Work based mentor guide by

What is a Senior Leader Apprenticeship?

louisemustchin1 — 2024-07-02 12:26:18 UTC

A Senior Leader Apprenticeship is a funded programme designed to develop middle managers into senior leaders. The programme works best for managers with 3 to 5 years’ management experience, who aspire to be in a more senior position. An apprenticeship combines studying with working. Apprentices learn as they work, drawing upon and reflecting on their work-place experiences and applying what has been learned back to work.

What is the role of the Work Based Mentor?

louisemustchin1 — 2024-07-02 12:27:35 UTC

Every Learner on the programme is supported by a Work-Based Mentor. The role of the Work-Based Mentor is ultimately to help the Learner develop their full professional competency as a Senior Leader.

The course requires learners to develop outside of their normal working area. Work-Based Mentors can act as a sponsor, opening doors for the learner to connect with other departments and gain valuable experience. Mentors provide valuable learning support, helping the learner to think about how they can apply what they have learned in the context of their organisation.

What makes a great Work Based Mentor?

louisemustchin1 — 2024-07-02 12:29:47 UTC

Authority: Apprentices rely on learning from those above, so a Mentor must be in a more senior position than the learner.

Time: Mentors need to be able to commit the time to support the Learner in Tripartite Review Meetings and regular check-ins, up until the end of the programme.

Experience: Mentors need to have significant experience in either a senior leadership role or functional expertise in their department, preferably both.

Network: A great Mentor should be well connected across the organisation, so that they can introduce the Learner into areas outside their immediate scope of work.

Relationship: It’s important that the Mentor knows or is familiar with the Learner. The Mentor needs to be able to assess the Learner’s skills and expertise, and track progress throughout the course.