Explore the Unseen: Ruth Muchiri's Impact story from the Online Corporate Career Academy

Please meet Ruth Muchiri, an Aiducation alumni from Kenya.  She has just completed her undergraduate studies and she is awaiting her graduation from the University of Nairobi with a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Statistics scheduled for December 2022. Ruth is one of the graduates of the online Corporate Career Academy implemented by Aiducation in partnership with the Swiss Re Foundation. The Academy took place in March/April 2022 virtually with 30 young talents drawn from all over the country as participants and international managers from Swiss Re supported by local coaches as mentors for the academy. The academy provides our young talents, mostly in their final years at the University, with a unique opportunity to be trained on the basic corporate world skills and knowledge to enable them successfully to transition into the workspace by experienced managers from international companies.

Please read Ruth’s impact story below from the academy
Introduction: My expectations for the Academy

It was in February 2022 this year when I saw an advertisement for the online Corporate Career Academy; E-CCA by Aiducation on GYLA(Aiducation alumni online platform). By then, I only had a few weeks remaining to complete my undergraduate course and like many of my collegemates, I was experiencing anxiety from the anticipated transition. E-CCA seemed to be an opportune platform where I hoped to gain tips to lead me through this transition into the workplace.

About the Academy

Screenshot of Ruth and other participants during the sessions

The first session of the academy was about our career journeys and planning.  By responding to the key question “What are your career aspirations and options?” we drafted concrete career plans and the next steps we needed to take. We also listened to life stories from some of our mentors which gave us much-needed motivation. The second session was about social media, CV, resume and cover letter writing. Did you know that 70% of employers use social media to screen candidates? We learnt how to optimize our social media profiles, specifically LinkedIn and were guided on how to improve CVs, resumes and cover letters to make them outstanding.

Screenshot taken of participants and mentors during the closing of the academy

During the third week, we had an interview simulation session where we learnt and practised interview techniques. Having never attended an interview before, I was excited and felt equipped and confident enough to attend any interview.

The fourth week was a career fair where participants attended sessions of their choice with the invited companies. I attended the BDO East Africa session which turned out to be my favourite of all the sessions. It is not every day you get to interact with a senior HR from such a company and so I purposed to make the best out of it. The session was highly interactive, insightful, and enjoyable. Special thanks to Mr Robert Mwaura who took us through it very passionately as he responded to our numerous questions. The last session was a graduation session where we were conferred with powers to go and succeed in our professional careers.

My Key Takeaways
Here are my 5 key takeaways from the academy;

• Be open, curious and flexible to explore different career paths.
• Believe in yourself. You got this. You can do it.
• Opportunities do exist. It is upon you to identify them and define your path.
• Your career path does not have to be linear.
• Network! Network and use your networks wisely. Do not be scared to ask for help.

My Post-academy Experience

Right after the academy, I was ready to dive into the deep end. I updated my resume and began sending job applications.  A few weeks later, I received an interview invitation from BDO East Africa, a fruition of my interaction with Mr Robert during the academy. Within the same period, I got another interview invitation with Grant Thornton Kenya. The skills I had learnt as well as the practice during the interview simulations came in handy for my first-ever interviews. Gladly, I passed the Grant Thornton Kenya interview and accepted their job offer. Later on, I also got an offer from BDO East Africa Kenya. Receiving two job offers even before I graduated was an affirmation of great prospects in my career journey.

Appreciation
I recognize the great impact which the academy; Mentors from Swiss Re and BrighterMonday Kenya and Aiducation at large had on my career journey. From learning how to create ‘the perfect' resume to learning interview etiquette and even helping me create a great network. I gained valuable skills from this academy which undoubtedly made my transition from campus to the corporate world quite seamless.

On my own behalf and on behalf of other participants, I’d like to thank Aiducation International Kenya and Swiss RE for organizing such a great academy. Many thanks to our mentors from Swiss RE, BrighterMonday Kenya and Aiducation - special shout out to my personal mentor, Mr Carlo Del Grosso, whose support and guidance I highly appreciate.

To other Aiducation alumni who are yet to experience this academy, you don’t want to miss the next one. It’s an opportunity to learn, network and get inspired. Cheers!

Written by Ruth Muchiri, AiduTalent from Kenya