1. finance
2. grants, scholarships and financial aid
3. scholarships

CONTENTS
1
What is WorKingOptions?
2
Information for Tutors
3
Information for Supporters
4 - 10
WorkingOptions Student Area
11
The people behind WorKingOptions
12
Getting in touch with WorKingOptions
1
What is WorKingOptions?
Our young people are Britain's future. Many young people
are unsure what is possible in life and will benefit from
help and support. WorKingOptions (part of The
MonKeyBusiness Foundation) focuses on State School, VI
form students who demonstrate real potential and want
to help themselves. With our support they can deliver
demonstrable success in their educational and career
achievements. This in turn will create a virtuous cycle of
potential, development and productivity that can make a
positive contribution to individuals and our country.
The WorKingOptions programme provides:
Motivation and Information sessions:
• Coordinated by volunteer supporters, these services to students
will give examples of typical educational and career experiences
as well as simple tips and advice.
The WorKingOptions principles for success are:
• Work/Life Balance
• Hard work
• Networking
• Persistence
• Positive Thinking
Website services:
• Information on further education and careers
• Links to helpful external advice
• WorKingOptions sponsors and supporters own career advice and
job opportunities
• Questions and Answers facility
Annual Scholarships for talented students:
• Each year a selection process will be run in every town supporting
the WorKingOptions Programme to identify and award one
outstanding individual VI former. Students will be asked to prepare
and present a paper on a topic from the Grocery Industry. The
Judging panel will include tutors, WorKingOptions associates, and
someone from the Careers Academy. The winning student will be
sponsored through work experience and University.
General Bursary support for university applications and
selection:
• Each school/college running the WorKing Options Programme will
be allocated an annual allowance to provide financial support to
deserving students who otherwise would find it difficult to apply
to University and attend interviews.
Visit us at: www.workingoptions.co.uk
A few words from Paul Monk
(Founder WorKingOptions)
“I remember so vividly as an 18 year old not having much idea
of what was possible to achieve in life and have long wanted to
help raise the ceiling of expectation for today's teenagers who
find themselves in a similar situation. My parents were very
supportive and encouraged me to do well at school but at that
time no-one in our family had been to university.
Today the prospect of a perceived financial burden can
decrease students and their families' desire for them to pursue
a university education. Even before they have to decide
between work or university many students arrive at VI Form
with GCSE results that are below average and more
importantly, behind what they are capable of. It is not too late
where this is the case. I want to help as many VI Form students
as we are able to realise what is possible in life and work hard
to achieve better educational results and successful careers.
I have worked all my career in consumer products, mostly in
The Grocery Trade and can wholeheartedly recommend it as an
extremely varied and interesting sector to work in. As the
biggest employer in The UK it offers a very broad range of
careers and roles, recruits from a wide cross section of the
community and is well recognised for promoting talent on
merit.
Several people have been instrumental in making
WorkingOptions a reality and I would like to recognise their
contributions below:
Sufian Sadiq for answering my email in the first place and
inspiring and organising the first WorkingOptions Scholarship.
Reeon Wiltshire student, for asking the first four questions at
the initial speech and co-inspiring the Scholarship Programme.
Lauren Monk niece, for getting a First in her Law Degree, her
invaluable perspective as a recent student, her great work on
the website and for her presentations to the students.
Steve Hardy business partner, for working tirelessly in the
background setting up my charity foundation.
Fiona Mack business partner, for her belief and developing and
running the Scholarship Programme.
John Freer DHL Director and Careers Academy, for facilitating
such a smooth partnership with the Careers Academy.
