By Alan Vallance, RIBA Chief Executive / Jane Duncan, RIBA President
Mentoring is a positive way of getting the support you need from the people who have been there and done it.
It’s also a great way for mentors to give something back and support the
next generation.
RIBA offers a range of in-person mentoring opportunities, all part of RIBA Chartered Membership. Contact your regional office or branch to find out what mentoring opportunities are available in your area.
Mentoring programmes play an important role in improving expertise and capability within architecture, and are a valuable tool in helping to share connections and build leadership qualities.
When you embark on a mentoring programme, you’ll be supported to develop your career at your own pace. Your mentor can guide you in the context of your own career, taking into account your particular circumstances, your current level and the role you have in your practice.
These mentoring opportunities offer you a safe place to learn – somewhere you can ask all the questions you need to help you take bigger leaps than you may have expected.
Without doubt, mentoring will boost your confidence, improve your skills and provide you with access to knowledge and experience you do not yet have. A mentor will help you build your ability to critically reflect on situations so you can deal with similar ones better in the future, as well as showing you how you can become more client aware and commercially intelligent.
Importantly, you will be given the time and space to be able to develop your skills with the support of a knowledgeable, expert architect who has experienced it all. As a result of regular mentoring sessions, you’ll be more likely to be able to resolve challenges and set more ambitious objectives and goals for yourself.
As a result of mentoring opportunities, you will stimulate your professional aspirations and your mentor will be able to help you find ways to progress your career. Mentoring will also help you with your CPD as you gain better communication, evaluation and leadership skills.
Ultimately, mentoring can help you fast track your career and get the edge on the competition. It will help you to work smarter, get the job done better and faster, and make the right connections to get ahead.
Find out more about RIBA Chartered Membership and
mentoring opportunities.
