Joel was interested in a career in Defence and Public Protection and wanted to get an insight into the profession. He therefore applied to be mentored by a Civil Servant at the Ministry of Defence. Working at the Ministry of Defences since 2003, at the time of their partnership this mentor’s main responsibilities related to project management, ministerial and parliamentary business and International Relations.

Joel had set a number of ambitious objectives at the beginning of the scheme and managed to achieve all of them, including gaining work experience and developing his interview techniques.

What was the highlight of the scheme for you?

Going to the Ministry of Defence in Bristol for work experience was very enlightening.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

Work experience, networking and understanding what it takes to get the job that I want and other non-academic skills I would need.

What message would you give to a student thinking of applying for the Career Mentor Scheme?

Use every opportunity you get to learn, from their mistakes and successes.