2
Website services:
This poem was written by a Luton Sixth Form College
Student Reeon Wiltshire, who was a finalist for the first
WorKingOptions Scholarship and inspired the idea of a
Scholarship in the first place:
“We all live and breathe the same air
So why is it that certain lives are unfair
Kids from estates with outstanding IQ's
With significant talent that never gets used
Life is a journey, some say a quest
To reach your objective requires your best
Money, success, following fashion
Can all be ignored as these are bi products of passion
Without my passion and drive correlation
I wouldn't be standing here in front of you giving this
presentation
The will to progress is instilled in me
To constantly learn and be the best I can be
So why do I deserve this I hear you ask
The truth is we all deserve this that's why we were given the
task
If unsuccessful I will have a positive reflection
Of being given the opportunity for the initial selection”
By Reeon Wiltshire
• Information on further education and careers
• Links to helpful external advice
• WorKingOptions sponsors and supporters own career advice and
job opportunities
• Questions and Answers facility
Annual Scholarships for talented students:
• Each year a selection process will be run in every town supporting
the WorKingOptions Programme to identify and award one
outstanding individual VI former. Students will be asked to prepare
and present a paper on a topic from the Grocery Industry. The
Judging panel will include tutors, WorKingOptions associates, and
someone from the Careers Academy. The winning student will be
sponsored through work experience and University.
General Bursary support for university applications and
selection:
• Each school/college running the WorKing Options Programme will
be allocated an annual allowance to provide financial support to
deserving students who otherwise would find it difficult to apply
to University and attend interviews.
How can you get involved?
You will be a head of department, or a leading tutor within the
VI form faculty.
There are several ways to get involved... and it is entirely up to
you!
• Use this WorKingOptions website: www.workingoptions.co.uk
Information for Tutors
• You can contact us to register your interest for direct support and
we will actively seek Volunteers to assist you.
What WorKingOptions means for your school
• You can be pro-active with local businesses and get them
involved and signed up for the programme.
WorKingOptions provides your school with a unique
opportunity to supplement your teaching schedules and
careers forum with input and support from Grocery industry
manufacturers and retailers. The programme is highly flexible
and can be integrated into your current educational system.
Your students will benefit from exposure to helpful advice and by
having an opportunity to demonstrate their potential by being
selected for a range of support programmes:
• You can request Guru Lecturers to deliver lectures to students.
• Arrange workplace visits to see how companies function.
• Support by identifying internships for outstanding students.
Broader Aims Of WorKingOptions
• Accelerate learning process
• Improve work rate and application of students
Motivation and Information sessions:
• Raise standard of learning for all
• Coordinated by volunteer supporters, these services to students
will give examples of typical educational and career experiences
as well as simple tips and advice.
• Improve A level results and Degree grades
The WorKingOptions principles for success are:
• Offer broader student bursary support to help with University
applications and accelerated learning needs
• Work/Life Balance
• Hard work
• Networking
• Persistence
• Positive Thinking
Visit us at: www.workingoptions.co.uk
• Enhance productivity in VI forms and ultimately the workplace
• Identify and support the most talented students
• Use WorKingOptions scholars to positively influence educational
performance of peer group
• Encourage and support the process of social mobility
3
Information for Supporters
How you can actively support the success of
WorKingOptions by getting involved as:
Volunteers
We are delighted that you are considering becoming involved in
the programme as a volunteer. Our Volunteers contribute
hugely to the success of the programme and without them
WorKingOptions would not be as effective as it is. It is also a
tremendously satisfying role - in our experience you will get as
much out of this as the students.
As a Volunteer, you are able to add immense value to
student insights by helping with a variety support
services:
• Motivation and Information sessions
• Helping to organise and select Annual Scholarships for
talented students that include work experience and support
through university.
• Directing students to website services containing
comprehensive information and links to other sites as well
as a Q+A facility for students.
The first step is to contact your old school and discuss
WorKingOptions with the Principal or Headmaster.
All you have to do is pledge your donation by writing to
[email protected] and letting us know how much you
would like to donate per month or year.
Individual Sponsors
We are delighted that you are considering becoming involved in
the programme as a sponsor. Our Sponsors contribute hugely
to the success of the WorKingOptions programme.
Your first step is to contact WorKingOptions to discuss the levels of
support and how involved you wish to be in the implementation of
the programme. Sponsors will also have the opportunity to post
links for career advice and job details for students.
As a Sponsor, you are able to add immense value by:
• Providing sponsorships, bursaries and work experience to
selected students that will enable them to realise their full
potential.
• In addition, you and your organisation may wish to get more
involved and supply Volunteers to aid with programme
implementation
• Fund-raising and provision of general bursary support for
university applications and selection.
The first step is to contact your old school and discuss
WorKingOptions with the Principal or Headmaster.
