Hillary Boye Doku from Woodhouse College in North London earned a spot at the Financial Times News School – an experience that transformed her career trajectory. Find out how that experience and the Career Ready programme have empowered her to pursue a career in journalism.
“I’d always dreamed of being an editor, but was almost certain I wouldn’t find any opportunities.”
Journalism is the second most socially exclusive profession in the UK, with 80% of reporters, journalists, and editors coming from privileged backgrounds. For Hillary, that fact meant she never imagined it would be possible for her to work in the media industry.
But her experience on the Career Ready programme changed that. Hillary received invaluable support from her mentor, Silvia, and through a place at the Financial Times News School, had the opportunity to get a look into a real newsroom.
First-hand experience in the media world
Whilst working at the Financial Times as part of News School, Hilary attended 8 workshops, several training sessions, and had the opportunity to shadow editors on her team.
“I felt so excited to work at such a well-known media publication and have been able to make fantastic personal and professional connections in the industry. I was able to utilise the session on working in editorial to plan how I want to approach my career, taking the advice of the hosts as inspiration for my next steps.”
This experience gave her the knowledge and experience she needed to go from feeling like she had no chance of working in media to planning her next steps towards her dream career in journalism.
Experiencing ‘pinch me’ moments
And it wasn’t just professional development she got out of her internship – she also got the chance to see her name in an internationally-recognised publication.
“Having my name published in the FT newspaper was surreal and an incredible ‘pinch me’ moment. It’s crazy to think that just over a year ago, I never would have believed that I’d find work experience in the media industry. Career Ready not only provided me with the tools to take on the Financial Times News School, but also feel supported by a network of professionals – despite not being a ‘cookie cutter’ corporate.”
“The programme has had an immeasurable impact on my confidence, resilience and cultural capital, particularly when engaging in the workplace.”
Looking ahead with hope
An avid writer, Hillary has used the skills she learned on the Career Ready programme to also develop her personal projects, with the support of her Financial Times News School mentor, Allan Jenkins.
“He’s been super supportive and accommodating to my questions and concerns as I work on building my own blog over the next months.”
Ready to start studying Politics, Philosophy and Economics at The University of Warwick in September, Hillary hopes to pay her experiences forward to other young people in the future.
“Career Ready has inspired me to aim higher, and one day, I hope to be on the other end of the programme; mentoring young students who need a step up.”
Make a real difference to a student like Hillary by getting involved today – together we can help young people achieve a rewarding future.
