With a successful career in the Community and Voluntary sector, Newry man Eoin McAnuff, 39, felt there was still something missing from his professional sphere.
Equipped with a hunger for self-development and clear drive to add value to organisations elsewhere, Eoin took to LinkedIn, the popular employment oriented app where he first encountered the Boardroom Apprentice programme.
“I had been at the job I was in for quite a while and I was looking for something different to do and looking for opportunities to progress and develop myself.
“I am keen about corporate social responsibility and giving back so as soon as I saw it on Linkedin, I thought this is brilliant and what I’m looking for. So I applied and luckily enough, got accepted.” he said.
Despite the face-to-face delivery of the 2020 programme impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, Eoin felt that the remote learning didn’t hinder the virtual training delivered, describing it as amongst the best he has ever received.
“Despite the remote learning aspect, the training they offer is brilliant and the facilitators were some of the best facilitators I’ve ever experienced.
“Every session was brilliant and there wasn’t one session that I didn’t get anything from. I was left speechless after every one” he explained.
As part of the 12 month programme, each participant has to join a group in order to deliver a group presentation on a given case study to a panel of judges, something Eoin remembers as being one of his highlights.
“The group I was put in was one of the best groups to work in and we are all still in touch today. We met up last year when the restrictions eased and we’re already talking about meeting up again this summer.
“With the Boardroom Apprentice, you can increase your network and meet people who you can collaborate and seek advice from and I think it’s testament that my group are all still in contact with each other today.” he said.
Founded by Eileen Mullan in 2017, the Boardroom Apprentice is a unique board learning, development and placement programme which aims to bridge the gap between aspiration and reality for those who wish to serve on boards in the Public and Third Sectors.
Each training day throughout the year is carefully planned out to transform each candidate into well-rounded individuals with all the necessary skills, confidence and mindset that will enable them to go forward for Board positions once they complete the programme.
With training on topics such as governance, marketing and finance, Eoin cannot fault the programme for allowing him to enhance his already strong skills whilst also nurturing his new found ones.
“The Boardroom Apprentice definitely developed my communication, teamwork, leadership and organisation skills. Especially when you attended board meetings with senior executives and you had to prepare documents and ask the right questions.
“Each training session gives you the confidence to realise that when you’re sitting in boardroom meetings, you realise that the subject matters aren’t beyond you, they are all completely within your capabilities.”
Synonymous with the training, each candidate has to also complete a boardroom placement on a board of their choice, picked by Eileen herself who aims to match each person with a board that aligns with their values.
Eoin sat on a statutory board and attended meetings as an observer, something he found was both a worthwhile experience and huge commitment.
“At my board placement I was attending meetings every month. My employers were great which was fantastic and I learnt an awful lot, probably a bit more than most due to sitting on a statutory board.
“The chair at the time from day one warned me that if I wasn’t talking then she would ask me questions so it forced me into thinking I’m no different than any other board member. If I’m coming in, I have a voice just as much as them and I shouldn’t be afraid to ask those questions.”
Not only does the programme help to enhance an individual’s professional career path, it seeks to create diversity within boardrooms across Northern Ireland and challenge preconceived stereotypes of the makeup of boardrooms.
The determination of Eileen in her efforts of delivering diversity and creating change is strongly echoed by Eoin who previously thought boardrooms were similar to an ‘old boys club’.
“I thought boardrooms were all old middle upper class men, like an old boys club.
“We are slowly but surely helping to diversify the boards. The more boards that want to take place on the programme, the more they’ll be thinking it’s an opportunity to do things differently.”
As a result of the programme, Eoin is now in the process of setting up a local community group to help engage and connect with residents living in rural areas outside Newry, something he admits he never would have done if it wasn’t for the Boardroom Apprentice providing him with the leadership and confidence skills.
“I’m looking into setting up a community group in my local area to see how we can engage all of the community. It’s something I would have never done if I didn’t sit in on the Boardroom Apprentice.”
In the future, Eoin hopes to sit on the board that aligns with his personal values.
For anyone thinking of applying to the programme this year, Eoin’s message is simple: if you aren’t passionate or committed, then it won’t be for you.
“I think my advice, if anyone is thinking about it, is to be passionate in your application. Treat it like a job application and when/if you’re selected, give it your all. Whether in training, group work, board meetings.. what you put in, you will get out.” he claimed.
Applications for Boardroom Apprentice are open until May 24, 2022.