August 29, 2023

Step UP 2023: Meet Cheryn & Minhaj

As part of Step Up, a free six-month program for female students in their penultimate year of university in the UK, Ghana, Germany, Singapore & India, we offer participants access to skills development training, career events and mentorship. Working with our sponsoring businesses, BT Group, Virgin Media O2 and Vodafone, we pair our students with mentors to work alongside them for the duration of the program. 

As another cohort wrapped up this summer, we caught up with some of our mentors and mentees as they shared their Step UP experience and how it benefited them. 

First, we spoke to our mentor Cheryn and her mentee Minhaj Guled. 

Mentor: Cheryn Tan | Cyber Security Controls Manager | Vodafone 

How would you summarise the program in three words?

Educational, inspiring, and fun! 

What skills did you gain or improve from being a mentor?

Mentoring improved my coaching skills, allowing me to reflect on my career in technology and cybersecurity – which also helped build my confidence. Sometimes you lose sight of how much knowledge you’ve acquired until you have to explain it to others! 

Which element of the Step UP program did you enjoy most?

 I genuinely looked forward to regular chats with my mentee Minhaj, who’s highly motivated and has a great way with people. I also had the opportunity to run a masterclass on networking and stakeholder management for the Step UP cohort, which was very rewarding.

Please share one piece of advice for our community interested in working at Vodafone. 

Be curious, don’t worry about asking questions or making mistakes; everyone is always learning. Vodafone has a strong collaborative culture which allows curious minds to thrive.

Mentee: Minhaj Guled | First Class Honours in BSc Cybersecurity Graduate 

How would you summarise Step UP in three words?

Refreshing, vibrant and community-focused.

How has the program contributed to your career progression?

It has helped me understand how I would answer interview questions and debunk certain myths I believed to be true. But with the knowledge I gained, I can now use it to my advantage. And, of course, the advice I received on improving my CV has been very beneficial. Overall, it has been eye-opening to understand what it is like to work in the industry and get insight from it through my wonderful mentor, Cheryn. The Masterclasses have been exceptionally helpful too! 

Can you share your most impactful learnings?

One of my best sessions with Cheryn involved meeting two guests working in the Digital Forensics field, which is my dream job! I learned things I hadn’t been taught before, and I could ask them questions about the field. 

What’s next for you?

I want to grow in my chosen field (Cybersecurity) and with the soft skills I’ve developed during my mentorship program. I want to use them in my career.I’m applying to different graduate roles/schemes in addition to entry-level and junior roles. The most important part is getting my foot in the door and progressing and developing my skills. 

If you’re feeling inspired to become a mentee in our 2024 Step UP program applications are now open here