Looking for ways to give back and build your skills and contacts at the same time? 探花直播 (BCU)鈥檚 professional mentoring programme will take you on a mutually rewarding journey. To find out more, we spoke to a number of existing mentors about some of the benefits.
BCU's Mentoring Programme聽is a university-wide initiative aimed at aiding students in developing employability skills, boosting confidence, and elevating aspirations.
This programme offers local businesses a unique opportunity to tap into local talent, expand their networks, and connect with potential future employees.
By participating, you could offer invaluable support to students as they navigate their career paths.
The ten-week programme involves a minimum of five hours of one-to-one sessions between mentor and mentee. These sessions help students and graduates enhance their employability skills, bolster confidence, and prepare for the professional working environment.
By 2022, within just over two years, 667 students and graduates were paired with professional mentors, resulting in significant benefits for both the mentees and mentors.
As the University for 探花直播, 66 percent of BCU鈥檚 students hail from the West Midlands and are likely to remain in the area after graduating.
We spoke to a number of those who have participated in the professional mentoring scheme to outline just how rewarding the journey has been.
Encouraging Diversity in Business: Journeying Towards Inclusion
BCU is home to a diverse student demographic 鈥� 54 percent of its students are from a Black or Ethnic Minority background. Therefore, it is vital that BCU鈥檚 students have the option to learn from and liaise with a mentor from a similar background. Our professional mentoring scheme is committed to ensuring our mentors can understand the challenges our mentees face and come from a wide variety of backgrounds.
Sanina Kaur, Director of copywriting and digital marketing agency , feels diversity in mentoring is 鈥渆xtremely important.鈥�
鈥淲e need to make sure mentees are paired with professionals who aren鈥檛 just from their desired profession, but have some understanding of their journey,鈥� she says.
It鈥檚 a feeling echoed by fellow mentor Alston Owens, a management consultant for healthcare management company .
鈥淒iversity offers new ideas, and also enables the stereotype of a certain role 鈥� an engineer, for example 鈥� to be dismantled,鈥� they said in a previous interview with BCU Advantage.
鈥淚t鈥檚 important to show to mentees that there is a place at the table for everybody.鈥�
Encouraging better diversity in business has been a key driver of Sione Raaijmakers 鈥撀� 鈥� since becoming a mentor.
鈥淭he lack of role models for young female creatives is a big problem,鈥� she says.
鈥淢ost young female creatives never worked with a female creative leader. It鈥檚 vital to offer my support to ensure creative leadership will be diverse in the future.鈥�
Watching Someone's Confidence Soar: The Journey of Confidence
Witnessing mentees' confidence grow is a significant highlight for mentors like Sione.
鈥淎t the start of the programme, some mentees are unsure about their abilities and almost apologetic about their work,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 great to see this change into confidence and clarity as the programme progresses.鈥�
Alex Pitts, Midlands Recruitment Manager at , has supported a number of mentees and loves seeing their confidence grow with each passing week.
鈥淭he highlight for me is them being more comfortable in what they鈥檙e seeking to do next, and how they can best utilise their experiences to date to help them be successful,鈥� he says.
鈥淔or students, it鈥檚 a great chance to use the mentor as a sounding board to discuss potential options, ideas and thoughts on where they鈥檙e looking to head next.鈥�
Giving Back: Nurturing the Journey of Generosity
Rochelle Wood, Managing Director at , brought a lot of experience and qualifications to the mentoring table.
With Diplomas in Executive Coaching and Life Coaching, respectively, Rochelle was keen to provide some key advice. Not only that, but Rochelle had previously had a business mentor of her own.
鈥淚t gave me a vital chance to reflect, recycle and share my own experiences,鈥� she says. 鈥淓verybody should have a mentee and everybody should have a mentor.鈥�
Seeing a Different Angle: The Journey of Perspectives
Becoming a mentor is mutually beneficial. Not only does it help grow your network and expose you to new talent, it also provides you with the opportunity to see things differently and learn new skills.
鈥淚n all honesty, I think I have learned and benefited just as much as my mentees,鈥� Rochelle says. 鈥淭hey are such an intelligent, curious and enthusiastic bunch, and they ask me as many challenging questions as I ask them.鈥�
Sione also feels she has gained a lot from the programme.
鈥淗aving interactions with the next generation pulls me out of my own world,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t helps me see the world and industry through their eyes.鈥�
Interested in becoming a mentor? Registration is now open for anyone willing to take part.
