Ibukun is well liked, a focused and friendly person that understood from the offset what a great opportunity an apprenticeship at Accenture could be. He has worked very hard to achieve this goal and has all of the attributes that will enable him to succeed and have a fantastic career. He is truly a rising star.

Ibukun moved from Nigeria to London at the age of 7, later moving to Newcastle for secondary school. He grew up in the deprived area of battle-hill Wallsend, Newcastle upon Tyne as one of a few ethnic minority people in his area. Moving away from friends and family in London he struggled with his new surroundings experiencing isolation and anxiety throughout his school years.

Although he grew up speaking Yoruba and English, he struggled with communication and experienced some difficulties in understanding his peers and teachers. However, he overcame this and went on to complete his a-levels and attend university enrolling in a Maths degree.

Ibukun left university during the second year of his degree, unsure about his career prospects, he soon became interested in pursuing a career in technology. He was unemployed and receiving benefits when he was presented with the opportunity to enroll onto the Movement to Work Programme. He outshone all of the other participants in every area, his application to technical challenges and employability skills stood out.

He joined the Technology Apprenticeships Programme and is currently completing a degree in Digital and Technological Solutions and was recently promoted to New Associate level. He currently works within the cybersecurity team working on client data protection for HMRC and is working towards his CompTIA Security + certification.

Despite no prior experience in the technology field, he has gone from strength to strength. He was one of the first apprentices in his cohort to achieve a role and has always been very proactive, he has demonstrated professionalism and maturity which has impressed every manager and Capability Lead that has met him.

Since joining the security team, Ibukun has shown a work ethic well beyond his years and a willingness to support any work that comes his way. He has worked diligently and has made an impact in a very short space of time. He is a determined individual, with a passion for seeing work through to the highest standard. Not only does he give 100% in work, he helps his peers as a University rep once again proving his approachability and determination for helping others.

Outside of the day to day work, Ibukun makes a positive contribution as an Engagement Lead for the Technology Analyst Group Apprentices, he also works with our ‘Accent on Gender’ and ‘Accent on Ethnicity’ network groups. He goes above and beyond to support Accenture’s Outreach and Engagement Team by holding presentations, awareness days, and sharing his story‚ visiting various schools to help encourage young people and bring awareness to Accenture’s Apprenticeship Programme. He has also volunteered to help with our Engagement Programmes for the unemployed.