Mentoring is an integral part of London Transport Museum’s (LTM) apprenticeship programme.
Mentoring opportunities exist for apprentices working across the museum’s learning, customer service and curatorial teams.
In 2015 the museum decided that its four apprentices, whose posts were funded by Arts Council England (ACE) and the Heritage Lottery Fund, should find their own mentor, unlike in previous years when the process was managed by the learning team. The aim was to ensure apprentices get advice from people outside the museum’s learning team and has resulted in people with expertise in marketing, public programming and events becoming mentors.
In one instance, however, the mentor was so senior that she didn’t have time to commit to the process. In order to avoid this problem the apprentices' line managers have now been asked to advise them on their choice of mentors. “Our apprentices still get to pick who their mentors are, but we do advise them to pick people in middle management roles who can commit to the time," says Dhikshana Pering, the learning officer at LTM.
Mentors are also given a document explaining what mentoring is and the time commitment it involves. Training sessions are also provided for mentors to ensure they understand the role and what is expected of them.
“A mentor gives someone another line of support away from their line manager," Pering says. "It may be that they have a great relationship with their line manager but that he or she is caught up with project work and deliverables."
“The member of staff might want to explore why their relationship with the line manager isn’t working and a mentor can give them the space to do that."
LTM’s apprenticeship programme is one of a number of initiatives designed to create professional development opportunities.
The museum’s Young People’s Skills Programme aims to increase Stem (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) skills for those between the ages of 11 and 16. And its Engineering Ambassador programme, run in partnership with Transport for London, to provides support, training and networking opportunities for transport engineers who get involved with initiatives to support young people.
LTM also uses its collections and historical material to contribute to a pre-employment training programme, where TFL’s suppliers work with Neet (not in education, employment or training) young people. At the end of a three-day course participants have the chance to pitch for live jobs with the suppliers.
“They get offered a job on the sport and fast-tracked into roles," says Pering. "We have people come through that programme that have ended up on graduate schemes even though they haven’t gone through the traditional university route to becoming civil engineers."
“We are looking beyond our own sector in supporting social mobility and that really is a museum changing lives."
Mentoring opportunities exist for apprentices working across the museum’s learning, customer service and curatorial teams.
In 2015 the museum decided that its four apprentices, whose posts were funded by Arts Council England (ACE) and the Heritage Lottery Fund, should find their own mentor, unlike in previous years when the process was managed by the learning team. The aim was to ensure apprentices get advice from people outside the museum’s learning team and has resulted in people with expertise in marketing, public programming and events becoming mentors.
In one instance, however, the mentor was so senior that she didn’t have time to commit to the process. In order to avoid this problem the apprentices' line managers have now been asked to advise them on their choice of mentors. “Our apprentices still get to pick who their mentors are, but we do advise them to pick people in middle management roles who can commit to the time," says Dhikshana Pering, the learning officer at LTM.
Mentors are also given a document explaining what mentoring is and the time commitment it involves. Training sessions are also provided for mentors to ensure they understand the role and what is expected of them.
“A mentor gives someone another line of support away from their line manager," Pering says. "It may be that they have a great relationship with their line manager but that he or she is caught up with project work and deliverables."
“The member of staff might want to explore why their relationship with the line manager isn’t working and a mentor can give them the space to do that."
LTM’s apprenticeship programme is one of a number of initiatives designed to create professional development opportunities.
The museum’s Young People’s Skills Programme aims to increase Stem (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) skills for those between the ages of 11 and 16. And its Engineering Ambassador programme, run in partnership with Transport for London, to provides support, training and networking opportunities for transport engineers who get involved with initiatives to support young people.
LTM also uses its collections and historical material to contribute to a pre-employment training programme, where TFL’s suppliers work with Neet (not in education, employment or training) young people. At the end of a three-day course participants have the chance to pitch for live jobs with the suppliers.
“They get offered a job on the sport and fast-tracked into roles," says Pering. "We have people come through that programme that have ended up on graduate schemes even though they haven’t gone through the traditional university route to becoming civil engineers."
“We are looking beyond our own sector in supporting social mobility and that really is a museum changing lives."