On the 17th of April, I was given the unique opportunity to shadow Emma Holder at an expat- academy, Global Workforce Colloquiu
m event in London. As a 15-year-old, I was thrilled to be a part of this event and learn more about global mobility and what it involves, as well as life skills from individuals I spoke to. I arrived at 10am, and Emma met me at the entrance. The main floor was filled with people, all enjoying each other’s company and discussing their work and lives.
After a brief introduction to some of the attendees, we went in to listen to the first talk. This talk was presented by Newland Chase, about immigration around the world, and its ties with global politics. The second talk was about business travel and remote work- presented by BDO- and the third discussed managing a globally distributed workforce. All three of these talks provided me with a depth of knowledge regarding global mobility, and how each company presented themselves and operated, as well as providing me with more generic insights, such as methods of presenting.
During the break that followed, I met many interesting people from different companies who provided me with information about their companies and work history, as well as personal advice regarding my future- all of which were intriguing and helpful. The lunch then provided was delicious, and I had a great time conversing with Emma and meeting more people.
One of the most notable parts of the day for me was a talk that discussed how to carry and present oneself in life and work. This talk was both funny and informative, and I appreciate how it was applicable to both work and normal life. After this talk, and conversing with more attendees, I was able to sit in on a discussion, with representatives from all over the world, regarding how they executed different tasks and how they overcame challenges in their companies. This collaborative environment was the highlight of my day, and it showed me how people can feed off each other’s experiences and learn from one another.
Overall, it was an amazing experience to shadow Emma and be a part of this event. It has inspired me to further my interests and explore more about global mobility to achieve a working standard that echoes this experience in the future