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The Bradford Mentoring Programme

Career and Employability Services have developed this programme as an opportunity for you to connect with experienced professionals who can offer valuable help and advice based on their experiences.

Please note - The closing date for students to apply as mentees for the Programme for the 23/24 academic year is Friday 17th November 2023.

You will be partnered with a suitable mentor and over the course of the programme you may be able to:

  • Gain insight into your chosen career sector
  • Discuss your career plans, CV, etc.
  • Gain regular support via face-to-face contact, phone and email
  • Have opportunities to network with a range of professionals
  • Approach job applications and interviews with more confidence
  • Enhance your employability skills

It is a non-judgemental partnership, based on mutual trust and confidentiality, which encourages you and your mentor to learn from each other’s experiences, and ultimately aims to give you the confidence and knowledge to thrive in your chosen role after you graduate.

Mentoring partnerships will be conducted using a combination of platforms such as MS Teams, Zoom, Skype, email and telephone as well as face-to-face activities.

Eligibility

The programme is aimed at all University of Bradford students, including postgraduates, from any subject area. 

We are looking for applicants who would benefit from the support of a professional mentor. To assess your commitment and motivation levels we will look closely at your ‌mentee application form.

If you’d like to be considered for the Mentoring Programme please be aware that there is a minimum commitment level which includes:

  • Attendance at a mentee meeting appointment where you will set individual objectives and priorities with a member of the Bradford Mentoring Programme team
  • A minimum of four meetings with your mentor during a period of four to six months.  (Please note this is flexible as you and your mentor may choose to communicate electronically, through Skype or over the telephone). As a mentee you need to make the initial contact with your matched mentor to organise the first meeting.

Mentee Application Form

Apply for the Bradford Mentoring Programme. Please complete all sections as fully as possible. If you require this information in an alternative format, please contact our team. You can also read our Website Accessibility Statement.

If you require this information in an alternative format, please contact our team. You can also read our Website Accessibility Statement.

Tips for completing the application form

There are a limited amount of mentoring partnerships available so the application form is your opportunity to convince the team of why you are particularly suited to the scheme. Below are some tips to help you complete the form.

  • Take time to look carefully at the form and draft your answers before completing your final copy, making sure you have checked spelling and grammar.
  • Remember we are looking for commitment and motivation to take part in the scheme, not prior experience. You should consider how best you can evidence this. Provide as much information as possible to make it clear what you hope to achieve and to enable the team to match you to the right mentor.
  • Consider why you are an ideal candidate, for example is this down to your commitment, interest, availability etc?
  • Think about how you intend to use the experience of mentoring to move your career ideas forward – is there a way you can evidence this on the form?
  • Be specific in saying what areas you are keen to have a mentor from i.e. focus on the job role i.e. Accountant is preferable to Financial Services roles (unless you really are flexible).
  • Look at the mini mentor bio descriptions added to the Handshake vacancy – Add which ones that you would be interested in 
  • Keep a copy of the form for future reference when working with your mentor. 

Next steps

  1. Applications will open for 23/24 in Autumn 2023.
  2. Matching you with a mentor - After completing your mentee application form (and a suitable mentor can be sourced) you will be matched as soon as possible (Please note: There will always be those students who we are unable to match. In these circumstances we aim to provide the individual student with constructive feedback, and there is the opportunity to reapply).
  3. Your mentoring partnership commences - You will be provided with your mentors details and vice versa so you can introduce yourself and schedule a first meeting.
  4. Feedback and updates - The team will be in contact to see how things are progressing over the 4-6 month period, but you are encouraged to update us to let us know how you are getting on.

How will mentoring help me?

These are just some of the benefits of the Mentoring Scheme:

  • Insight into your chosen industry or career - You will gain a deeper understanding of the type of work involved, what skills are required and an insider's view of what real success means within the industry. Your mentor is also likely to have useful tips of how to break into and succeed in your chosen career.
  • New perspective - A mentor is an independent voice, outside of education, family or work and is a great person to chat through your ideas with, in a confidential and non-judgemental way.
  • Personal development and reflection - Mentoring can help you to recognise your own abilities and limitations in relation to your career ideas and highlight areas for development. You may find yourself taking time to consider what you really want out of a career, what your goals are, and how you will achieve them.
  • Development of specialist skills - You will be matched to a mentor from your chosen career area or with someone who has specialist skills or interests that reflect your needs. This is an opportunity to gain an understanding of the specialist skills that are needed for that job role and consider how you will develop these skills for your future career.
  • Development of employability skills - Mentees regularly comment that they have developed skills in communication, listening, negotiation, time management and commercial awareness as well as their overall confidence.  Additionally, a mentor can provide practical support in other essential areas such as interview preparation, professional behaviour or developing strong leadership skills.
  • Opportunity to network - Mentors often introduce their mentees to a network of individuals and organisations that ordinarily you wouldn’t have access to. This can prove invaluable when developing knowledge about your career ideas and, in the past, has led to real career opportunities for mentees.
  • Confidence - Your mentor will aim to give you the personal support you need to face your job search with confidence. With regular, constructive feedback the mentoring process will enable you to become more self-aware and to know your strengths, your aspirations and your areas for improvement

How will I work with the mentor?

