Have you ever volunteered as a mentor to the next generation of talent?
Have you ever volunteered as a mentor to the next generation of talent?
Pankaj Kane is our Chief Engineer and recently been named in Computing’s IT Leaders 100 list. With over 25 years of technology experience, Pankaj uses his time to share his knowledge mentoring the next generation of talent.
At Admiral, we encourage all our colleagues to use up to 16 of their working hours to volunteer every year. We call these Impact Hours as we know the positive impact this has on our communities.
Many of our colleagues choose to use their Impact Hours to support employability and help people to secure fulfilling careers. Pankaj is one of those colleagues.
Hi Pankaj, how are you today?
I’m fantastic. Thank you for this opportunity to share my thoughts with you.
Great! Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I’m the Chief Engineer in our IT area and been with the business for almost 12 months. I have over 25 years of technology experience having worked in different parts around the world. My focus is to improve our software engineering and delivery capabilities, so we can deliver superior customer and colleague experiences.
I live in Warwickshire with my wife and two teenage children.
We hear you’ve used your Impact Hours recently, can you tell us a bit about that please?
I’ve had the pleasure of mentoring for two initiatives within Admiral recently.
Firstly, we work with Code First Girls and fund one of their CFGdegrees, where women who want to start a tech career upskill at no cost in preparation for their first role in Tech, which Code First Girls supports them in securing. I mentored two women in the previous cohort and I’m delighted that both have passed their end of course exams with flying colours. I’m now mentoring a woman in the current cohort and it’s going really well!
I like to catch up with mentees on a regular basis, usually fortnightly, where I ask about their progress with their coursework, issues they may have encountered and offer support where I can. I help with things like reviewing presentations, pointing to knowledge base and best practices, and coaching on improving networking.
Another initiative I’ve been involved in is the Admiral 5-9 Club, a nine-week programme in partnership with Welsh ICE for female entrepreneurs to learn the foundations of owning a successful business. I have the absolute pleasure of working with Suzanna on this programme who has some fantastic ideas to build a business. I’m helping her think about concepts around customer research, scaling a business, customer experience, financial modelling etc.
Has it been valuable for you as well as the mentee?
Absolutely. I’m a strong believer in the value created by diversity in a workplace. As I interact with people from different backgrounds, I’m constantly learning new things. These sessions have not only confirmed my belief that a diverse team produces better outcomes, but has helped clarify my thoughts on how we can help new joiners become successful in Admiral, particularly in my area of IT.
The conversations with Suzanna on creating a business has challenged my own thinking and the role I play in a business like Admiral. It’s opened my eyes to new considerations and has been a great learning opportunity for me too!
Are there any other opportunities you’d like to use your Impact Hours on in the future?
I know Admiral does a lot to support businesses and communities across Wales and beyond. I would like to continue to be an active player in those endeavours.
I love working with people, especially as a performance coach. I have active coaching engagements within and outside of Admiral. For me, developing people and giving back to the community are essential parts of being a good leader.
We’re proud to empower our colleagues to share their knowledge and use their experience to support others earlier in their careers.
Discover how another team used their Impact Hours to volunteer at a charity farm for vulnerable people.
