Mentoring is a great opportunity for colleagues to discover the right path to take to explore new opportunities and to reach ambitions.
We offer mentoring by matching colleagues with another colleague who has the right skills, knowledge and experience to provide support so that you can progress further within your career by learning from the experience of others. They can guide, advise, and support you to be the best you can be in your career. But it’s a two-way process and the mentor also develops themselves and leadership style.
Mentoring is also key to the success of our apprenticeships. Having a great mentor is particularly important for our trade apprentices in HomeCare, who are matched with an experienced mentor from their trade from day one. Mentors help apprentices throughout each stage of their journey – from being a friendly face and introducing them to the Abri values, to quite literally teaching them the tricks of the trade!
Harrison Buckley, one of our Property Maintenance Apprentices, shared his positive experiences of having more than one mentor during his apprenticeship with us.
“My first mentor, Hadyn Hodges (Multi-Skilled Operative) helped me get to know the company and get connected with other colleagues. Andy Cranage (Multi-Skilled Operative) supported me to work independently in our empty homes and equipped me with plastering techniques. Matt Greenbaum (Multi-Skilled Operative) has passed on his excellent knowledge and supported me with lots of other aspects of my work. All three were great mentors.”
Andy Cranage, Multi-Skilled Operative and one of our apprentice mentors within HomeCare, said: “I was fortunate to learn from extremely skilled people, and can only do what I do now because they took the time to teach me. I hope can pass on some of my knowledge to someone else and help them with their future.”
Matt Greenbaum, another of our Multi-Skilled Operative mentors, said: “As a mentor, I get to pass on the skills I’ve learnt, some of which I was shown as an apprentice. When our apprentices are fully skilled you have the satisfaction of knowing you’ve helped them to where they are today.”
Alex Brown, Labourer, also benefited from three mentors. He said: “Dave Coxen, Alex Gooder and Bradley Quick were all great mentors and happy to answer any of my questions. It’s also great to learn from others in the team, like Dan Brydon, my supervisor, and get feedback on technical issues.
Dave Coxen, Electrician told us what skills make a great mentor. Dave said: “Patience is a great attribute and as a mentor. And you don’t want your apprentices to fumble their way through – it’s much better for them to ask you so that you can help out.”