More stories from the Blind in Business candidates.

CHRIS WALLER

I first came into contact with Blind in Business in July 2012. I had just graduated from university but despite studying for four years, I still had no clue what I wanted to do with my life. I received an e-mail from my university telling me about the annual Education to Employment event BIB were hosting in Surrey and this seemed like a good opportunity to gain some idea of the options available to me. 

I didn’t have very high expectations of the event. I assumed it would all be very patronising – a weekend full of people telling me how I could be an astronaut or an airline pilot if I really wanted, all I had to do was be positive. As such, it was a very pleasant surprise when I arrived and I found that the event was being run by very driven and knowledgeable people who had a lot of time for those who were focused and dedicated, but absolutely no time for those who blamed all their failures and problems on their disability. So it was with that, my experience with BIB begun. 

After the incredibly insightful and enjoyable event in Surrey had ended ,I quickly learnt that the help and advice they were willing to offer had barely been realised. There were months and months of regular trips to their office in London in which they would dedicate hours to finding me suitable jobs. They arranged interviews and meetings with people who I would never have been able to speak to otherwise. I had a tour of the PwC London office and a mock interview with someone who had experience interviewing at Ernst and Young, and this was all completely free. I haven’t been in contact with BIB for very long, but in such a short time they have not only shown me the wealth of opportunities that are available to me, but also made it crystal clear that whatever problems I have with my sight, it would not prevent me finding the career I really want.

 GHAZI ABUYOUNIS

I am currently in my last year completing my undergraduate Law LLB degree at City University London. I have white hair, a very fair complexion, colourless grey eyes, and a dependency on reading aids by the age of ten.

Coming from a different region of the world to study in the UK was a major step my parents and I decided to take. At first, I had mixed feelings as to whether I’ll cope with living on my own for the first time, in a country which I had previously visited during the summer holidays but never resided in.

I consider myself lucky to be visually impaired in a time-period where technological innovations are on the rise, making our lives easier. I can’t illustrate how dependant I am on technology to fulfil varying aspects of life such as travelling throughout London, reading course material, or to flip through the pages of City A.M. every morning on the train. Life just keeps getting better.

I knew about Blind in Business’s services through my University Student Support Centre. I attended a law event in May 2011, and in February of this year, I got back in contact. I spent 6 weeks during the summer at their offices, to submit Training Contract applications, and just can’t describe the impact the charity had on my life. I no longer think of my disability as an obstacle, but see it as an opportunity to inspire others who may or may not have a similar condition to mine. Their welcoming community allowed me to know other candidates on a personal level. There is nothing better than sharing your experiences with others who know exactly what you go through, because they too go through it, but in a different way. It was remarkable to realise that as BIB candidates, we share one thing in common, but yet we are so different from one another. The charity does an excellent job in making us competitive: shaping-up our CVs and job applications to make them as good, if not better, than other applicants. Today, competition for jobs is at its toughest levels, and the charity ensures we don’t get caught out in the process.

Blind in Business boosted my confidence by showing me what other visually impaired persons have done; thus proving to me that having low vision does not stop one from achieving. One of my own achievements this year was receiving the Recorder of London Award for the Best Law Student. Thus aside being told of the achievements of others, Blind in Business now use my achievement as a mean to inspire candidates. Operating within this two-way process encourages us to work harder to further carve our recognition within society.