If there is a mutual interest please contact us to discuss how you
plan to support the school and the WorKingOptions programme at:
[email protected]
Your personal connection with the school is very important in
helping students relate to the message of what is possible. Many
towns have multiple feeder schools to one VI form college, if this is
the case, your role as a Lead volunteer is much simpler to
accomplish.
Another recommendation that works well is to complement the
programme with someone who attended the VI form more recently
and has already achieved success in their education and career
(Tutors can help to identify such candidates).
Individual Donors
We are delighted that you are considering becoming involved in
the programme as an individual Donor. Our Donors contribute
hugely to the success of the programme and we appreciate
your interest and support. If you wish you can be listed on the
website as a Supporter of the WorKingOptions programme.
As a Donor, you are able to add immense value by:
• Donating much needed funds to help with the running of
WorKingOptions programmes.
• Provide support for the Bursary programme.
Visit us at: www.workingoptions.co.uk
Please contact us today with a short message and your contact
details to have a more in-depth discussion at:
[email protected]
Businesses
We are delighted that you are considering becoming involved in
the programme as a business.
Businesses that support WorKingOptions, contribute hugely to the
success of the programme through providing work experience for
selected students.
As a Business, you are able to add immense value by:
• Providing an appropriate environment within which selected
students can gain much needed work experience.
• Provide important workplace opportunities for school leavers
and or graduates of the programme.
• Donating much needed funds to help with the running of the
programme.
Your first step is to contact WorKingOptions to discuss the level of
the support you wish to make and how involved you wish to be in
the implementation of the programme.
Please contact us today with a short message and your contact
details to have a more in-depth discussion at:
[email protected]
4
What is Working Options?
Working Options is a non-profit organisation set up that aims to help
young people of all abilities and backgrounds to succeed in their
careers after education, whether that be school, college or university.
career in the Food and Drinks industry and is an expert in his chosen field,
The idea is that students can contact us at Working Options and ask for
advice and help on making choices and ask successful and experienced
people about their careers to date and any suggestions they may have.
Management Training Scheme with Marks & Spencer’s. He then went on to
We understand the difficulties faced by young people from all groups, but in
particular we have a passion for making sure talented youngsters from
State Schools who may not have access to as many contacts or the
financial means for further education are noticed and given a chance.
working with some of the best in the industry.
Paul started his journey after leaving Luton Sixth Form to join a three year
work for Mars starting as a sales executive and spent 18 successful years
with the company before joining Golden Wonder for seven years.
Paul has developed a very impressive portfolio as a consultant working with
the best in the FMCG industry and still continues to do so.
I am Paul’s niece Lauren Monk and also went to Luton Sixth Form College
before studying Law at the University of Hertfordshire. I graduated with 1st
How Was Working Options Started
Working Options was born after my Uncle Paul approached me with the
idea of us both going back to the local Sixth Form College that we both
attended to give a talk to the students.
By sharing his journey to date and demonstrating that anything is possible,
together we could help inspire and motivate the students.
It is not just the brightest, most well educated of our society who can be
successful.
I wanted to get involved with the project as having recently graduated
myself I understand the challenges faced by young people. I wanted to help
give younger students an insight into the challenges I faced as a graduate
and what they might want to start doing now to give themselves the best
possible chance after their education.
About Us
Paul Monk was born in Luton and his hometown is still very close to his
heart. Paul left Luton Sixth Form College and has built a very successful
Visit us at: www.workingoptions.co.uk
class honours in 2010 and since leaving University I have worked with The
Walt Disney Company’s in-house legal teams and currently work as a Legal
and Business Affairs Executive for the BBC.
I wanted to get involved with Working Options because I am passionate
about this project and what it is trying to achieve.
Having recently graduated myself, I understand the struggles faced by
young people today and how competitive it is out in the world after
education. I am here to keep our social networking sites going and will be
working behind the scenes to give people the info they want and need!
We thought it would be a good idea to give you an outline of some key
topics that will help you in deciding about University and your future career,
including some other tips and links to some interesting articles, reports and
websites.
Lauren Monk.
So here goes!
5
University…to go or not to go that
is the question?
Parents, families and teachers can have an influence on us and are
You can look for apprenticeships or training schemes and can add to your
important, but ultimately you have to choose which path you want to
skills by studying vocational courses which could help you to gain specialist
take and do what makes you happy.
skills which could lead to you starting your own company.
