Understanding the future: What switched on, diverse talent want and what they bring
In this article, we interview Akshay Parmer, currently studying data science and machine learning MSc @ UCL and is about to enter UK PLC. Akshay is a former participant of Success for Life, a diversity talent programme from Arrival Education.
Here’s a video from Akshay fundraising for Macmillan Cancer Support a really important charity to him, as you’ll find out later.
Please tell us about yourself and some of the key influences and experiences that shaped you, your thinking and your life to date?
From 14 through to 18 my drive came from wanting to do well for my parents. My dad was a security guard and my mum was a teaching assistant. We weren’t a wealthy family, my parents worked very hard to give us a better life.
I guess I wanted to give back to them as well as showing my siblings what could be done.
I was determined to be successful. My solution was to do well in school.
Kingsford, Newham was the sort of place you survived, what I mean is, even the smart kids joined gangs. It was very challenging to navigate for a lot of young people.
However, I had a love of maths to keep me focused and away from trouble.
I knew I wanted to pursue a career in mathematics pretty early on. Quite frankly, it was the only thing I understood. I continued to study mathematics at the London Academy of Excellence. However, when I got to University, I quickly understood that the world was bigger than Newham.
April 2017, my dad passed away from Cancer.
My whole life changed.
My degree took on a deeper meaning with his death. Life isn’t easy. You can’t just Google “internal pain and how to heal it”. In order to get through it, I gave myself fully to academic studies. However, I had to defer a year to contribute to the household funds, as well as find some sort of mental stability.
I worked as a security guard but I’d take books to keep learning. I doubled down on my studies, especially after my grandad died later that year.
In the end, I achieved my first-class honours at King’s College, London in Mathematics. I dedicated it to my dad. I found peace as I promised my dad I would get the degree.
When I got my results, through tears of happiness I said: “I did it, dad, I did it!”
But as soon as I finished my degree, I collapsed. I was shattered.
I took some time off. Luckily, after a little while, I brushed myself down and started to think about what next.
I reached out to Emily Shenton, Co-Founder of Arrival Education. She really helped. I knew maths, and some coding, so she connected me to Alex Davies, lead Robotics, RBC. Alex helped me understand that I wanted to be a quantitative analyst and helped me find some career clarity. Alex is an amazing mentor. I became a junior quant at TD securities over the summer of 2020, working in an incredible team and under the leadership of Darryl Copsey, whom I’ve learned so much.
Tell us your academic journey to date?
Kingsford GCSE, London Academy for A-Levels, Kings College for BSc, I am now at UCL studying data science and machine learning — joint MSc.
Which programmes did you do with Arrival Education? And which companies have you worked with as a result?
Being on AE’s Success for Life 4-year development programme meant I engaged with Coutts, Skanska, GSK, Artemis, Investec, TD Securities and RBC. Over the years, I have been mentored and guided by some incredible people; including the likes of — David Throssell, Skanska; Matt Littlejohn, GSK; Charlie Hall, Coutts; Alex Davies, RBC; and Darryl Copsey, TD Securities. I am indebted to them all and to AE for brokering those relationships.
What value did Arrival Education bring you?
I got to connect with industry leaders and top businesses. I got to question things and learn more.
Without AE, none of that would have happened. Their engagement taught me how to be a better human being, how to be professional. They helped me set higher expectations and clear directions for a successful career. They did that for me and many people like me. I wouldn’t have been where I am today without Arrival.
When it comes to the Diversity Dividend — Why do businesses need to change right now and how do they need to change?
Businesses need to change by attracting different sorts of talent. By changing your people, particularly your leaders, you can change the business.
The challenge for businesses is they need to change their culture in order to attract and unlock the talent in different sorts of people. Processes for recruitment and leadership recognition potential are too narrowly defined currently. Potential employees can be too quickly judged. They should look at people’s growth potential, which could be measured not only in finding a competent person for the job but also assessing someone’s character and their drive to learn.
Businesses clearly need different answers which require different sorts of people who bring different ideas and outcomes. After all, insanity is doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results. Yet, organisations keep on recruiting the same sort people, with the same sort of processes, who think the same way. It seems pretty stuck.
What do you and your peers bring to businesses that they can’t get elsewhere?
Drive. You can’t buy drive. Anyone can work hard but not everyone has drive.
People from my background have already overcome so much and dealt with many challenges. You get switched on earlier, as you are desperate to change your life outlook for yourself and your family.
I’ve observed so many talented young people from similar backgrounds to mine do the necessary work, get over the obstacles, drive through; whereas, some of the better off students don’t seem to have the same level of drive, get distracted easier and aren’t so committed to go that extra yard.
What are you looking for from a future employer?
What I look for is an environment where it is OK to learn. I shouldn’t feel nervous asking questions of senior management. I don’t ever want to feel unsure, unsafe or scared by a culture. I know that still happens in some places. I am very thankful it has not happened to me as of yet, but I know many people who do feel nervous to ask questions of their seniors, and that’s no culture to work in.
People need to remember that when you arrive in a new organisation there feels like a gap between you and other people, you feel that you are on your own. If the culture isn’t healthy, that relatable gap will just get bigger.
You need to have a culture for development and improvement. People’s potential will never be met if a person is afraid.
What might firms do to attract someone like you?
There needs to be interesting work. I want to be involved in interesting projects. Additionally, I don’t want to be in a toxic environment, I am looking for good and honest work. I think people should have integrity. If a company I worked for didn’t have integrity too, I would leave. The work should be making a difference in your respective fields.
Work should build things up not break things down.
Why is inclusive leadership important to you?
Leaders have to support their team, their people. It’s not about them or their success but about their ability to support their team and others — its a trickle-down effect. Through collective success, you will always achieve more. If the team feels nurtured by their leader they will want to do better. You will get the extra mile. A team led by an inclusive leader will always outperform a toxic, self-interested, bad leader.
