Why did the Young Professionals Network form at Visa?
At Visa we’re passionate about building strong communities to help us create an inclusive workplace environment. The Young Professionals (YP) group was created to inspire and drive the development of employees early in their career. We have a number of next generation programmes and entry level employees across Europe, who often don’t get opportunities to meet and network with their peers. The YP group curates unique moments throughout the year for members to broaden their network, as well as their knowledge and understanding of Visa and the wider industry.
What are its aims and objectives?
To ensure the group is aligned to the business we focus our efforts around four key pillars;
- Providing inspiration
- Enabling development
- Promoting mobility opportunities
- Facilitating our members to make a greater impact at Visa
Do you hold events? If so, what sort of events?
We organise a variety of events throughout the year, these include;
- Panels – in the past we’ve invited external speakers such as Adam Peaty OBE (Olympic swimmer), Rachel YankeyOBE (Footballer) and Chad West (Chief Marketing Officer from Revolut) to inspire our members.
- Mentoring sessions – To support growth and development we offer mentoring opportunities to our members.
- Networking events – We hold regular networking sessions as an informal way for members to meet employees from different teams.
- Charity events: Last month we organised a Christmas Giving tree where presents were donated to St Mary’s Hospital Children’s Ward.
Why do you think that a network of this kind is useful for companies?
The YP network plays a huge role in supporting and embedding Visa’s strategy, mission, values and goals. It’s really important for businesses to have networks where likeminded people can share ideas and build relationships.
A key focus for businesses is to attract and retain new talent but we have to create the right environment for them to develop and grow. The connections built through the members help to break down silos between teams. YP networks are also useful for businesses as they can act as advisors and play an influential part in recruitment, retention and community outreach.
We’re keen to collaborate with other Young Professional networks from across the industry. If you’re interested in connecting please get in touch with us at ypeu@visa.com.