Going to university obviously gives you a degree which a lot of employers
The main thing to remember is that going to university is a great
do like to see and it demonstrates you are able to dedicate and commit
experience, but it is not for everyone and it is a decision you need to spend
yourself to something for three or four years of hard work.
time thinking seriously about.
It also demonstrates a large number of skills and that you have an interest
in a particular area or career path.
How to write an effective Personal Statement?
When applying to the University of your choice you will need to write a
A degree can also help to ‘fast-track’ your career and means you are able
to apply for graduate schemes which can lead to better paid positions and
COMPELLING Personal Statement. This could make all the difference to your
selection as a potential Undergraduate!
improved career advancement.
A good approach to any written Personal Statement is to really think about
However there are a lot of very successful people who didn’t go to
University, Paul (the Founder of WorKingOptions) is a terrific example of this.
If you choose not to go to University you can always join an organisation
and work your way up. This provides you with invaluable work experience
that employers increasingly want to see.
It also shows that you are not work shy and if you are good in your job,
build good relationships with the right people and show you have potential,
there is nothing to stop you!
Visit us at: www.workingoptions.co.uk
what makes you a great candidate for selection, how you would
demonstrate these attributes and why they are important to the your
application.
Please visit the University page on the WorKingOptions website for
some terrific links to sites that will help you formulate a really
effective Personal Statement.
6
Scholarships for Talented Students
About the Scholarships
All Scholarships will be used by the successful candidate to
supplement their financial and educational needs through University
Finally, they will also be assessed regarding their family circumstances
including financial ability to fund further education.
and work based placements.
About the Bursaries
In terms of the Scholarships offered, these will be allocated to a beneficiary
In addition to the Scholarships offered, another important element of
the Working Options programme will be the Bursaries.
on a periodic basis during which time, should a beneficiary fail to meet
performance targets, they may have their Grant or Scholarship withdrawn.
This will help to ensure stable performance and give the successful
candidates an incentive to keep improving and adapting their skills and
The Trustees and the Sixth Form Colleges will together decide on the
allocation of the Bursaries to the successful beneficiaries. The Bursaries
will in essence help the beneficiaries by providing the following:
abilities.
In order to track and measure on-going performance results, achievement
targets will be set for each beneficiary by the Sixth Form College, University
tutors and the Working Options supporters,. These will be specifically AS
Level grades, A Level grades, annual Degree assessments, module
assessments and overall participation in classes.
The selection process
Potential Student beneficiaries are nominated by Sixth Form College staff
and will be required to undertake a specific assignment designed to enable
them to demonstrate important selection criteria.
Please visit the WorkingOptions website Students Area ‘Scholarships
and Bursaries’ to download the 'WorKingOptions Selection Criteria' PDF.
• Support for families to cover travel and accommodation
costs for University applications and work placement
opportunities
• Equipment to facilitate communications with University
applications
• Accelerated learning for high potential students or
students who have had poor educational results at GCSE
level, who either cannot afford additional tutoring or
who have a family environment not conducive to
educational development
The successful candidate will be awarded the Scholarship based upon a
balanced combination of merit and need. During the selection process the
candidate will be required to prepare and present a presentation on an
assigned topic to a panel, including the Sixth Form College Principal, one or
more Industry sponsors and a Working Options Trustee or Supporter.
Visit us at: www.workingoptions.co.uk
The Sixth Form College staff will administer and measure the effectiveness
of the Bursaries and report back to the Trustees on the successful utilisation
of the Bursary funds.
7
Applying for your first job
It is essential that you are well prepared to begin your career whilst
Ask a friend, tutor or family member to check through to see if they can find
you are completing full-time education. Making the choice of which
any errors. (Do not rely only on SPELLCHECK!)
industry and functional discipline is right for you, is not always
Layout can be important and it is advisable to make your CV no longer than
straightforward and is a personal decision for each individual. You
two pages. Employers don’t have time to read long CV’s and want to see
may have family or friends who have worked in particular industries
your main skills and what you can bring to them. The font should be around
who can give you trusted advice, or you may already have a clear
11 or 12 and Times New Roman, Arial or something similar is preferable.
preference based on your aspirations.
