10 Years of Alumni Mentoring: A Defining Moment
It’s not what you know, but who you know.’
It’s one of those phrases said so much, its true meaning feels lost behind the cliché. But if a decade of alumni and students connecting is anything to go by, the credibility of these words is hard to ignore. Here we define a decade of alumni mentoring, proving that it’s people who make all the difference.
Employability
Noun
The quality of being suitable for paid work.
How do you teach students to be employable? For some subjects, hands-on, industry-led learning is expected, and thankfully nowadays many degrees offer work placements and practical experience.
But what about those subjects with less obvious routes to employment? And what about students who are first in their family to go to university and navigate a graduate career?
In 2014, Sheffield launched alumni mentoring to harness the wealth of industry experience held by former students. Since then, almost 1,400 alumni have connected with more than 3,700 students to answer questions, provide advice and in some cases offer opportunities.
The proposition is simple. Former students connect with current students interested in pursuing similar careers. For students like Beth, this unassuming programme provided guidance that was anything but.
“I signed up because I was at a bit of a crossroads deciding on a career path. I was matched with a mentor who I really related to. I felt I could ask her anything. I finished feeling so much more confident and with a lot of practical advice on choosing a career route, writing my CV and applying for jobs.” BETH, BA English Language & Literature.
Confidence
Noun
A feeling of trust in one’s abilities, qualities, and judgement.
An understanding of where confidence comes from is central to Sheffield’s goal of boosting student employability. Having the required skills and knowledge is one route to confidence, but it’s not the only piece of the puzzle.
For many, confidence comes from seeing yourself in those who have achieved what you want to achieve. But for students soon to graduate, it’s fairly unlikely they’ll have a direct connection within their chosen industry.
Back in 2021, Sheffield launched Coach Cafe to tackle this. A series of online networking sessions, giving students the chance to meet people from all over the world, working in the roles they’re interested in. The best part? The ‘coaches’ are all Sheffield alumni who, not too long ago, were in the same shoes as the students.
“Coach Cafe offered an insightful speed run of various roles. I had the chance to learn about jobs I didn’t even know existed. Speaking to alumni who were once in a similar position to me and achieved what I hope for myself, has been a confidence building and optimistic experience.” DARIA, BA East Asian Studies.
Network
Noun
A group or system of interconnected people or things.
Professional networking is often dreaded no matter your age or line of work. But for fresh-faced graduates, the thought of striking-up conversations with a room full of strangers is especially daunting.
10 years ago, City Connections was established to relieve some of these anxieties. The annual event sees students from underrepresented backgrounds visit alumni working in a variety of businesses, showing that although aspirational, these jobs are not unattainable.
A day in the city culminates in a welcoming and friendly networking session where the students have the chance to practice their skills.
“As someone who struggles with social anxiety, and sometimes goes out of my way to avoid social settings, interacting and taking part in the networking has massively helped my self-confidence in both university and my personal life.” ZAYNAB, LLB Law.
Glossary
CITY CONNECTIONS
A day visiting alumni businesses in London or a northern city, followed by an evening networking event for current students and alumni.
COACH CAFE
Online networking, themed by subject or industry. Alumni ‘coaches’ connect with current students to answer questions and offer advice.
e-MENTORING
Matches students to alumni working in fields they have an interest in. Mentoring takes place online through email or virtual meetings over the course of 8-10 weeks.
THE BOARDROOM
An exclusive online lecture-based course delivered by leading industry experts for a select cohort of students.
