The power of alumni mentoring

Tyrone Stewart (MSc 2022) was mentored as part of our alumni mentoring programme during his master’s, by Andrew Jones (BSc 2014), a business coach.

During my master’s I really wanted to be proactive and put myself in the best position for after my studies. Whilst the course taught me a lot about the theories of business, and I made some good connections with my course mates, it didn’t feel enough to set me apart.

When the mentoring scheme was mentioned, I applied straight away in the hope that I could develop some extra skills and build my network.

The mentoring programme itself was great. I was paired with Andrew Jones (BSc 2014), a business coach from the NatWest business accelerator, and we hit it off immediately. We built up a strong rapport over the sessions and now have a really good friendship.

Andrew gave me a lot of practical insights into entrepreneurship that I otherwise wouldn’t have had, and we were able to delve into some of his experiences. He helped teach me that to be successful in business, you have to have a network and professional clout. The first thing I did after our first session was head straight to LinkedIn to expand my network and reach out to people I thought might be useful to connect with. Having the professional insight from someone who’s experienced in business and entrepreneurship gave me the confidence to do that, and it paid dividends.

Since I finished my master’s I’ve started working for a tech start-up, Governance360, as Head of Product. Without question, the mentoring programme helped me develop the communication, leadership and organisational skills essential to my role today.

Recently, I came back to talk to current students about mentoring, and how it worked for me. I wanted to share with them that they need to be proactive in pursuing their goals. I got so much from the mentoring programme and from Cardiff University, I wanted to give back and help future students any way I can.

Call for Alumni mentors

Are you interested in volunteering to support the next generation of professionals in your sector and share your knowledge, skills, and experience?

We’re looking for Cardiff University Alumni to support current students to gain valuable advice and insights that help them build confidence in their career choices through our online Career Mentoring Programme. The deadline for applications is 1 October 2023.

If you’re a Cardiff alum keen to find, or become a mentor for a fellow graduate, our alumni networking platform Cardiff Connected helps you find the right match. It’s quick and easy to register, and you can filter by industry and location to search those offering or asking for help.

There are also lots of other ways you can volunteer your time and expertise to help inspire and support the next generation of Cardiff University students and alumni.