Below are some example activities that you may wish to suggest to your mentor, but be aware that these will be dependent on your mentor's availability, workplace limitations and working regulations.     

  • Discussion of mentor’s career progression - to gain some background information on how they got to where they are now. How did they develop, progress and make career decisions?
  • Reflection and discussion around your career choices, including advice via email – to consider how you might research your ideas further in a wider context.
  • Help with your CV – advice and tips on how to improve the overall presentation and impact of your CV. It is extremely useful to get an employer and industry perspective.
  • Mock interview - a practice session is a useful tool for enhancing your abilities at interview. This might be with your mentor or one of their colleagues.  
  • Meetings with mentor’s colleagues and external clients, including assistance with presentations - leading to potential networking opportunities, sharing of ideas, develop understanding of good working practice and new perspectives, enhances professional presentation techniques and experience.
  • Working on developing confidence and assertiveness.

Please note that the above is intended to provide a guide to help you consider how you might work together and is NOT intended to form a prescriptive list of activities.

Throughout the process you will also have the full support of Career and Employability Services should you need any further assistance.

Frequently asked questions

What is a typical mentor like?

This is a difficult question to answer as we have mentors from all backgrounds and from both the private and public sector. In recent years we have had mentors who are: Genetic Counsellors, Solicitors, IT Managers, Human Resource Managers, Management Consultants, Physiotherapists, Environmental Consultants, Finance Managers, Accountants, Counsellors and Barristers (to name a few!)    

There is a growing list of mentors who offer their support to the scheme and these come from a wide range of local, national and international organisations.

What do the mentors get out of being involved? Are they paid?

We do not pay mentors so your mentor will have applied to the scheme for one of many reasons, but not for financial reimbursement. Mentors often comment that they gain as much as their mentee from the partnership. They comment on benefits such as: skills development, career progression, learning about undergraduates needs and seeing their own role from a fresh perspective. As many mentors are graduates themselves they also recognise this as an opportunity to ‘give something back’ to the university community.

Whose responsibility is it to arrange meetings?

It is primarily your responsibility as a mentee.  By taking the lead in arranging your meetings you will enhance your confidence in working within a professional setting.  We understand that you have other commitments outside of mentoring, but please note that your ability to organise and time manage are essential skills within the mentoring partnership

How many times would I meet with my mentor?

The commitment is to meet with your mentor for four, one-hour meetings - however this is flexible, and negotiable with your mentor.  For example, you may feel that it is more constructive to meet for two, two-hours. The commitment level is provided as a guide to ensure that both mentee and mentor are given the opportunity to benefit from and develop the mentoring partnership.

When would I contact my mentor?

Initially it is good practice to contact your mentor during business hours, until you have agreed the best contact ‘times’ for each other.  Agreeing time boundaries, at the start of the mentoring partnership, ensures that you both feel comfortable in contacting each other.  There is guidance on this in the training and resources pack, alongside support with how to structure your meetings and make best use of the time.

What if I don’t get on with my mentor?

Remember this is a new partnership, which can take a while to establish so be persistent and try to resolve issues effectively between you and your mentor. If you are finding this difficult and need further advice, please contact Career and Employability Services so we can offer you our support.

What if my mentor is not from my chosen career area?

We aim to match partnerships based on career interests, however we have found that partnerships can be equally productive and successful with matches from different career areas. Careful consideration is given to each partnership match and this may include additional information that you have provided, alongside your career choice. The objective of mentoring is to enable you to gain awareness and develop new skills and we have found that this can be developed through many types of mentoring partnerships.

How to become a mentor

Since 2001, The Bradford Mentoring Programme has been a platform for University of Bradford students to connect with experienced professionals who can offer valuable help and advice based on their experiences.

Visit our dedication page for an information pack and how to find out more on becoming a mentor.

Comments from previous mentees:

 “I cannot appreciate this programme enough for giving me the ability to explore the options I have after graduating and learning from someone who is much more experienced and knowledgeable.”

- Rahath, Year 2 BSc Chemistry with Industrial Experience

“My mentor helped me to better focus on my career path by setting specific targets and checking the achievement of each of them. They also helped me develop a wide network of contacts and learn more about individual career paths in the sector.”

- Bianca, Year 3 BSc International Business and Management

“My mentor has openly shared his networks and has connected me to diverse people, who I would not have met as a student. This has given me future networks to tap from for my career.”

- Rehmah, MA Peace, Conflict and Development Studies

Additionally, mentees have commented on how mentoring has:

  • enhanced their understanding of job roles 
  • helped them consider their next steps and how to get in and get on! A recent mentee commented that mentoring gives you "an honest insight into the job, the good and the bad!"
  • taught them how versatile their degrees are and this has built confidence when looking for graduate roles.
  • helped them consider how they will stand out from the crowd
  • assisted in preparing students for interviews.