“Citi is proud to partner with the East London Business Alliance on the EaGLES programme, and have had an excellent experience working with talented young people from east London. Citi has benefited greatly from participating in the programme by both supporting the community in which we live and work, and also finding and supporting great local talent. We’re pleased to help ELBA as they grow the careers of these young people, and are proud to be part of this programme that provides on-going support to participants as they take the next steps in their careers.”

“From day one Aklasur was a popular member of the Personnel team. Aklasur was given exposure to all aspects of our Personnel function and in time he developed his own job role, gaining in-depth experience of both local recruitment and local college/university liaison. The entire team has benefited from having a local and enthusiastic graduate as their immediate colleague and we have all enjoyed seeing Aklasur laying the foundations for a successful career. As a company, we have benefited from Aklasur's ideas and he has strengthened our links with various areas of the local community. In addition, Aklasur has become a role model for other local students who wish to pursue careers in the City and Canary Wharf.”

“Taking part in the EaGLES programme has given me a chance to work for a successful corporate firm. Being a young Bengali female I have broken a tradition of women not working independently, and I am making a success of my life. Thanks to the programme, I have become a representative of my community and can now act as a role model for young Bengali girls. I am proud to be able to play my part in raising the aspirations of many young people in Tower Hamlets and in breaking the unemployment barrier that sadly exists.”

“The EaGLES programme provides a unique blend of training and experience in order to develop a balanced and rounded graduate. The training equipped me with the vital skills required during my work placement at Citi. We received training in project management at Ashridge Business School and during my first week at Citi I had to apply all that I learnt in managing a grant portfolio. At Citi I’ve had the opportunity to work on a number of projects and they have given me exactly what I asked for- a challenging yet stimulating experience. I’ve only been an EaGLE for just over ten months yet I can already feel the difference the programme has made in my professional development.”

“What makes the ELBA graduate programme stand out from any other is that it understands the needs of unemployed graduates. A year on from the programme I am still at Thomson Reuters and have now moved into a more senior role working across the entire business in Strategic Talent as an Associate. The excellent success rate of 97% of graduates securing employment at the end of the scheme speaks for itself - I am proud to be an ambassador of such an innovative programme.”