BCU's Mentoring Programme聽is a university-wide initiative aimed at aiding students in developing employability skills, boosting confidence, and elevating aspirations.
This programme offers local businesses a unique opportunity to tap into local talent, expand their networks, and connect with potential future employees.
By participating, you could offer invaluable support to students as they navigate their career paths.
The ten-week programme involves a minimum of five hours of one-to-one sessions between mentor and mentee. These sessions help students and graduates enhance their employability skills, bolster confidence, and prepare for the professional working environment.
By 2022, within just over two years, 667 students and graduates were paired with professional mentors, resulting in significant benefits for both the mentees and mentors.
As the University for 探花直播, 66 percent of BCU鈥檚 students hail from the West Midlands and are likely to remain in the area after graduating.
We spoke to a number of those who have participated in the professional mentoring scheme to outline just how rewarding the journey has been.
Encouraging Diversity in Business: Journeying Towards Inclusion
BCU is home to a diverse student demographic 鈥� 54 percent of its students are from a Black or Ethnic Minority background. Therefore, it is vital that BCU鈥檚 students have the option to learn from and liaise with a mentor from a similar background. Our professional mentoring scheme is committed to ensuring our mentors can understand the challenges our mentees face and come from a wide variety of backgrounds.
Sanina Kaur, Director of copywriting and digital marketing agency SK Copy Co, feels diversity in mentoring is 鈥渆xtremely important.鈥�
鈥淲e need to make sure mentees are paired with professionals who aren鈥檛 just from their desired profession, but have some understanding of their journey,鈥� she says.
It鈥檚 a feeling echoed by fellow mentor Alston Owens, a management consultant for healthcare management company GBP Consults.
鈥淒iversity offers new ideas, and also enables the stereotype of a certain role 鈥� an engineer, for example 鈥� to be dismantled,鈥� they said in a previous interview with BCU Advantage.
鈥淚t鈥檚 important to show to mentees that there is a place at the table for everybody.鈥�
Encouraging better diversity in business has been a key driver of Sione Raaijmakers 鈥� co-founder of Women Unltd 鈥� since becoming a mentor.
鈥淭he lack of role models for young female creatives is a big problem,鈥� she says.
鈥淢ost young female creatives never worked with a female creative leader. It鈥檚 vital to offer my support to ensure creative leadership will be diverse in the future.鈥�
Watching Someone's Confidence Soar: The Journey of Confidence
Witnessing mentees' confidence grow is a significant highlight for mentors like Sione.
鈥淎t the start of the programme, some mentees are unsure about their abilities and almost apologetic about their work,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 great to see this change into confidence and clarity as the programme progresses.鈥�
Alex Pitts, Midlands Recruitment Manager at Applause IT, has supported a number of mentees and loves seeing their confidence grow with each passing week.
鈥淭he highlight for me is them being more comfortable in what they鈥檙e seeking to do next, and how they can best utilise their experiences to date to help them be successful,鈥� he says.
鈥淔or students, it鈥檚 a great chance to use the mentor as a sounding board to discuss potential options, ideas and thoughts on where they鈥檙e looking to head next.鈥�
Giving Back: Nurturing the Journey of Generosity
Rochelle Wood, Managing Director at Sense chEQ Ltd, brought a lot of experience and qualifications to the mentoring table.
With Diplomas in Executive Coaching and Life Coaching, respectively, Rochelle was keen to provide some key advice. Not only that, but Rochelle had previously had a business mentor of her own.
鈥淚t gave me a vital chance to reflect, recycle and share my own experiences,鈥� she says. 鈥淓verybody should have a mentee and everybody should have a mentor.鈥�
Seeing a Different Angle: The Journey of Perspectives
Becoming a mentor is mutually beneficial. Not only does it help grow your network and expose you to new talent, it also provides you with the opportunity to see things differently and learn new skills.
鈥淚n all honesty, I think I have learned and benefited just as much as my mentees,鈥� Rochelle says. 鈥淭hey are such an intelligent, curious and enthusiastic bunch, and they ask me as many challenging questions as I ask them.鈥�
Sione also feels she has gained a lot from the programme.
鈥淗aving interactions with the next generation pulls me out of my own world,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t helps me see the world and industry through their eyes.鈥�
Interested in becoming a mentor? Registration is now open for anyone willing to take part.
