Jeremy Shares How Raleigh Can Transform Your Career Path

Jeremy first participated in an Expedition to Indonesia in 1987 and returned the following year as a Project Manager in Guyana. Through these experiences, he developed a deep appreciation for the importance of Raleigh and how we provide numerous employment opportunities for young people.

Jeremy’s success in his career came as a direct result of his experience with Raleigh. After his Raleigh Expedition to Indonesia, Jeremy delivered a presentation to the rotary club that sponsored him. Impressed by his work, a member of the club offered him a job on the spot.

Jeremy acted as a Raleigh Trustee for several years and later set up the Raleigh UK Society. Now, he is a CEO and credits Raleigh as having a significant impact on his life.

What Valuable Skills Did You Gain From Your Raleigh Expeditions?

“To have confidence in myself… I was not a particularly confident person.

I think that that’s the one skill that Raleigh helped me with the most. I’m not going to say I came out of a Raleigh Expedition with the finished article, it takes years to develop that. But it opened a door for me and there was a light at the end of the door.”

What Key Attributes Do You Seek When Hiring?

“(Most) of what I look for is attitude, and the rest is skills. Because, if people have got the right attitude, if they want to work, if they’ve got something about them, they’ve got some enthusiasm… We can teach them the skills.

These days people fall under this misnomer that you go to university and then you’re educated and then the world’s your oyster. It’s not like that at all. In the modern economy you’re learning every single day of your life. You’ve got to have that mental aptitude, that alertness and curiosity to be learning all your life… And you generally find that Raleigh people have that curiosity about the world and about life and, again, I think that’s an important quality.

I have put some people through Raleigh expeditions as an employer… We sent some young people on our payroll; we gave them the time off and we contributed to the Expedition expenses as part of their development, and they came back, and it was fantastic.”

How Do Venturers Benefit from Immersing Themselves in New Cultures?

“Undoubtedly. Because the cross-cultural element, it’s about diversity of people, diversity of views and opinions and that broadens your outlook on the world and broadens how you see the world and therefore how you respond.

Raleigh gives you multiple lenses to look through and it makes you realise a little bit more about the challenges of everyday life in different countries with different levels of incomes, different religions, different social challenges. It just helps you broaden your perspective.”

Read 4 Ways a Raleigh Expedition Changes You

What Unique Challenges Do You Think Young People Face Today?

“We’ve got to get out of this culture [of obsession with phones] and Raleigh gives you the opportunity to have that digital detox and just reconnect with what’s really important in life.

You’re with other young people, learning to introduce yourself and make friends rather than trying to do all that through social media and through phones. I think it’s a real challenge for people, actually, and businesses don’t want people that are just on their phones all the time. They want people who are going to be in front of other people selling and talking about their company, representing their company.”

Do Youth Need More Than a Degree to Stand Out in the Job Market?

“Absolutely. If you’ve done a volunteering activity with Raleigh and you’ve been to Costa Rica and you’ve done some you know climate management or some teaching in a village and you’ve done a 150-mile hike, whatever it is, absolutely that makes you stand out. You’re learning a whole load of practical life skills that are important to employers that you will not learn at university.”

Learn More About the Benefits of Volunteering Abroad

What Advice Would You Give Regarding Fundraising?

“The cost of the Expeditions might appear to be prohibitive. So, I would say to young people, don’t be put off by that. Set yourself enough time. Don’t go on an expedition and expect to go on it next month… try and plan 12 months ahead and set yourself the goal of raising the funds.

There are so many ways you can do it and, again, it’s a fantastic test. For me as an employer, if somebody comes along and says, I attended a Raleigh Expedition, I had to raise £3,000 or £4,000 and this is how I did it, I’m thinking well, good for you! I want to employ you. If you’ve got enough initiative to do that, then you’ve got enough initiative to be a member of our team.

And there’s so many things you can do, whether it’s a sponsored walk or a sponsored cake sale… So don’t be put off by it and embrace the challenge.”

What Advice Would You Give Someone Planning a Raleigh Expedition?

I’d say, go for it. I’d say, don’t hesitate. Don’t “um” and “ahh” over it. I’d say, it’ll be the best decision you ever make in your life and it’ll be something that will live with you for the remainder of your life and as you get through your family life, your career, you’ll look back at it and you’ll say how lucky I was, how fortunate I was, how privileged I was to be able to attend a Raleigh Expedition and just look at the impact it’s had on me as an individual, because it will.