For International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, Siobhan McIntosh, Senior Project Manager at ELBA, tells us which modern-day woman she admires and why.

What is your role and what does it involve?
I work as a Senior Project Manager at ELBA within the Employment team. My role focuses on supporting candidates, particularly young people, to upskill and apply for graduate roles, internships and other career opportunities. I develop and manage employability-led training programmes that help individuals build confidence, raise their aspirations and progress towards their chosen early career pathways.

I also manage a programme called RISE, delivered in partnership with Standard Chartered. This initiative provides candidates with mentoring and career insights into sectors such as Financial Markets, Analysis and CSR. Most recently, I’ve been working closely with 40 Leadenhall and occupiers to offer candidates one-to-one CV reviews, mock interviews and access to job opportunities.

Three words to describe yourself
Visionary, Dedicated and Passionate.

How do you mentor or support other women in the workplace?
By building positive relationships, listening and offering encouragement whenever I can, as well as signposting them to relevant opportunities or support. I believe it’s important that women feel heard, supported and confident to share their ideas and experiences. Sometimes, simply creating a space where someone feels valued can make a real difference in helping them grow in confidence, whether that’s in their role, delivering a project or in their overall career development.

What advice would you give to women entering the industry?
Be open to continuous learning, try new things within your role where possible and don’t be afraid to be your authentic self. If you see someone whose role or career inspires you, don’t be afraid to reach out, ask questions and see if they would be willing to mentor you or share their career journey. Many people are happy to help, you just have to ask.

Try not to be too hard on yourself if you make a mistake or don’t know something straight away. Everyone makes mistakes and it doesn’t mean your not capable of doing the job, it’s all part of learning and growing.

Which historical or modern-day woman do you admire the most, and why?
Maya Angelou. I admire her resilience, wisdom and the powerful way she used her voice and writing to inspire others and speak about identity, equality and strength.

Tell us one thing people may not know about you
I’m afraid of fast rides. You won’t find me anywhere near a rollercoaster, I’ll be on the ground holding the coats.

Name your favourite place in east London and why
Shoreditch. I love its creative vibe, from the street art and independent galleries to the unique shops. There are so many great places to eat, including the famous Brick Lane market.

Complete this sentence: “The absolute best thing about volunteering is…”
…the opportunity to give back and support others while contributing to something meaningful. Volunteering can make a real difference to the people you support and it’s also incredibly rewarding on a personal level.

What is the best thing about working for ELBA?
Seeing the tangible, positive impact our work has on individuals and the local community in east London; whether that be tidying up a local park, raising student’s aspirations or helping individuals with employment. Through our programmes and partnerships, we help people build skills and access new opportunities. Being part of a charity committed to social mobility and creating lasting change is incredibly rewarding.