The Mentoring Scheme in 2021

Our Mentoring Scheme (now in its 9th year) is managed jointly by OBREMS (our alumni association) and the School of the Built Environment and is open to second year students on the BSc Real Estate and the BA Planning and Property Development as well as students on the MSc Real Estate. On Friday 5 February we will launch the OBREMS/OBU Mentoring Scheme for undergraduate students. The closing date for applications is 25 February 2021 - email rdixon@brookes.ac.uk if you would like to take part.

The mentoring period for undergraduate students in 2021 will start in April with a virtual launch event on Zoom (15 April 2021). The launch event will include guest speakers and a chance for you to network and finally meet your mentor (online). There are a wide range of mentors who volunteer to take part, from recent graduates to CEOs - and a lot of our younger mentors took part in the Mentoring Scheme themselves when they were students. All our mentors are alumni of Oxford Brookes (Real Estate or Planning and Property Development) and are also volunteers - they give their time to the Mentoring Scheme free of charge.

This year on the blog, I am delighted to present two of our students talking about their experience of the Mentoring Scheme in 2020 - the year mentoring moved online...

And also profiles of two of our mentors, Araminta (Minty) Oldham and James Vivian. Minty took part in the Mentoring Scheme when she was a student. Hopefully they will persuade you to take part!

Minty Oldham (left) and James Vivian

Why did you decide to go into Real Estate?

MO: I wanted to pursue a career in real estate as a practical, technically challenging, but also rewarding industry. I really enjoy history and understanding the changing behaviours of people and how this influences the changing use of buildings. Thinking how much London has changed since WWII, including the planning system and economic development is really interesting and I feel lucky to work in such a vibrant and ever changing global city. I remember going to London for a week each summer in my youth to visit my godmother in Spitalfields, east London and seeing old pictures of the east end and how much it has changed!

JV: When I was 16 and doing an intern at a legal firm. I met two surveyors who seemed a bit more my kind of people.

What did you enjoy most about your time at Oxford Brookes? 

MO: The course offered a practical range of modules that have been a good foundation for the real world. There was a real sense of community in the Abercrombie building both between students and lecturers and I really enjoyed working in groups for specific module assignments. This industry is people orientated and Brookes champions that. A highlight of work for me was appraising a mock development site in the centre of Oxford! Oxford itself is also a great student city, really pretty and now with Westgate centre it’s buzzing more than ever.

JV: The people that I learnt from and with.

What have you been doing work-wise since you graduated? 

MO: I graduated 5 years ago and have been working in the development sector as I found this the most interesting aspect of the profession. I completed a graduate scheme with a housebuilder, took my APC in the Planning & Development pathway and am now working as a Development Manager which I really enjoy. In the graduate scheme, I rotated across different departments, spending the majority of my time in land acquisition on greenfield sites. I now manage different development sites from RIBA 0-3 predominantly, ranging from site identification to planning. In my current role I have specialised in infill development sites, which have been challenging but very rewarding.

JV: I enrolled on the grad scheme at CBRE and worked in the investment team for 7 years including a 6 month secondment at L&G before moving to Savills 6 years ago.

What do you enjoy most about your job? 

MO: The challenge of viability and been at the forefront of the ever changing development industry, including permitted development rights and changes to the planning system. An aspect of development that I never fully appreciated at university was understanding different engineering constraints and mitigations, but now I love learning about different utilities, ground conditions etc, their impact on development and how I can help to resolve them for my client.

JV: The people and every day is different. It is very entrepreneurial in approach and also learning how other people look at and use property.

Why did you decide to take part in the Mentoring Scheme? 

MO: It is a great opportunity to provide support to students whose shoes you were in however many years ago. I found the scheme extremely helpful when I was a student, including asking about dissertation questions. The industry is so varied and there are so many pathways in the APC process and in life that it can be difficult to choose which direction you want to go in. I really enjoy providing guidance and hopefully some inspiration to people at this exciting time at the start of their careers. To my knowledge there are no time machines, so making the most of the mentoring scheme and been able to speak with someone who has been in your shoes is one of the best opportunities!

JV: To give a bit back and also stay in touch with a different generation.

What kind of support did you offer your mentee?

MO: I have kept in touch via email with my mentee and we arranged a meet up where I showed her the work I undertake and what she wanted support with. We have talked about different dissertation topics, work experience and the APC process, as well as different work topics and coursework which I have provided guidance on.

JV: Generally over email, a coffee if they are up in town and mainly around CV work and applications to jobs. I always offer to continue the role after they have graduated and a couple have taken me up on that.

How do you feel your experience as a Mentor has benefited you? 

MO: It has grown my insight into the changes of the course, including pre APC training which helps me understand what I can support the mentee with based on their current learning. Been a mentor has also grown my confidence- I’m on a coaching course around work time at the moment so this benefits this and vice versa!

JV: Just staying in touch with a different generation and seeing what is pertinent and important to them. Gives me a different perspective.

For more interviews with mentors and students, take a look here:
The OBU/OBREMS Mentoring Scheme