Pinky Lilani welcomed guests to the WOTF Ambassadors Reception on 16th March 2015. More than a hundred mentors and a hundred female sixth form students from schools across the UK gathered at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) in London for a seminar and networking opportunity. Sir Simon Fraser, Permanent Under Secretary and Head of the Diplomatic Service at the FCO welcomed the Women of the Future (WOTF) programme participants and ambassadors saying, “many of you will have the perception that the Foreign Office is a traditional, male-dominated establishment and you’re probably right. But we’re working hard to change that”.
He spoke about the 43% representation of women among FCO employees before adding that only 28% of women were in senior management levels and 20% were UK Ambassadors adding, “this is better than it was, but we recognise that we have much more to do in becoming the open, modern organisation that is able to engage with its diverse audiences”. Key speaker at the event was Farah Pandith, Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations who advised the girls that “if you’re authentic and true to yourself and your principles, the world will unfold in amazing way.”
Students were able to network and discuss career opportunities with mentor ambassadors in the specialist areas of Arts, Design & Culture; Banking & Finance; Business, Entrepreneurship; Charity & Public Sector; HR & Recruitment; Law; Media, Marketing & Advertising; Medicine, Science & Engineering, Digital & Technology and Real Estate and construction.
The annual reception serves as a mini “careers fair” for the students, connecting 100 successful women with 100 students from 25 schools. It provides a valuable forum for networking, where the ambassadors can impart career advice and help nurture the potential of ambitious students. During the event students are given the opportunity to meet and network with many of the women that the founders meet through their awards initiatives and programmes. Many of the women go on to become WOF Mentors, taking part in school visits, talking in assemblies, taking part in conferences organised for students or in mentorship programmes and attending careers fairs.
For further information about the Women of The Future Ambassadors Programme visit http://ambassadors.womenofthefuture.co.uk