Mashood joined The Brokerage when he was in 6th form after someone at his school let him know about the opportunity. Now in his final year at university, he has taken part in various workshops and masterclasses including CV writing workshops, an introduction to Cyber Insurance, and a ‘Working in the City’ insight session.
“My school didn’t really talk about careers or internships much and I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. The Brokerage helped to narrow down my options.”
In 2021 Mashhood took part in a mentoring scheme The Brokerage ran in partnership with CFC Insurance, where he was matched with mentor Sumit. Sumit had also been a Brokerage candidate back in 2012. Now an insurance professional, he was volunteering as a mentor to give back to the programme.
“I found it rewarding to be able to relay the knowledge I have learnt over the years to Mashhood.” – Sumit P, mentor and Brokerage Alumni.
Mashood says “The mentoring programme with Sumit was really helpful, getting insight from a professional. We both have similar interests, we even support the same football team! Having this sort of mentoring support can do a lot of things for your future development.”
Mashood was able to use the skills and knowledge he developed with Sumit when applying for internships. He was successful, completing an internship with insurance company Markel International, which he found very rewarding.
“When I was young I never thought about insurance as a career. My mentor Sumit made it seem like a pretty enjoyable job but I didn’t know much about it. Now, I’ve done the internship, it’s something I would definitely consider. My internship was in risk management. It was really interesting and I’d really like to look into that more.”
One of the most important things The Brokerage has helped Mashhood with is building his networks. His parents did not go to university and don’t have corporate jobs. The Brokerage helped him meet people who did and helped him develop his confidence.
“These programmes give you much more confidence. If I was applying for jobs without any internships or mentorship it would be much more daunting.”
Mashhood is currently starting his final year at uni and looking forward to starting his professional career in 2024
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