Why be a mentor?

Why be a mentor?

Our mentoring scheme builds students’ confidence and gives them a unique insight into working life. Our mentors get a lot out of the experience too. We asked some of the professional mentors who support our students why they do it and how being a mentor benefits them.

1. Get to know the next generation

   If you’ve been in industry for a while then mentoring can be an opportunity to understand the unique challenges and circumstances facing students, graduates and young engineers today.
   
   “I really appreciate the opportunity to connect with bright minds of the future, and to understand the current pressures of university and young adult life, which gradually evolve over the course of each 5 years or so.”
   Greg Nixon, Renishaw 

2. Encourage more people into your industry

   Mentoring is a great way to tell young engineers about the industry that you work in, to share your passion and maybe even find some new recruits!

   “I want to share my knowledge and experience with the next generation. I want to help bridge the gap between education and industry and encourage more people to stay in Industry.”
   Kishore Ramdeen, Highways England

3. Get the satisfaction of helping someone improve their skills

   There’s no denying the pride you feel when someone you mentor makes improvements through the year. Seeing someone grow in confidence as a result of your input can bring enormous rewards and help you to develop your own management skills.

   “… It was also very satisfying to see the improvement in the students from the first meeting to the last. Their increased experience really comes through in the questions they ask. It also paints a very positive picture for all Bristol University students, I believe the course must be well made as there are clearly very good results over the year.”

   Andy Darlington, Renishaw

   “Seeing the student’s eyes light up. I think we were able to show them how their degree and skills can really be utilised in the real world.”
   Dr Mark Bloomfield, Global Media & Entertainment

4. Benefit from some fresh thinking

   Our students are learning from researchers who are leading their field, their courses are informed by cutting edge research and the most up-to-date thinking. This means they bring a new perspective and energy to solving business challenges, so you may find that you learn from them!

   “The experience of seeing how the next generation of engineers & leaders view the world, has broadened my appreciation of how I might engage with graduates joining our business. I have done this in parallel with mentoring within the business which has helped add a richness to that.”
   James Tomlinson, Jacobs

5. Give people the context for their learning

   Academics can explain an idea, but seeing how that concept is used in ‘real life’ gives it a whole new meaning. Your day to day experiences and business acumen are incredibly valuable to people who are just entering the world of work. By helping to upskill the next generation of engineers you are also helping to raise the bar across the sector.

   “It was interesting talking to the students and learning about what they are doing on their courses. It was nice to give them some context to what they are learning (e.g. we talked about the importance of writing clear, maintainable, documented code for others to understand when you are working on large projects over several years).”
   Kate Darbyshire, Altran

6. A chance to go back in time

   Ok, mentoring can’t take you back in time to tell your younger self what not to do. But you can perhaps stop someone else from making the same mistakes you did!

   “I have learnt a lot in the few years since I started my career and a lot of what I know now would have been very useful to have known when I first started at university! I also feel that because I haven’t been out of university that many years I can still put myself into the shoes of a student and be able to relate to their issues on a more personal level.”
   Adam Yates, Cavendish Nuclear