Between May of his penultimate and October of his final year James was mentored by Procurement Officer at Cornwall Council. This mentor has a variety of experiences in the Purchasing and Procurement sector. He has previously worked as a Project Manager at Heart of Borneo Project and as a Project Officer at the Cornwall Development Company.

Here is what James shared with us about the benefits of the scheme to his career development.

What were the highlights of the scheme for you?

• Getting to understand first hand the work undertaken by my mentor and seeing how he dealt with certain problems.
• A good understanding of what the next stage is after University.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

Having someone to guide me through the graduate scheme application stage.

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

Definitely do it as having someone to push you will mean you make quicker progress when looking for a job.

His mentor said:

“It’s been great to work with a mentee who is a little less confident, to try and grow his confidence.”