Mentoring - I guarantee you'll enjoy it!
1 September 2014
Hello all,
I hope the summer has been good for you.
For our students it's time to start gearing up for returning to university and for some, entering their final year of education before heading to the world of work. There's a great scheme run at NTU which can really help students as they prepare for the real world - the Employability Mentoring Programme.
It aims to help students by developing a relationship with a professional in their chosen career area and learning not only about what their job may entail, but also how to appeal to possible employers.
One student in the scheme last year, Misbah Ashraf, who is studying law, puts it perfectly: "My mentor really opened my eyes to the sorts of challenges I will face, how to cope under pressure and what skills I could bring to any firm that I work for".
It's amazing to think what a difference we can make to a new career just by giving a little bit of our time - and that's the good news. It is NOT work intensive for us, and I guarantee you’ll enjoy it.
Although some face to face contact is preferable, most can be done over the phone, by Skype or by email. You're not committing yourself to weekly briefings, but perhaps some contact once or twice a month. As we've seen from Misbah, the results can be dramatic, providing insights for the student as well as boosting confidence and giving them a helping hand into a successful start to their working life.
Have a look at the details online. You can email the Mentoring Development Officer, Tammy Gibson, with any questions but without obligation, so you've nothing to lose by checking it out.
Last year we had around 100 alumni/student mentoring relationships. It would be great to really boost those figures this year.
Stephen