Matthew, Economics student, applied to the Career Mentor Scheme to gain a better understanding of the financial sector in order to learn about the specific professions that he may wish to pursue. Through the scheme, Matthew was matched with an Economics graduate from the University of Exeter who is now the Assistant Vice President at Barclays Wealth, having been with the firm for 10 years.

“Extremely valuable in helping you achieve your goals”

Matthew tells us more about his experience below:

What were your highlights of the scheme?

Learning about my mentor’s business and past career, and different models for approaching Insight into the financial world. I was able to gain a greater understanding of the system and how I can utilise my skills to find the job right for me.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

Networking opportunities and personal development.

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

This is such a useful way to get an insight into your desired career. Your mentor’s knowledge will be extremely valuable in helping you achieve your goals and ultimately they were in the same shoes as you at some stage. They can draw on these experiences to give you the best opportunity to kick start your career!