1.
FACT FILE
1968Year the BP Schools Link
programme began.
200The number of schools
the programme covers.
1,000The number of BP
volunteers.
10,000The number of
schoolchildren who
,32000The number of hours BP
employees devoted to
volunteering in 2013.
AISHA MCEVOY, BUSINESS ANALYST, PRICING AND PRODUCT
CONTROL, IT&S, AND LOCAL SCHOOL VOLUNTEER
PAYIT
FORWARDShe may be at the start of her
graduate Aisha McEvoy is
already contributing to the
community as well as the
company. Now a business
analyst, she has not only
thrown herself wholeheartedly
at a nearby school teaching
IT skills to young children.
MY PROFILE
MynameisAishaMcEvoy,I’m
25yearsoldandIjoinedBP’s
technologygraduateprogramme
in2012afterleavingtheUniversity
ofBirminghamwithadegreein
computerinteractivesystemswith
businessmanagement.Idecided
tojoinBPbecauseIwantedtobe
partoftheprocessofproviding
customerswithanecessity,suchas
energyforheatandlight.
VISUAL AID
Eachday,Iattendadaily‘sprint’
meeting,wheremyteamgives
statusupdatesonwhateach
memberisworkingon.It’sgreat
tohaveavisual,showingwhere
weareinthesystemtestingcycle.
ADAYINTHELIFE
CITY SLICKER
AlongwithmyIT&Scolleagues,I
ambasedatBP Canary
Wharf.Thegleamingtowersstandin
thesameneighbourhoodasTower
HamletsinLondon’sEastEnd,which
isknownforbeingoneofthemost
deprivedareasinthecapitalcity.
BACK TO SCHOOL
Oneofthethingsthatattracted
metoBPwashowitencourages
itsemployeestoconnectwiththe
localcommunity.IteachbasicIT
skillsatCubittTownJuniorSchool
viaSchoolsLink,partoftheBPin
theCommunityprogramme.The
schoolteachesunderprivileged
children,mostofwhomdon’thave
acomputerathome.
BROADENING HORIZONS
WhenIwasatuniversity,thereweren’tmany
girlsstudyingITandIliketoplayasmallrolein
changingthat!Formanyofthegirlsintheschools,
familyandreligiousnormsmeanthattheircareer
horizonsarelimited.Iliketoworkwithyoung
girlstoshowthemthattherearenorestrictionsto
theircareeroptions.Aftertherobotsession,one
schoolgirlsaid:“Iwanttoworkwithtechnology
whenIgrowup.Itwassocool!”
GRE ASPIRATIONS
I’dlike
AT
Aswellasinspiringthenextgeneration,
toprogressintoaseniorITroleatBPandshape
businessstrategyinthisarea.Oneday,I’dliketo
beonBP’sboard!
LEARNING THROUGH PLAY
Thechildrenlovedprogramming
Legorobotstoraceagainsteach
other.Weworkedwiththemto
buildsmallmodelswithsimple
computerchipsandprogrammed
—
andhelpedthepupilstolearnto
troubleshootforthemselveswhen
thingswentwrong.
PROBLEM SOLVING
Sincejoining,I
aspartofthegraduateprogrammeandhavenow
movedtoapermanentroleasbusinessanalyst
inpricingandproductcontrol.Iworkwiththe
businesstounderstanditsneedsandgoalsand
thenwithITtocomeupwithsuitablesolutions
toanyproblems.I’verecentlybeeninvolvedin
testingthefunctionalityofasystemthatsupports
BP’stradingactivities.