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Future Frontiers: How to be a career coach and mentor – Rob Gill

by: Rob Gill, partner at Mercury Foreign Exchange
  • 08/05/2018
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I love my children. I enjoy getting exercised by most things economics, politics and current affairs related. Not to mention a certain North London football club and their stubborn, well past his sell by date manager.

 

I harbour dreams of becoming a full time crypto-currency trader. However, when I got the chance to have a few months off work recently, I realised that spending too much time on any of these passions wouldn’t be good for my sanity or bank balance.

Fortunately, technology of a non-Blockchain variety helped me find another outlet. Through the power of Google, I got in touch with Future Frontiers, an award-winning charity who train and provide volunteer career coaches to young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. Their head of partnerships promptly got in touch, signed me up to a training course and got me involved.

 

Pushing the boundaries

Over the following months, I worked with Future Frontiers and its schools in a number of different ways. First and foremost, I coached half a dozen pre-GSCE students at a school in South London, using the Future Frontiers programme to help them identify and research an inspiring career, then build an academic plan to achieve the qualifications towards this career.

I gave talks in schools to assemblies of over 200 students. A rather daunting prospect although fortunately the subject matter of ‘Success is not a straight line’ was right up my street. I also undertook some professional expert calls, giving guidance on my first career as an investment banker. Bizarrely I haven’t had any kids wanting to become a mortgage broker.

 

Time to step up

Future Frontiers is doing amazing work and wants do much more. The charity would like to hear from other professionals keen to become volunteer career coaches.

It really wants to attract more businesses to work with the team and the schools on an exciting programme where they bring students to a place of work to undertake the coaching onsite. This provides a convenient way for businesses and their employees to take part in coaching, plus an aspirational environment for the students.

If you’re interested in becoming a coach, or can help with an introduction to a large bank or other corporate, I’d love to put you in touch with the inspiring people behind this brilliant initiative. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with them, their schools and the students and am sure the generous people of the mortgage industry will want to add their support.

For more on how to become a mentor to students on the Future Frontiers programme, see the website.

Email Rob Gill, partner at Mercury FX for more information.

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