I initially came across AYP Mentoring Scheme when I attended the March 2017 AYP Ball at Pittodrie Stadium. I was greatly encouraged by the high turnout of young professionals in Aberdeen and the support that the AYP Scheme offers. My first contact was with one of the mentors and a family friend, Stacy Edghill who enlightened me on the AYP Scheme and its opportunities.


Currently to date, I am still at the early stage of my career story and will be graduating with a BA in Law and Management. As of September 2017, I will be continuing my studies in my second year of the LLB (Hons) at Robert Gordon University. I am a very passionate and a hardworking student, who recognises any opportunity for development.

The AYP scheme offers a great opportunity for personal development and I personally feel that the support and advice from successful professionals will be extremely beneficial in my further progression through higher education.  Therefore, the AYP mentoring seemed an extremely supportive scheme which I felt would be of great benefit to both parties involved.

 I contacted Steve White about the mentor scheme who was extremely helpful and supportive in joining the AYP Mentoring Scheme. Steve advised me on how to apply and I began the journey in applying for Rod Hutchison to be my Mentor.  Rod is a partner at Ledingham Chalmers and is an ideal choice as he is a significant figure in the legal profession in Aberdeen. As Rod’s mentee, I feel we both share an enthusiastic approach to the scheme and I felt his advice and support would be highly valuable.

I have currently met with Rod for the first coffee in which I was very nervous. Straight away I felt relaxed speaking to Rod as he shared stories of his career path and general conversations getting to know each other and what I would like to establish from the AYP Mentoring Scheme. The first meeting was a great success by expressing my career ambition and telling Rod of my university experience to date. As a student, I feel being able to ask questions and asking for advice is extremely beneficial. Rod has recently encouraged me to attend Offshore Europe and will hopefully get an opportunity to catch up at the event. Stacy Edghill who is also a mentor for the scheme has provided her support and we have arranged to meet at the Offshore Europe event for networking.
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I would like to thank Rod and the AYP Mentor Scheme so far for providing me support and encouragement - every student needs it!

I first heard about the AYP Mentor Scheme when I was searching online for business support in Aberdeen.

I set up my business whilst on Maternity Leave, and having never ran one before I was hoping for some advice. Given that my business is a little niche, and that it provides a community service,  I was struggling to find the support I was requiring, and when I saw Duncan Skinner’s bio, I was delighted as I knew he would be able to be a great help because of his experience with not just businesses but with social enterprises too. 

Our first meeting confirmed my hopes that he would understand the questions I had and was able to guide me through the options available to me. I’m now in a position where I have a strategy in place for the future, and Duncan has kindly agreed to help look over my business plan and answer any questions as I move forward. 

We’re just at the start of the process, but I can already see the huge benefits the scheme is going to have not only on my business, but in term impacting the City as we are able to move towards offering more in our local communities. 

Thank you for the opportunity.

Jess 

​I initially found out about the AYP Mentoring Scheme when I read a blog on LinkedIn from one of the mentees from the 2016 programme.  Laura’s account of her professional relationship with her mentor sounded exactly like what I was looking for.  The fact that the programme was closed to applicants didn’t stop me from contacting Steve White and registering my interest.  I hit it off immediately with Steve and we both felt confident that the AYP Mentoring Scheme would be of benefit to me both personally and professionally.
 
The last three years have been a bit of a whirlwind career wise; having transitioned from junior doctor to charity volunteer to charity manager.  I have great passion and enthusiasm for my current role and wanted to be the best possible manager for this very worthwhile charity.  This is my first managerial role and I felt that I would benefit from a mentor to help steer me in the right direction.  I have actively sought out mentors both formally and informally, but still felt like I hadn’t found what I needed to be truly successful and happy in my role.
 
I felt like I had hit the jackpot when Steve called to tell me that he had ‘matched’ me with Colette Backwell, CEO of CLAN.  My mum has worked with CLAN as a therapist for many years so it is a charity very close to my heart and Colette’s background across the public, private and third sector really impressed me.  I was apprehensive before our initial meeting as I have had bad experiences with managers in the past.  I think this meeting lasted nearly 2 hours, where we shared our relative career histories and the highs and lows we have both experienced.  I found Colette very easy to talk to, and appreciated her honesty and openness in describing her own experiences.  I have always been a very honest person, at times this has been to my detriment, but found it refreshing to be able to speak to someone without needing to be careful about what I said.  
 
I have met Colette a number of times since our first meeting and the most valuable thing she has taught me is to have confidence in myself and the importance of personal resilience.  For the first time in my professional career, I feel like I have someone who understands me as an individual and as a manager.  As busy as Colette is, she always finds the time to talk if I need to, whether face to face or on the phone.  She has been invaluable recently when I had a work issue which was really stressing me out.  She provided practical advice on how to tackle it; using facts not emotions to get my point across.
 
I have always struggled to ask for help, but feel now that if I need advice in future, I will have the courage to ask for it as I realise that it is in fact the strong thing to do.  I feel very lucky to have Colette as a mentor and look forward to working with her in future.
 
I couldn’t write this blog without mentioning Steve, who in my head is always wearing a reindeer shirt, which is what he wore in our first meeting in December last year!  I feel like I have two mentors as Steve has given me some really sound advice and is another person I know is just on the other end of the phone if I need a chat.  Thank you to everyone involved in the AYP Mentoring Scheme, it has made such a difference to my life and I hope one day that I might even be able to repay them by becoming a mentor!

I have been aware of AYP for a number of years. It captured my intrigue and interest but I continued to watch from a far without taking the plunge and getting actively involved.
During my early career, I have been fortunate to benefit from a number of formal and informal mentor and coaching relationships.  During my time with Strategic Resources and Proserv, mentors have helped me understand my strengths and, more importantly, recognise my ‘opportunities for development’…I used to call these weaknesses! I recognise how their counsel and advice has positively affected my development and remain grateful for this support.
The AYP mentor scheme was therefore naturally attractive because of the positive mentoring experiences I’ve had to date. What particularly excited me, however, was the idea of a completely new viewpoint from someone who did not know me or the company I work for – an objective, agnostic, fresh standpoint. 
The other main motivation for applying to the programme was because I had recently undertaken a management role, responsible for a small team. In order to support and develop my team in the best way possible, I wanted to ensure I was a stronger best version of myself – which meant not just realising my shortcomings but doing something about them!
Upon applying to the programme, I was blown away by the standard of mentors AYP had been able to attract and knew I would benefit from working alongside any of them. Before reading Stacy Edghill’s bio, her name was already familiar to me. I had seen Stacy’s presence on social media, recognised her name from delegate lists at networking events and seen her name in the media. One of the reasons I identified Stacy as the mentor I most wanted to work with was because many of her strengths are areas which I find challenging. The skills, however, are key to my role and critical to my career development.

Stacy has taken time out of her hectic schedule to learn about me and what I am hoping to get from the programme. We have already started working towards achieving these goals. I am just at the beginning my journey on the on the mentor scheme with Stacy but I already see the benefits it is and will continue to yield.

I am delighted I finally pushed myself to get involved with the programme and look forward to continuing to benefit from Stacy’s support and guidance.

Sometime we just need someone to listen and offer a bit of advice, sometimes we need the support and guidance of someone that has been there and that’s where I was at when I applied to the AYP mentoring scheme in May of this year.
 


My career has taken real turn originally a banker for 15 years I took voluntary redundancy in Oct 2013 just as I became a mum again to baby Reece.  In 2014 when I was ready to return to the world of work again I wanted to use my banking skills but wasn’t really keen to return to the world of finance.  After a few tough months of searching I suddenly landed two offers of employment on the same day – office administrator for a law firm or PA to Thor Holt Ltd.  I am still delighted to say I chose the role with Thor and with his support and guidance I eventually found myself in a business development role for the company.  Fast-forward three years and with the Oil & Gas downturn still in full stride I have moved into a Business Development and Marketing role with RCP Ltd.
 
Whilst I am comfortable building relationships and getting out there to meet new people the Oil & Gas industry can be a real minefield and despite a great network both face to face and within LinkedIn I felt I needed some support from those on the inside.  Following a conversation with Finlay Johnston of Diamond Drilling he suggested I applied for an AYP Mentor.
 
AYP founded by Ross Jolly back in 2009 brings together young professionals either working or based in Aberdeen.  So off I set to apply for a mentor originally with a couple of people in mind I completed my application chose my 3 preferred and sent it back for consideration.  I am was delighted when just over two weeks ago I was appointed my Mentor and set about arranging to meet.
 
Last Friday I met my Mentor to be Ken Salmon, I was nervous, excited and slightly apprehensive as to what to expect from the meeting.  Instantly Ken made me feel at ease he’d certainly done his homework prior to the meeting and had a great understanding of who I was but was keen to find out what I was looking to gain from the experience. 
 
“A bit of guidance, support and the best way to use my time.  I’d also like a greater understanding of the industry”
 
And so my mentoring experience has begun I can’t wait to see where it takes me and as Ken said he is sure we can learn something from one another.
 
Follow my journey as a mentee with further updates soon….

I first came across AYP through a family friend. I didn’t fully understand the mentor process, I just knew I wanted a helping hand in career progression and in life. What does the word mentor mean? The dictionary describes it as “A wise and trusted councillor or teacher“ however this explanation does not do it justice. A mentor is someone who overseas your goals and ambitions and helps you reach every single one, someone who can guide and provide you with experienced intellect. Someone who can give you that kick in the back side when needed.
 
I remember reading Finlay Johnston’s blog and was interested in meeting him. I recently began a role within Business Development which of course can have its difficulty’s especially in the current climate.. So with Finlay being in Business Development and marketing I felt I would benefit most from someone who has experienced the hurdles I have faced. Our first conversation was about telephone and door to door sales, Finlay told me about his first “selling” role within retail banking and how he progressed into commercial banking. That sealed the deal for me.
 
Finlay has taught me a lot about how to build relationships, how to work smart, how to be proactive with each lead or potential client. His knowledge is truly priceless. Over the next few weeks I’m attending a networking event with Finlay, I am really looking forward to increasing my profile and meeting new people to build relationships with. I would like to take this opportunity to thank him for all his time so far and helping me progress. Finlay is a great guy and I can’t wait to continue this journey with him. I hope every mentee is having a fantastic time growing with their mentor. Exciting times ahead!

​Looking to excel my career and broaden my network, I started attending Aberdeen Young Professional events in 2015. I enjoyed the discussions and presentations offered during the events but I was unsure of the networking aspects surrounding them (I was quite cynical of their benefits and success). Having enjoyed previous events, I decided to attend the 2016 AYP Meet the Mentors event where I met and spoke with a range of the mentors (and others) throughout the night.
 
I was lucky enough to be chosen by Neil Smyth, construction director for Morrison construction, as I am looking to create a similar career path to what Neil has created for himself. I hope to draw on his experience and knowledge from within the industry to begin better shaping my career. Similarly to Neil, I am willing to learn and progress by covering any field that is required, often learning by the mistakes you make along the way.
 
Following the selection/pairing process our interactions have been limited due to an array of personal and work commitments we have been unable to truly begin the mentoring process. Committing to the AYP mentor scheme in May, I didn’t expect to find difficulties to commit to an hour or so every fortnight/month to meet over a coffee. While we have not been able to meet my mentor, I have been critically analysing my progress on weekly and monthly basis. While I discuss these to a certain degree with my manager, I am looking forward to extending these discussions with my mentor.
 
We have been able to set a date in the calendar in the coming weeks and I am looking forward to meeting him. In preparation for meeting my mentor I have been setting goals and expectations for the scheme to agree a programme to set some benchmarks against. I am sure when we meet these will be refined to a mutual agreement to map a progression plan for the remaining 9 months or so (hopefully our relationship can extend beyond the limits of the AYP mentor scheme).

​I first heard about the AYP Mentor Scheme through a friend and after spending some time researching it and reading about the mentors,

I was really interested in working with Neil Smyth. I was drawn to working with Neil due to his vast experience in the Construction industry over many years. Currently just starting my 5th year of my Architecture degree and just having finished a year of placement at an architectural firm in Edinburgh,

I knew that having an outside source with more practical experience would be of great help this year. Having been based in Edinburgh until a few weeks ago, this made scheduling meetings with Neil a little bit difficult, however I haven’t seen this as a setback in our progress as we have still been in touch and had a face to face meeting where we got to know each other and set out what we would like to achieve this year.

Neil and I have plans to meet up together shortly with his other mentee too. I first envisioned my time with Neil being more focussed construction and architecture but after the first meeting, I quickly realised he will also be mentoring me in management and the importance of good communication skills within the industry.

​Neil has already given me some invaluable advice, has arranged with me to visit some sites with a QS from Morrison Construction and has pushed me to work outside of my comfort zone.