London Stansted and Forest Hall School team up for mentoring scheme
London Stansted Airport staff hope to support and inspire local GCSE students through a mentoring partnership with Forest Hall School, which launched for the sixth year today (Thursday 1 Nov).
Over the last five years, 75 Year 11 students at Forest Hall School in Stansted Mountfitchet have been paired with colleagues who draw on their experience, both in life and in business, to lend the students extra support during their challenging GCSE year.
This year, the fifteen staff members taking part come from departments across the airport including Security, Passenger Services, Engineering, Press Office and the Fire Service. They have each been paired with a student who they will work with once every two weeks throughout the school year.
Samantha Johnson, Head of Security Compliance at London Stansted, is once again taking part in the scheme. She said:
Throughout my time at Stansted I have been lucky enough to have been mentored by some amazing people. They have equipped me with the skills to develop myself and my career, even when I didn’t think it was possible or know what my next step was. I wouldn’t be where I am today without their continued support and guidance.
These schemes are great at building confidence and opening young people’s eyes to what is possible. You don’t need to have all the answers or know what you want to do, but if you have someone willing to spend time unlocking your potential and you are open to self-development, anything is possible. I’m so proud to have been able to share my experiences and give my time to the young people I have worked with. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing someone you have invested time in grow in confidence and be successful in carving their own career.
Forest Hall School is delighted to continue our Mentoring programme with London Stansted Airport for another year. The mentors offer guidance to our pupils as they prepare for their GCSE exams next year and can assist with career planning. Mentors have the advantage of coming from a non-teaching background and can offer links and contacts to careers that pupils may want to enter in addition to providing insight into the tasks and responsibilities of working in a professional environment.
Our pupils have always benefitted from the sessions in terms of academic achievement and personal growth, particularly in their confidence to speak with adults in a professional setting. With such caring guidance from our mentors, the sky is the limit for our Year 11 pupils!
This is just one of the number of initiatives London Stansted Airport runs to support education and the local community. The Aerozone, the airport’s dedicated education facility for school children aged five and above, has welcomed more than 10,000 children from the local area and this September, the brand-new Stansted Airport College, a partnership with Harlow College and the first Further Education facility in Uttlesford, opened its doors to 300 students studying vocational courses in aviation-related subjects.