“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.”

“ELBA's graduate programme addresses local unemployed graduates in a unique and insightful way. It delivers to both parties, to the graduates who are presented with an opportunity to develop their skills and for the corporates who benefit greatly from their local knowledge and understanding. The passion, time and energy spent by ELBA on each of the graduates, ensures that they all realise their potential and get the most from their time with the companies, the time can fly by but the high level of detail provided ensures the graduates are supported throughout their journey at every stage.”

“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.”

“So why ELBA? It was the vision of being ambassadors for your community, being role models, the message that my knowledge was unique local knowledge that would help bridge gaps between the community and organisations. The comprehensive range of training provided such as the National Theatre training, Pitman’s Business English and Project Management training has helped me develop key skills and confidence to be where I am now. Even the finer aspects of office etiquettes; being on time and dressed smartly has given me the capabilities to succeed in any organisation. It is a group of people, well networked and well-resourced who are dedicated and passionate to help get local people their first steps into the world of work. It was the best decision I made after I graduated.”

“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.”