Extra-curricular experiences, work experience and any part-time or
The tips and advice contained below are
relevant for any career path.
summer jobs you have had should go on your CV, no matter how small, as it
all adds to your appeal. Think about the skills you are demonstrating in
these activities such as ability to meet deadlines, team work, initiative,
The Grocery Industry is the largest employer in the UK. More importantly it
creativity, commitment, leadership and having a commercial awareness,
provides huge opportunities for career and personal development across a
and the list goes on! It is important you can show you are a well-rounded
range of trade sectors; retailing, wholesaling, manufacturing food or
person with interests outside of your school and college work. So if you feel
beverages, and across the full breadth of functional disciplines and skills;
you are lacking in this area – it is never too late to change and start
General Management, Marketing, Sales, Finance, Legal, Production, Human
something new!
Relations, Supply Chain, Research and Development, Logistics.
Information overload – keep the information on your CV relevant (less is
If you choose the Grocery Industry you will discover a professional, fast-
more) and highlight your achievements and results rather than purely
moving industry that rewards individuals based upon achievement and
descriptive. So for example if you have worked in a retail environment as a
merit.
sales advisor it would be a good idea to include any details of targets you
How to make Your CV stand out?
have reached or exceeded.
Interesting facts and info about yourself – never underestimate your
Here is some general advice that may help:
own experiences.
This may sound obvious but SPELLING and GRAMMAR are absolutely vital
If you have been travelling for a month around Europe or ran a marathon or
to have any chance of making it through the hundreds of CV’s that
anything that shows you have interests, include it in your CV – employers
employers currently receive. It is one of the easiest ways for them to
love to see that you are an interesting person with a passion and love for
eliminate a candidate from the process so do not let one of them be you!
life!....continues over....
Visit us at: www.workingoptions.co.uk
8
continued....
What are your top Interview Tips?
genuinely interested in the company and you want the job. It is a good idea
to have a couple of sensible questions prepared, such as “what do you like
Here are some general pointers:
most about working here” or “what is a typical day like in this role”. I also
Appearance is so important and dressing smartly and not overdoing it with
find it useful to ask whether there is anything you have said that they would
make-up, jewellery or hair is a good idea. You want to appear presentable
like you to go over again or clear up.
and like you have made a conscious effort.
Research, research, research! This is so important for an interview and
application forms or covering letters. Make sure you do some research into
the company you are interviewing for. A very common question in
interviews is “why do you want to work for us” or “what do you know about
Follow-up – it is always a good idea to follow up after an interview if you
don’t hear back within a week or so. It is fine to just give them a call and
ask if there is an update. If you are unsuccessful always ask for feedback! It
is so useful and very important for your future development and shows you
the areas you need to improve on.
us and our competitors”. A good place to start is the company website if
they have one and then also look for anything in the news about them. If
you know people that work for the company, speak to them and ask them
for advice and if there is anything you should know about. Also look to see if
they are on social networking sites which may give some helpful info.
Prepare and practice some interview answers. Look back through your
experience and skills you have gained to date and think about how you
meet the skills required for the job and company. Get a friend or family
member to ask you some questions and practice your answers in front of
them. If you are too uncomfortable with this you could always try just
practicing in front of a mirror at home.
Positivity is important and you want to show that you are keen and have a
can-do attitude! If an employer asks you about a negative experience or
what your weaknesses are try and turn these into a positive. For example “
I can sometimes take longer to complete a project because I am a
perfectionist but this means that I always work to the best of my ability and
The Guardian has a fantastic website for careers advice - please visit
workingoptions.co.uk Student Area ‘Job Applications’ to find out
more.
How do I perform better in psychometric
assessments?
This is in reference to assessments a lot of employers use during the
employment process and especially for graduate roles and graduate
schemes. Each company will vary but the usual ones are verbal and
numerical reasoning tests. These tests are used to assess your logical
thinking and ask a lot of you in a very short amount of time. You then have
to reach a certain percentage to make it into the pool of candidates they
consider for interview. Like any tests....the more you do them, the better
you can perform especially when under the pressure of a job interview...
PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE is the key!
want nothing but the best results”.
