.” Thank you, Nick, for seeking out ways to cultivate your own distinctive strengths to be the leader that you want to be. We are a group of talented people who want to learn, gain experience, and develop skills. Join us: https://deloi.tt/3GTKe4s #DeloitteCanada #WherePotentialComesToLife #DeloitteCareers

How do you Power Up* and Widen Your Network and Engage Sponsors?   At the EY Career Center, we call it Connectworking... the act of strategically connecting your network with intentionality, curiosity and reciprocity. Another important aspect of your network is sponsorship. A sponsor is someone who will use their internal political and social capital to help you succeed.   Below are questions Delaine Haltiner-Barr, PCC and I encouraged participants to reflect on during the "Building Your Social Capital" presentation at the 2024 Forté Foundation Fall MBA Women’s Virtual Leadership Conference, "How to Think Like a CEO":   ✔ Who is on your personal board of directors? ✔ Who will you brainstorm possibilities and explore potential opportunities with? ✔ What experiences and relationships do you need to pursue your career aspirations? *POWER Up ▶ Project Confidence ▶ Own Your Career ▶ Widen Your Network ▶ Elevate Your Communication and ▶ Realize Your Purpose   Check out the following EYCC article on sponsorship: https://lnkd.in/gk6N9a2r   For more cutting-edge career navigation resources: https://lnkd.in/eZ6A73t #EYCC #PowerUp #You@choice #CareerCoaching #EY