"From newbie to emerging leader: my journey with Intake & IDP!" - Miriam Gunda

“When I received an email from our Global People Experience team member stating I would be featured in IDP Global Platforms, I was ecstatic and told my colleague – ‘Yes, I made it!’ 😊 What a pleasure it is to be sharing my experience and journey at IDP and Intake. 

Looking back - I entered this industry as a newbie in November 2021, as a part of the Intake team. Having been an international student before, I was passionate about helping our customers and understood the challenges they face. Given that the industry was a brand-new experience for me, I was hungry to learn. I used my existing skills and learned on the job - enjoying the operations side, as well as handling customer and client facing parts of my role thoroughly. I have always believed we need to add value to our stakeholders, and this is something I have worked hard to achieve from Day 1.  

I was the first Kenya team member and am proud of my journey so far. Being able to actively participate in the setting up of the Nairobi Office remains one of the greatest achievements in my career. I cherish the experience to this day, having seen it from inception to where it is now - I look forward to more growth for us in the country and the region.  

I have learnt much from our Regional Head Africa, Bukky, who I would like to thank – for having been instrumental in my growth and of the Kenya office.  

With a talented team on board in different capacities, we deliver the best to our customers and clients in alignment with our values. The Kenya team not only take direction but also voice their opinions which adds to our growth and success. I always tell the team that my role is to work for them and cater to their needs so that they can give the best to our customers and clients. The global team are always on hand to assist, and many have become friends, distance has never gotten in the way for us.  

When the Intake and IDP merger happened – it was a real game changer not only for the industry but for our teams as well. I have had the pleasure of experiencing the outcome of the merger and I can proudly say a great number of opportunities are being created with both our teams coming together for our customers as well as for the organisation. 

I love that IDP has a similar culture to that of Intake and even has similar core values, and how IDP team members have been helpful during this process.  Both teams have learnt much and continue to from experiences we have had in the industry. 

The Intake integration with IDP in Kenya was smooth owing to great synergies between the teams. We were able to do this successfully by keeping our people, customers, and clients at the heart of it all; ensuring our stakeholders had the information they needed; and sufficient training for team members was given to hit the ground running.  

Currently, I am focused on the growth of the IDP Kenya footprint. Looking at avenues for growth presented by the merger, we want to ensure that our customers will enjoy these benefits. We look forward to soon launching IELTS and the student essentials in the region. And given we at IDP, do not compromise or take shortcuts - I believe this will propel us even further in the industry. 

Much like the leadership and growth journey of IDP and Intake in the industry, here’s what I have learned is key to growth from my journey with the organisation - it is crucial to continuously evolve while staying driven. And to lead – you must make it all about the people - listening and engaging with our team members to help them grow. This is what ultimately brings success. When your team members feel heard and valued, they perform not out of obligation but dedication! What could be better than a team happy to go the extra mile? 

And another crucial step to growth – leveraging networking and building strong customer relations. Customers are not just people who buy from us, our customers could be those around us in the form of stakeholders, and staying connected will not only add value for them – but also yourself. 

As you grow professionally and personally through your journey, make sure to celebrate not just the big wins, but the small wins as they are a reminder that the next step is possible. Speaking of wins, I would like to take a moment to share that I have been recognised by IDP as an Emerging Leader and have the opportunity to be a part of IDP’s esteemed flagship mentoring program! I would like to thank the Leadership and am excited to begin my program soon with my fellow emerging leaders of the year from around the organisation. 

And as a concluding note – I would like to leave you with a favorite saying of mine – ‘what defines us is how we rise after we fall’. Challenges are an inevitable part of our journey – use them as an opportunity to learn and grow. 

Would you also like to grow with us and make a powerful impact on the world? Start by looking for opportunities here.” - Miriam Gunda, Office Manager