Image: Jason speaking at the Young Hackney, Inspiring Young Men event

The Parity project seeks to improve the employability and employment outcomes of Young Black Men aged 18-30 and living in London, by building professional connections via networking and mentoring, facilitating employability workshops with industry professionals, and providing access to sustainable, professional job opportunities.

At ELBA we believe that positive role models and mentoring can have a profound effect on young people – particularly in relation to navigating career paths when you are not well-represented in certain industries. Our Parity Project Manager, Eni Timi-Biu, has been recruiting some inspirational figures to volunteer their time and ensure that the young men that we are working with get the best possible experience.

One of the volunteers who has come forward to offer his time is Jason Knight, Assistant General Manager at Westfield Stratford City. Jason volunteered with ELBA in October 2017 at an Inspiring Young Men event run by Young Hackney. His speech was exceptional and we were blown away by his story. We caught up with Jason to find out more about his journey and why he chooses to volunteer his time to support the next generation of East Londoners.

Hi Jason, tell us a little bit about your professional journey
I started off working on the weekends as a fish monger whilst doing my A Levels. I did not get the results that I wanted so, after finishing studying, I moved to London and began work as a Christmas temp at a high street retailer.

I have always been willing to work hard (graft), so after the Christmas period I was kept on and asked to lead a very small team of people. During my time at the company, the team grew and I became a department manager, seeing growth in my areas of responsibility and experience.

After two years, I left the company and went to work for one of the top 3 super market chains. This change in retail sector led to the best training I received in any job to date. It taught me how to manage a business including; leadership, relationships, costs and investment in people. This training has remained as my go to over the years.

I stayed within retail for over 11 years, working at some of the largest high-street Food and Fashion companies, reaching store management level, before leaving the industry and heading over to aviation.

I worked at the UK’s biggest and busiest airport for nearly 7 years, firstly running a terminal with a group of colleagues, before eventually becoming Head of Security Operations. This role exposed me to a wealth of different experiences and opportunities, from; closing a terminal, leading a voluntary severance programme, managing pay talks with the Trade Union and working closely with the Board of Directors.

My professional journey and personal experiences prepared me for my role with Westfield.

What do you enjoy most about your current role at Westfield?
The fluid and agile nature of such a large organisation. Most large businesses become overly structured with too much “red tape”. At Westfield you get involved in everything and have the opportunity to influence both the asset and business direction.

No day is the same and complacency will not be tolerated. Westfield drives for innovation, not only in the mall, but how we operate daily. It is key to rethink what we do and why we do it, especially if there is an opportunity to improve.

If you could travel back in time then what advice would you give your younger self?
Focus! Think about tomorrow, not just today. When I was at school I wouldn’t think past the end of the week. I now have a completely different mind-set and often think…if only I was then who I am now, where would I be today?

Why is volunteering in the east London community important to Westfield Stratford City?
Westfield is big on community, and supporting the neighbouring boroughs. There is an expectation that all employees engage with the community, bringing our skills to whatever we feel confident in.

You have volunteered with ELBA in the past and have recently signed up to volunteer with our Parity project. Why did you chose to volunteer and what have you gained from it?
For me volunteering is a personal choice. It’s about giving back, leadership, but most importantly stepping stones. Growing up in the UK I didn’t see many young black men representing large corporations at a senior level. I believe it is my role to show what can be done, to inspire and support people to achieve more than I have to date.

We are currently recruiting volunteers to help us in a capacity that is best suited to their skills, whether that is to mentor an individual on a regular basis, support events as a speaker, ad hoc job applications and assessment coaching support, provide work experience opportunities etc.

If you are interested in joining the Parity project as a mentor or would like to know more about what it entails, please get in touch with Parity Project Manager, Eni on: eni.timi-biu@elba-1.org.uk.