Students at UTC Swindon are firmly in the driving seat when planning their careers in technology and engineering thanks to mentoring from graduate and apprentice recruits at BMW Group’s MINI plant in Swindon.

As part of the Duke of York Group Mentoring Programme the five advisors will be meeting groups of students four times over the course of the year.

After focusing on building trust and rapport between students and mentors during the first session, the programme moves into looking at technology in-depth, where mentors describe to the students how they experience technology on a day-to-day basis. Students then discuss their specific interest in technology, spurring interesting conversations that help them to identify long term career aspirations.

The third session of the mentoring programme focuses on planning short-term goals, such as assignment deadlines, mock exams, exams, UCAS application and apprenticeship applications.

The final session of the year is on reflection, looking back on the student’s performance throughout the year and understanding their success and failures to define how they might change their approach to things to perform better in the future.

Jon Oliver, Principal of UTC Swindon, said: “The mentors from BMW Group give our students a valuable perspective on how they can prepare for the workplace. They help students make the connection between their studies and the careers they plan to pursue and also offer advice on how to plan for the next steps and keep on top of study schedules. We’re delighted with the way the programme is running and with the excellent support from BMW Group, one of our valued industry partners.”

Chris Mark, manager of the MINI Plant in Swindon said “Starting a conversation between our young employees and the students and keeping that relationship going for a year helps the students understand more about the workplace, prepare them for the world of work, and give them practical advice and support during their studies.”

UTC Swindon also offers preparation for applications for the Duke of York Award which recognises the achievements of young people in Technical Education.

Students can undertake four independent careers investigations including:

•Identification of aspirational apprenticeships: to find out about the entry requirements, salary, specialism.

•Research of professional institutions: to discover the benefits of membership.

•Long term jobs and career paths: to search the job market for senior engineering roles relevant to the students’ interests.

•Apprenticeship applications: to prepare students for multiple applications for which they need a timeline.

For more information about the Duke of York Group Mentoring Programme visit www.utcswindon.co.uk