Industry Mentors Programme

Apply for a Mentor

Bath Spa University’s Industry Mentors Programme 2010/11 will be open to student applications from Thursday 30th September 2010

Do you want to find out more about the day to day life of working in your chosen profession? Are you keen to gain access to industry contacts and develop a clarification of career direction? If so, the Industry Mentors Programme is for you.

This programme will provide 10 students with an exciting opportunity to be mentored, for up to six months, by an industry professional. If you are graduating in 2011, this programme could provide a helpful bridge to employment.

Open to third year and post graduate students only, the Industry Mentors Programme aims to provide you with an opportunity to develop the knowledge, skills and personal qualities that are valued by employers. By the end of your mentoring experience you will benefit by

improving your employability skills and gaining a better knowledge of business dynamics and opportunities in the South West
having a clarified career direction and industry contacts to assist you in reaching your professional goals

I’m interested, so what next?

Step 1. Read about our current available mentors below and find out more detailed information about the mentoring programme via this website.

Step 2. Sign up to Industry Mentors Programme via Bath Spa Plus (only ten spaces available).

Step 3. Fill in student mentoring application form (will be sent to you via e-mail once you have signed up to the programme). Highlight which mentor/s you are interested in from list below. Alternatively please let us know on your application form if you have a particular mentor in mind whose not on our list.

Step 4. Business Support Office to inform you if your application is successful.

Please bear in mind that more than one student may apply for the same mentor. In this instance the mentor will read all of the applications and recommend which student they feel will benefit most from their experience. This may also involve having a one to one meeting with the Business Support Office so they can ensure that the mentor would be appropriate for you.

Step 5. Attend 3 hour training session on Tuesday 9th November 2010 from 13:00 – 16:00. This will give tips and tools on how to make the most of the mentoring experience. This will be available for sign up via Bath Spa Plus

Step 6. Meet mentor in a facilitated first meeting. This is the start of your six month mentoring experience!

If you have any queries about the mentoring programme and whether it is suitable for you, please feel free to contact Stephanie Winnard on 01225 876 211 or s.winnard@bathspa.ac.uk.

Available mentors 2010/11

Andrew Buchanan, Freelance Executive & Series Producer

New to Bath Spa Universities mentoring programme, Andrew Buchanan is a freelance executive and series producer with a history of creating and producing over 300 commercially and critically successful television programmes. Specialising in documentary programmes, Andrew has a wealth of knowledge and experience to offer a student along with extensive contacts with leading television broadcasters and distributors world-wide.

Ralph Oswick, Artistic Director, Natural Theatre Company

Ralph Oswick is the artistic director of the Natural Theatre Company, a professional company founded in 1969 specialising in comic street theatre and accessible small scale stage shows, touring worldwide. Having worked with the Natural Theatre for over 40 years, Ralph’s extensive experience means he is able to offer mentoring in the areas of:

Touring
Costume design
Setting up small scale theatre companies
Practicalities of running a theatre company
Grant application

Kate Thomas, Audio Production Manager, BBC Audiobooks

Formed in 2001, BBC Audiobooks is the leading audio publisher in the UK. The company employs seventy five staff at their main office based in Bath, who have a wide variety of skills and are employed in the areas of design, production, commissioning, sales, distribution and administration.

BBC Audiobooks’ top selling titles in recent years include Alan Bennett’s The History Boys, The Mighty Boosh, Doctor Who: The Stone Rose and Bob the Builder: Project Build It

As Audio Productions Manager, Kate is responsible for managing a team of seven full time and twenty five freelance staff to meet the full audio production requirements of creating an audio book. Kate has a long and interesting background in audio production and is keen to pass on the benefit of her experience through Bath Spa University’s Industry Mentors Programme.

Jessica Sheppard, Marketing Manager

Jessica Sheppard is a CIM qualified marketing manager with experience in professional services. Jessica has experience of working for Inventures, a market leading consultancy services provider to the NHS and wider Government, the global management consultancy Hay Group and the prestigious private bank Duncan Lawrie.

Paul Clarkson, Owner/Director, PAC2 Ltd

Located near Bath, Paul Clarkson, Managing Director of business consultancy PA2C Limited has had an extensive senior management career, the last 10 years at board level, in the business-to-business sector. This has included working in divisions of RHM, Thorn EMI, P&O, Compass Group and owner-managed enterprises in the UK and Eire.

Paul's business, PA2C Limited, offers insight, advice and support to organisations in the business-to-business sector, seeking better outcomes from their business efficiency and development programmes, and project management activities.

Paul's company website: www.pa2c.co.uk

Andy Batten Foster, Executive, Editor & Series Producer

Starting his career as a Radio One presenter and producer, Andy Batten-Foster has a ihistory in his specialist area of factual entertainment and popular documentary. His first network TV job was directing The Antiques Roadshow, moving on to Nature, before creating 999 – an award winning show that ran for 11 years on BBC with a team of more than 50. Andy has worked as Head of Features at Granada and Managing Editor at BBC Bristol.

