Our Mentoring Academy pairs young people in further or higher education with professionals from one of our corporate partners as part of our Power2 Aspire programme.
Over 6 months, teams of mentors are supported by us to work through a personal and professional development curriculum. The focus is on building confidence, developing soft skills, building professional networks and exploring career paths.
At the beginning of the programme, Zakiyah was paired with Heloise, a Senior Consultant at Moorhouse. In their first few sessions, Zakiyah spoke openly about the kind of support she needed to help her grow and prepare for the future.
Heloise offered encouragement and was a listening ear for Zakiyah.
Heloise’s reassurance was
really comforting.
She reminded me that there’s no deadline for knowing exactly what I want to do, and that many people are in the same position
as me.
Together, they focused on developing key personal and professional skills. Zakiyah said:
Heloise’s support in refining my CV was super helpful and has made a real difference in how I present myself to potential employers.
Heloise introduced practical tools such as CV support, interview techniques and exploring career options.
“I gained a lot from our sessions, particularly in developing my communication skills and improving my approach to time management. She also gave me advice on how to prioritise tasks and avoid procrastination which has been so valuable,” said Zakiyah.
In addition to one-to-one mentoring, Zakiyah participated in group sessions which created opportunities for skill building and collaboration.
Heloise said, “The balance between one-to-one sessions and group workshops for practical skill building were especially powerful. The group sessions allowed Zakiyah to form close bonds with fellow mentees and interact with other mentors which helped her grow her professional network.”
By the end of the programme, Zakiyah grew in confidence and had a clearer vision of the career path she wanted to take. Heloise supported her every step of the way.
“I connected Zakiyah with someone in her field of interest, helping her gain insight into different roles and potential career paths,” said Heloise.
Although her time on the Mentoring Academy has ended, Zakiyah still has support from Heloise if she ever needs it.
Knowing that I have someone I can turn to for guidance beyond the programme is
truly appreciated.
