Ethnic Minority Mentoring Scheme
Applications for 2023 are now closed and will reopen in Autumn 2024.
About the Scheme
The scheme offers aspiring black and ethnic-minority undergraduates the opportunity to forge a one-to-one connection with a professional mentor also from an ethnic background. Following our pilot of the scheme last year and positive feedback from mentees and mentors who engaged, we’re excited to be offering the opportunity again this year.
You will be linked to professionals from the world of work - to gain support and experience and benefit from their expertise. You will also be linked to professionals who may have overcome the same barriers, challenges and struggles you might face as an ethnic minority individual.
This scheme focuses on the development of ‘soft’ skills – leadership, communication, time/self-management, teamwork, resilience, independence, self-awareness with the overall aim of building your confidence and helping you feel empowered to achieve your career aspirations.
When it will take place and commitment required
The mentorship journey will require a minimum of 1 hour commitment per month, for 6-8 months.
Who can apply
This scheme will be open to UG, home students from ethnic minority background in the following colleges / schools:
- College of Social Sciences
- School of Metallurgy and Materials
- School of Maths
This will revised for Autumn 2024.
Hear what our previous mentee have to say about the scheme
Britney Gedeon- Second Year Economics student
“I applied for the Ethnic Minority Mentoring Scheme last year as I felt that I needed some guidance, after my first year of university, with regards to what career I wanted to pursue that would be both enjoyable and suited to me. I also felt that during first year I was not as proactive as I could have been in relation to finding out about different industries and companies that could have been of interest.
Participating in this scheme was not only really insightful but also enjoyable as I was able to have interesting monthly meetings with a black female CEO of a company. She not only inspired me with her career journey after finishing her degree at the University of Birmingham but she recommended that I joined some really good programmes such as SEO London that really helped me to decide what career sectors I wanted to look further into. Not only this, but she motivated me to partake in a number of extra-curricular activities in second year to make myself a stronger applicant for future internships.
I would recommend the scheme to anyone who feels that they need a bit of motivation for navigating what career path they want to follow and would benefit especially from a person with an ethnic background giving this advice. I would also say that you need to be fully committed and proactive in planning the monthly meetings to gain the most out of this scheme.”
Hear what our previous mentors have to say about the scheme
Annabell Lambam MSc International Marketing, 2012
Jake Webber, BA Social Policy, 2004
