10,000 Black Interns Cross Interview - Madjara Bakayoko

This summer, we ran our first work experience programme as part of the 10,000 Black Interns scheme. Our interns were partnered with two Derwent London employees to create a collaborative working and learning environment – one as a supportive buddy and the second for the intern to offer reverse mentorship to. We got each trio to ask each other about what they’d discovered…

First up, let’s find out more about the experience of Nottingham Trent University graduate, Madjara Bakayoko.

I am originally from Cote D’Ivoire and have just completed my degree in Civil Engineering at Nottingham Trent University. I have always been interested in property development, particularly the construction sector, and came across this opportunity with 10,000 Black Interns and felt it would help me understand more about other departments in a property development business. 

Madjara to reverse-mentee, Tory Steventon – Head of Property Management:

Madjara: What was your highlight of being mentored by a trainee student?

Tory: It was refreshing and enlightening to learn a different viewpoint and understand what is important to other generations. I learnt the most important factor is giving time and the importance of understanding cultural differences. I have taken a huge amount away from the sessions and will be factoring in what I have learnt in the day-to-day management of my team.

Madjara: What advice would you give me for my future career?

Tory: Be brave - sometimes you have to take risks to progress, never settle. Make sure you love what you do - work takes up a huge part of life so you must enjoy it to thrive. For me, family should always be first - never sacrifice family for the job. Have a voice and be heard - don’t speak for the sake of speaking, but your opinion matters and you should never be afraid to express it. People won’t always agree with your point of view, but they will benefit from the broader perspective. It’s ok to make mistakes - that’s how we learn - but you have to own your mistakes and not hide from them. Have a plan, make your objectives known to your manager and work out how you will get to your goal - request regular feedback to challenge yourself to improve. Finally ask questions - lots of them! Nobody ever knows everything, and we learn from asking and understanding others' experiences.

"Make sure you love what you do - work takes up a huge part of life so you must enjoy it to thrive." - Tory

Tory to Madjara:

Tory: What do you feel you have learnt from your mentoring sessions?

Madjara: Throughout my sessions with Tory, I have learnt the importance of communication between trainee and senior staff to help progress within a company. The reverse mentoring also made me understand the generation gap between us and our life expectations.

Tory: What surprised you about working with Derwent London? 

Madjara: How diverse the company is and how welcoming all the staff were. Before starting my internship, I did not have any expectations of how my time would be, but I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was for me to communicate with the teams from different departments. Overall, I really enjoyed my experience and it would be a pleasure to return back in future.

"I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was for me to communicate with the teams from different departments." - Madjara

Madjara to buddy, Katie Champain – Property Marketing Manager:

Madjara: What growth did you see in me throughout my six weeks at Derwent London?

Katie: I felt your confidence grow considerably, both socially with the team around the office and in yourself. You became more self-assured about your career goals and the next steps following this internship.

Madjara: What are your key takeaways from being a buddy?

Katie: I’ve really enjoyed getting to know Madjara over the last six weeks and supporting her through her internship. I feel we made a nice friendship. It’s a very rewarding feeling to think you have made a difference to someone’s experience, which I hope I have done for Madjara.

"It’s a very rewarding feeling to think you have made a difference to someone’s experience, which I hope I have done for Madjara." - Katie

Katie to Madjara:

Katie: How will you use this opportunity to progress your career in project management? What are your next steps?

Madjara: This opportunity gave me a clearer understanding of the project management role within a development company, and the ins and outs of becoming a good project manager in the future. Having Matt Massey explain his day-to-day life at Derwent London gave me an insight into what a typical week looks like as a project manager.

Katie: Throughout the programme you’ve had the chance to work in different departments within the company. Was there a department which particularly excited you?

Madjara: Development was the department I was particularly excited to join due to my university background and general interest, however sitting down with the investment team made me understand the foundation of buying a property and how the company can make a profit from it, and I found that very interesting.