Volunteering: giving back to the community and nurturing curiosity
For Boby, a Cloud Transformation Manager working in the Advisory Consulting Division at KPMG UK, volunteering is more than what it says on the tin. In his working life, he is involved in helping organisations find solutions and improve their cloud environment and technology systems. Outside of these commitments, he is passionate about giving back and helping young people to foster the curiosity and passion they need to succeed.
Boby enjoys volunteering on our KPMG Opening Doors to Opportunities programme – but for him, it’s not just about a sense of self-satisfaction. It’s about giving back to the community and being part of something bigger – which is particularly important at the point where young people start thinking about their futures.
With a strong company volunteering culture at KPMG, getting stuck in was just the beginning. Boby believes that workplace duties extend beyond your day to day tasks, and that doing your part to help the next generation of young people is key.
We have a bigger role to play than just doing our daily activities.
Boby has primarily supported the In-office sessions of our Opening Doors to Opportunities programme, supporting students throughout a range of activities. He has been encouraged to see the impacts of his efforts and believes that making young people feel welcome and like they belong in a professional environment is critical.
We help students to feel comfortable in the workplace.
Not only that, but the presence of volunteers gives young people the chance to ask questions they might otherwise feel hesitant about. Careers workshops offer a fantastic opportunity to dispel myths about the workplace and allow young people to see what an office environment is actually like. Drawing back the curtains and allowing access to the world of work is crucial to broadening horizons – you can’t be what you can’t see.
At KPMG, young people are recruited not just for their skills and aptitude, but for showing enthusiasm and proactivity. Boby highlighted that in the professional services industry, being open to continuous learning is also important, on top of having strong communication and teamwork skills. In an ever-changing workplace and digital sphere, resilience and adaptability take centre stage.
The Opening Doors programme engages young people with conversations on AI and technology, which can be the start of something much bigger. Having a passion for learning is a big part of working in the professional services industry:
In consulting, we need to be curious and ask questions. We should be interested in learning new things.
Professional services is about understanding the world and solving challenging problems – often involving learning many new things in a short period of time. Careers programmes that spark ambition and unlock opportunity for young people can be just the introduction they may need.
Boby has seen students grow significantly in confidence, leaving workshops with newfound skills and feeling comfortable in the professional environment. Becoming familiar with the once unfamiliar enables young people to believe that they, too, can work in these industries.
For KPMG volunteers, nothing compares to the motivation and pride they feel after spending time supporting their community. Volunteering is a core part of their company’s values, and it doesn’t end there.
Boby has felt his skills grow as a result of coordinating young people, particularly leadership and communication. The workshops also offer the chance to build professional connections with employees from across different departments, who can connect based on shared values and experiences.
Volunteering is a very rewarding experience. It’s something everyone should try.
He encourages anyone considering volunteering to make the most of the opportunity, to help young people and to experience the personal benefits it can offer.
Volunteering helps young people to access opportunities and build the skills, confidence and networks to be able to make informed decisions about their futures. If you’d like to volunteer on one of our programmes, please get in touch.
Read our Volunteering for Impact report to find out more.