Meet the Mentor  

Lisa Hudson is an AssistKD mentor for a cohort of apprentices taking the government Level 4 Business Analyst apprenticeship.  

Hi Lisa. Can you tell us about the mentor role in a nutshell, and what it involves?  

Of course! The mentor role is fantastic and so rewarding!  

My apprentices and I have mentor visits in 6–8-week cycles over the 18-month scheme. For each visit, we have a 1:1 call to discuss progress on the apprenticeship and at work, their wellbeing and complete individual coaching. We also have a group session where I deliver different bitesize training topics that support their Business Analysis roles. The scheme is made up of 12 official mentor visits in total and then towards the end of the programme, apprentices are prepared for their end point assessment (EPA). The EPA process involves apprentices undertaking a 6-week project on a work assignment that adds ‘real business benefit’ for their employer. Throughout the apprenticeship, the apprentice also creates a Portfolio document which demonstrates their Business Analysis experience against the Occupational Standard which is made up of a combination of Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours. Once the project is complete, and their final portfolio is submitted, the apprentice has two separate discussions with an assessor to talk about the project and portfolio.  

I really enjoy supporting apprentices and sharing my BA knowledge and experience to help them in their careers. I also enjoy alleviating any concerns that they may have or working through any issues that may otherwise impede their progress.  

How many apprentices do you support at any one time?  

At AssistKD, we have a low ratio of apprentices to mentors to ensure that our apprentices get the nurturing and tailored support they need.  I support 4 to 8 apprentices at any one time.  

You do group and individual work with apprentices, what exactly does that involve and how does it help the apprentices?  

Confidential 1:1s are part of each mentor visit can be extremely valuable to apprentices as they offer a dedicated opportunity to talk about things that might be concerning them, things they don’t understand or things they need extra support on. As a mentor I can then respond with pastoral care and share my BA knowledge and general guidance to help.  

Group sessions give learners the chance to do some guided learning with other apprentices. We talk about a variety of subjects that can enhance their performance at work such as stakeholder engagement, resilience, presentation skills, data modelling and many more. We also talk about the 5 British Values, news and current affairs.  

Apprentices are all ages, but some are quite young. Are apprenticeships really for everyone?  

I have mentored apprentices who started the scheme in their teenage years and early twenties, right the way through to people in their 50s who already have a wealth of work experience and transferrable skills. This has proven to me first hand that apprenticeships really are for everyone, not just the stereotypical school leaver. They are a smart choice for those who are looking to change career direction within the comfort and financial safety of a paid and structured role.  

Why do you think the Level 4 BA qualification has been such a successful scheme? Answer to come  

I think the BA Apprenticeship scheme has been popular because Business Analysis is such a varied and interesting role, which can be practiced in any type of organisation, anywhere in the world.  

BAs can utilise their analysis skills to add value in a multitude of ways. For example, they can work on projects and programmes of work to help their organisations generate more money, save money, become or remain complaint, carry out evaluations to inform next steps and strategic decisions.  

Being a mentor is quite a responsibility. What are some of the biggest challenges?  

There are a few different challenges that I’ve come across during my time as a mentor. This can include helping apprentices who are lacking in confidence and experiencing imposter syndrome and experiencing personal issues that they need to manage with the combined demands of work and the apprenticeship programme. The key to helping apprentices overcome these issues is finding ways to keep motivation levels high through the celebration of small wins like passing the BA qualifications or receiving positive feedback from work.  

Mentees benefit enormously from the mentoring process, however mentors benefit too. What do you find most rewarding about being a mentor?    

You learn so much as a mentor. It is interesting to learn about the apprentices as people, their backgrounds and cultures, likes and dislikes as well as the organisations they work for. It is heartwarming to see people grow in confidence and go on to become fully fledged business analysts. Most of all, I love it when they achieve the apprenticeship and call me to let me know!  

What qualities do you think are essential to be a mentor?  

Mentors need to be good listeners, open and honest, professional, approachable and be able to consistently model those behaviours.  

You must genuinely care about helping people and be prepared to put in a bit of extra time to support your learners and have empathy and compassion if they are struggling. A caring attitude and positive outlook are also extremely important as you need to be their number one cheer leader, always.