Take your time in the interview. If you need a moment to think or go
In addition to these standard tests there are others such as
blank DON’T PANIC! Just pause and think about your answer before giving
personality and motivation questionnaires that a prospective employer
it. If you do go completely blank just ask if it is ok to come back to that
might use to assess your suitability. You can access free example
question. It is important that what you say is actually answering the
tests online and also buy some too. They do require a certain
question and that you are speaking clearly and showing you have thought
technique and I would advise getting used to them sooner rather than
about it.
later.
Ask questions! At the end of most interviews you will be asked whether
Please visit the WorKingOptions website Student Area ‘Job
you have any questions. This is a great opportunity to show that you are
Applications’ for some useful links.
Visit us at: www.workingoptions.co.uk
9
WorKingOptions Principles 4
Success
Work/Life Balance
difference between grades or just generally improving your performance.
This is obviously something that is often mentioned and maybe more
If you are competing with peers who have similar capabilities to you... for
relevant later on in your career. It is evident that hard work is
resources, time, jobs etc., it is likely that you are all equally qualified to
essential if you want to do well, progress and improve your
win... those that work harder tend to be more successful! You do also have
performance.
to take heed of the above and make sure you don’t overdo it but ultimately
However this is not to say that you have to go to the extreme and work
hard work needs to be put in to get the results you want!
every hour you possibly can, as this can be just as bad as not working at
all. It is the quality of the work and productivity that matters and not
Networking
necessarily the amount of hours.
Building good relationships with as many people as possible leads to at
Some of the most successful people work very hard but also have a life
outside of work and are happier and healthier because of it. It makes sense
that the happier you are and more varied your life the better your work will
least two things - more people who are likely to help you and more
potential opportunities, remembering you'll need to help others when you
can and don't only make contact when you need help!
be.
Networking does come more naturally to some but if you find it more
Everything in moderation! You are not a machine! Ensure that you invest
challenging just imagine it’s a normal chat about common interests.
sufficient time with your family and friends. With great planning and time
This is also something that will become easier the longer you are working
management – you can work very smart and hard and also have great
and the further on in your career you get. You also need some resilience in
times away from work!
this area and don’t give up! People are very busy and can easily forget
Hard Work
someone has contacted them – so there is nothing wrong with contacting
them again if you don’t hear from them within a reasonable amount of time.
So this may seem obvious but it is so simple and true that hard work is the
key to most successes. There is no substitution for hard work! Some of us
have to work harder at things than others but if you want to do the best you
Just be cautious not to overdo it and don’t take it personally when and if
someone doesn’t respond. Just keep going! It is what makes people stand
possibly can then you need to put in the work needed to get to that point.
out!
For example spending an extra hour a day studying may mean the
....continues over....
Visit us at: www.workingoptions.co.uk
10
continued....
Positive Thinking
Starting-up your own business is a big step and success is desperately
This is an area many students and young working people can improve, even
hard to achieve! Many new businesses fail... some of them great ideas that
amongst those with outstanding results. Everyone seems to find it easy to
are badly executed.
turn positives into negatives but not the opposite so let's concentrate on
It takes extremely hard work, consumes your life, and requires people to
feeling good about strengths and understand how to defend our strengths
make big sacrifices. He warns of caution of how this route may appear from
when challenged.
reality TV shows and that you need to assess and minimise risks!
Positivity breeds positivity and if you have a positive attitude people will
naturally be more drawn to you and have positive feelings towards you.
Also if you think positively about an interview for example you will no doubt
have a more positive experience and this leaves the employer with a good
impression!
Please visit the WorKingOptions website Student Area ‘Advice’ for a link to a
Guardian Careers article that explains the importance of overcoming
Top 10 questions for assessing your
opportunities to become a successful
entrepreneur:
If you can answer YES to at least 7 out of 10
questions you might have a chance of success!
negativity.
Career Academy Overview
Luton Sixth Form College’s outstanding Career Academy transforms
• Do you have a clear vision of what you want to achieve
and can passionately communicate it to others?
lives and improves the future prospects of young people.
It is part of a national network of 180 academies – and is one of the shining
examples, having achieved Grade 1 status. The academy works with more
• Do you have a compelling idea that can be translated
into a successful business?
than 100 local and national business organisations, helping to bridge the
gap between education and employment.