Andy’s last job for the BBC was to re-launch Top Gear. The audience more than doubled, putting it at the top of the BBC2 charts.

Over the past few years he’s written and developed hundreds of proposals for both UK and USA broadcasters.

Steve Richardson, Creative Director, Mr B & Friends

Steve Richardson has worked both in the NZ and UK in various creative roles including Creative Director at The-Field, Bell Communications and at DDB/Interbrand New Zealand. Steve is now co-owner and creative director at Mr B & Friends, a Bath based creative agency that is designed to work profitably in any economic climate. The principles of the business are based around 4 cornerstones:

- first class client service

- outstanding creative product

- collaborating with trusted freelance experts

- saving clients time and money

Mr B & Friends has a small team of 4 based in Bath and a network of over 30 'friends' who are available to collaborate with them, through a wide range of specialist skills including brand planning, designers, web programmers, writers, photographers, illustrators and art directors. The company produces creative work across the spectrum including corporate and brand identity, design for print, print, press, outdoor and TV advertising, packaging, retail identity, interiors and online marketing.

The company made the Top 100 League Table for SW Creative Businesses and was recently shortlisted in the Best Creative Business category at the Bath Life Awards.

Simon Barbato, Managing Director, Mr B & Friends

After successfully completing a Chartered Institute of Marketing Diploma in 1992, Simon entered the marketing services industry where he worked as an account executive for Abbot Mead Vickers Group - one of the UK's leading advertising agencies. During the first 6 years of his career he held positions at the worldwide marketing giant Ogilvy & Mather Direct and international brand consultancy Light & Coley.

Simon launched his own agency - the-field, in 1998 aged 27 and steered the company through a tough trading period in 2001 and eventually grew the business to its peak of 12 people boasting a host of prestigious clients including Virgin, Sky, Explore!, Credit Suisse and Hampshire Cricket.

In 2004, the-field was restructured and sold to a larger integrated marketing services company and following a contractual period of 2 years Simon left to pursue a new venture at Mr B & Friends.

Simon has always strongly believed in investing his time in the next generation of talent. He believes that creativity and inspiring ideas can come from anyone and hopes that he is able to share his experiences to develop the inspiration and confidence of others.

Caroline Talbott, Director, Caroline Talbott Ltd

Caroline Talbott works with business leaders, project/programme managers and HR managers, enabling them to achieve exceptional business and personal results.

For the past 11 of her 30 years in business she has specialised in Organisation, Leadership and Management Development, working mainly in the complex global environment of BT Global Services with people in sixteen different countries and cultures world wide. Combined with previous work in all the major areas of Human Resources, this gives her a deep understanding of clients and the ability to support them.

Caroline is passionate about helping organisations, leaders and individuals thrive and achieve their full potential.

Veronica Wardell, Director, Lime and Lemon Ltd

For over 25 years Veronica has worked for leading organisations within the marketing services industry, and for many major brands across a wide-range of industry sectors: financial services, telecoms, retail, automotive, charities, media, utilities and IT. Performing senior roles in both client services/account management and business development, Veronica has led teams to deliver £multi-million successes across the following disciplines:

Database and Data Warehouse solutions
Contact Centre and Telemarketing solutions
Complex Mailing and Fulfilment programmes
Multi-channel Campaign Management
Field Marketing and Event Management
Marketing Agency and creative campaigns
Business Intelligence and Customer Insight

Veronica set up her own consultancy business, Lime and Lemon, in 2007.

Fiona Cross, Freelance Musician, Actor

Fiona currently works with Razzamatazz, Stagecoach, Bridgewater College and primary schools. Her industry experience includes theatre pits (musical directing and performing), working men’s clubs (musician and stand-up), voice-overs for radio adverts and TV. She has supported students in their preparation of professional performance work and national tours.

Jayne Rolls, HR Manager, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios (FCBS)

Jayne Rolls is the HR Manager for Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, a British architectural design firm with offices in London and Bath. Jayne has professional experience in HR, PA, Office Management/People Management and Book Keeping.

Student Comments

'I think the mentoring scheme is a vital component of the university's commitment to help creative writing students find a footing in the highly competitive commercial world of publishing.

Having someone to bounce questions off, who knows so much about the book world, while I've been finding my feet has been very valuable - so thank you.'

Student: Titania Krimpas, MA Writing for Young People

Mentor: Marcus Sedgwick, Writer

'My mentor has been a constant support to me over the last year, allowing me to attend film shoots with him, putting me in touch with the right people and advising me on how to contact them. I honestly don’t think I would have achieved as much without his guidance and I am now thoroughly prepared for the world of work in way I'm not sure I would have been without him.

Thank you for the opportunity and I would hugely recommend it for future students.'

Student: Amy Rosali Tuckwell, BA Hons Media Communication

Mentor: Andy Batten-Foster, Executive, Editor & Series Producer

For reference

The Industry Mentors Programme is funded by the Knowledge Escalator Project, which is part financed by the European Union’s ERDF Competitiveness and Employment Programme 2007-13 securing £1,833,000 of ERDF investment through the South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA).