14th October 2021
St Brendan’s students were outstanding on a day’s training with PwC professionals on the art of mentoring.
On Friday 24 September, 13 students from St Brendan's Sixth Form College were given a day of professional training in ‘How to be a great coach.’
An enthusiastic team of young PwC professionals, including both apprentices and graduates, ran the training day filled with sessions such as ‘How to have a productive conversation’ and ‘What makes a great coach?’
Students worked together in groups and pairings, role-playing scenarios, speaking in front of the whole conference room, and discussing the different topics that came up in the training.
It was a busy day, packed with activities and sessions that boosted the students’ confidence and public speaking skills and learning skills which will be excellent additions to CVs, UCAS applications, or apprenticeship applications.
It was an inspiring experience for the Year 12 students who were also able to explore the PwC ‘Loft’ space including a pool table and iPad coffee machine, which they made good use of during breaks. They were able to enjoy the glorious views of sunny Bristol from the balcony.
Students who attended said “the day was fun and also informative.” In summarizing their learning from the day, another student remarked that a coach or mentor is “like a good friend who helps you to talk about problems and find a solution so that you know you are not alone.”
On the day, the team-lead at PwC said “The students were outstanding ambassadors for the college; they were so engaged with the sessions and great fun to work with.”
It is hoped that this partnership with PwC will develop within the Bristol Education Partnership (BEP), which will have multiple benefits for our St Brendan’s students and the wider community.
The students who attended the training will be working with Bridge Learning Campus in Hartcliffe early in November, mentoring younger students to boost their confidence and love of reading.