Every year the academy receives about 300 applications from students
wanting to enrol on the programme.
A tough selection process whittles these applicants down to 18.
• Do you have a single-minded commitment to achieve
success?
• Are you prepared to work hard? (in many cases over
100 hours per week, every week for at least 5 years)
This year, Luton Sixth Form College produced the inaugural WorKingOptions
scholar. Umar Akhtar, 17, won the life-changing opportunity in a fierce
contest which asked competing students to delve into the performances of
major food or drink manufacturer or retailers.
The WorKingOptions Scholarship will now run every year at the college, in
conjunction with the Career Academy.
• Are you committed to satisfying your customers?
• Are you anal about planning and organising?
• Are you persistent and determined to succeed when
setbacks occur?
Please see: www.careeracademies.org.uk
• Are you confident in your ability to ‘sell’ your idea to
What makes a successful entrepreneur?
employees, customers, banks and suppliers?
This is a difficult question to answer as everyone will have different
experiences.
• Do you have supportive family and friends?
Paul advises that it is not for everyone and that although anything is
• Are you generally a lucky person?
possible, unfortunately not everybody can have the same kind of success
as they might like.
Visit us at: www.workingoptions.co.uk
11
The people behind WorKingOptions
Paul Monk
Board of Trustees
Managing Director
Paul has extensive experience at Board Level in a variety of Grocery
industry companies. In addition, he is responsible for Inventabrand
Consulting providing top-level consulting services to many
businesses in the Grocery Sector. Paul is passionate about his fundraising activities.
Paul Monk
Chair of Trustees
Naynesh Desai
Steve Hardy
Company Secretary
Steve has enjoyed a 35 year career associated with many parts of
the Grocery Industry. He is committed to ensuring the success of
MonKeyBusiness Foundation.
Fiona Mack
Naynesh Desai is the Senior Partner in a Mayfair firm of
solicitors DDO and has been in practice for over 25 years. He
advises and acts for a vast array of retailers throughout the
United Kingdom, many of which are privately owned and
operated family businesses. He also advises several large
hotel groups in the United Kingdom. Naynesh has been the
Chairman of The Bunbury Dinners which raises money for
The English Schools Cricket Association for many years and
acts for many high profile celebrity sportsmen and is on the
Board of Ian’s Botham’s “Beefy’s Charitable Foundation.
WorKingOptions Programme Director
Fiona is a consultant in leadership development and a business
performance coach. She has over 15 years commercial experience
within the pharmaceutical industry working in a variety of senior
roles across sales and marketing, but predominantly in training,
coaching and organisational development. As well as running a
successful consulting business, she is also a fully qualified yoga
teacher.
Fiona is dedicated to ensuring young people have access to
opportunities and are encouraged to reach their full potential. She
believes that Working Options is an exciting initiative which will
inspire young people to achieve more with their lives.
Jason Leonard
Ambassador
Jason enjoyed a hugely successful rugby career with England and
the British Lions. He is now passionate about helping young people
achieve their potential.
Visit us at: www.workingoptions.co.uk
Sufian Sadiq
Sufian is Business Course Manager and Career Academy
Coordinator at Luton VI Form College, an institution he
attended as a student. He is actively involved in fund-raising
and manages a project developing vocational education for
poorer communities in Malawi. Sufian is extremely positive
about building relations with employers and as a Trustee of
MonKeyBusiness Foundation hope to develop strong links
between industry and education.
Lauren Monk
Lauren is Paul's niece and shares his passion about
education and careers advice for young people and wanted to
get involved with Working Options having recently graduated
herself and understanding the issues faced by young people
trying to carve out their careers. Since graduating with a law
degree she has worked for The Walt Disney Company's legal
teams and is now working for the BBC's legal teams.
12
Getting in touch with
WorKingOptions
Write to:
Tutors and Students Contact:
Lauren Monk:
[email protected]
WorKingOptions
York House
Harvest Hill
Sufian Sadiq:
[email protected]
Bourne End
Buckinghamshire,
SL8 5JJ
Programme Supporters Contact:
Registered office:
[email protected]
Ember House
35 - 37 Creek Road
East Molesey
General Enquiries:
Surrey
KT8 9BE
[email protected]
Visit us at: www.workingoptions.co.uk