1. Mentorship and employability in a Peer Assisted Learning programme
You’ve got a PAL in me
Mentorship and employability in a Peer Assisted Learning programme

2. Background
Pilot project – 4 PAL Leaders across two subject disciplines
Two day training programme to skill share and develop capabilities
Focus on the ‘soft’ skills as well as the academic
We went into the PAL scheme thinking about the benefits it would have for our students, being supported by their peers etc.
We also look at the employability angles

3. Mentoring Each PAL Leader had a mentor from the Academic Support Team
Scope for formal to informal relationship

4. Negotiation, liaison and marketing
Proactively contacted academics
Insight into the challenges of liaising with competing interests
Creative problem solving triumphed

5. Basic admin skills
Challenges around time sheets, HR processes and lost paperwork(!)
Attention to detail

6. Time management They set their own timetables/priorities
Prompt and responsive to s
Juggling study, work and family commitments

7. Tacit skills
Working collaboratively with our team, but also each other
Learning approaches to handle workplace ‘conflict’
Mentoring a key part to working through issues

8. Reflective Asked to complete a reflective journal
Formed a focus group to improve our support materials
Led to the development of the Video Wall
We understand reflection to be a key employability and professional skill. It enables us to evaluating and conside r

9. What we learnt Employability doesn’t end with ‘hard’ skills
Opportunities can be about how to work
Focus on the transferable when designing opportunities
A taster into an industry

10. Keep in touch
Cathryn Peppard