My mentor and me: Samara Valton's story
I secured a placement as a Government and Public Affairs Intern at Enterprise Mobility’s European Headquarters after several months of searching – and occasionally questioning – my decision to take a year in industry.
“Her encouragement ensured that I developed my knowledge”
I realised I lacked knowledge of domestic political events, operations, and initiatives in the UK, despite studying History and International Relations, and I welcomed the opportunity to immerse myself in the transport and retail sectors. I found myself facing quite a challenge, and focused on adjusting from university to my first full-time job in the coming months.
My progress over the past year is partly due to my strong rapport with my manager, Laura, the Head of Government and Public Affairs for UK and Ireland. She has become my mentor and has been instrumental in laying the foundation for my success, offering me a variety of external and internal opportunities in the political and corporate world.
Her encouragement to attend events, that I sometimes assumed were out of my reach, and being offered tasks which challenged me in a variety of ways ensured that I developed my knowledge about UK politics, especially regarding how Enterprise responds to government policies and a general election.
Samara Valton (L) with Laura Holloway
Having a female business leader was important to me as a young woman entering the field of politics. I have found that it is rare to see many women at political functions say in Parliament, and the rooms are filled with men. At first, I found this intimidating but by watching and speaking to Laura I learnt that there is a certain skill to navigating a room. I learnt to be firm and to know that I belonged in this room as much as anyone else.
Networking has become my guiding light within the company. It was much easier for me to adapt to my role and environment because of Enterprise Mobility's value of "our doors are open". This open and friendly approach allowed me to connect with people in various positions within the company and understand what Enterprise Mobility had on offer. I learned about the experiences of other people in the business, and strengthened my relationships, especially when I needed support with tasks that suited their professional knowledge and where I needed help.
“Having a female business leader was important to me as a young woman entering the field of politics”
I am grateful that I decided to do my placement year with Enterprise, embracing a new role with which I was not familiar.
I developed a strong relationship with my manager, who responded with huge enthusiasm to my learning journey, focusing on how I could effectively conquer any challenges that I was facing.
Laura's mentorship empowered me to have unwavering faith in myself and my abilities, instilling in me a confidence I never had when I began my internship. I embraced opportunities by saying ‘yes’ and trying new things instead of avoiding them because I thought they were ‘too hard.’
If you are interested in a career with Enterprise, please visit our recruitment website at careers.enterprise.co.uk and at careers.enterprise.ie
