Shola West is passionate about creating career opportunities for people like her, who feel that university isn't for them, but who aren't quite ready to throw themselves into the world of work.
This prompted her to create a TEDxSquareMile Talk, raising the profile of apprenticeships as a route to a successful career. From hundreds of applicants, she was handpicked to tell her story.
Her inclination to support the next generation of diverse talent led to her founding the Youth Unlocked podcast during the Covid-19 pandemic. Troubled by the postponement of youth community groups, she spotted an alternative means of support. These podcasts feature young talent from many different industries sharing their experiences. More recently, West has been using TikTok to continue spreading the word about careers in media.
Since arriving at OMD just six months ago, West’s impact on the business has been hard to ignore. She has been entrusted to run a £1m partnership for Barclays, working with Channel 4 to encourage the nation to share their financial fears, which she has approached with a calm leadership style and attention to detail. Judges said West was a “self-starter who had made a big impact”.
Take me back to the Media Week 30 Under 30 2022 winners list
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