Students seek mentors at Savoy Society Mentoring Scheme

A group of young hospitality students attended the Savoy Society Mentoring Scheme Assessment Day last week in the hope that they might gain an experienced industry Mentor for the next three years.

The event, held at The Waldorf in London and run by Springboard UK for The Savoy Society, was designed to select and match students with a mentor sourced from the prestigious Savoy Society. The scheme aims to offer successful students the benefit of support and guidance from a mentor for three years through the scheme.

A total of 14 students attended from Universities across the country, including Surrey University, Bournemouth University, Westminster Kingsway College, Sheffield Hallam University, Shannon University and University College Birmingham.

Stuart Johnson, general manager of Rocco Forte's Brown's Hotel and chairman of the Savoy Society Mentoring Scheme, was pleased with the success of the Assessment Day: "The students who attended were all of the highest integrity and I was quite taken by their dedication and wish to succeed within our industry. 

"The Savoy Society has set up this mentoring scheme in order to 'give back' to our industry, to coach and support the young, talented individuals who are entering it.  Today was true evidence of the quality of those individuals that we can look forward to joining our industry in the future."

The day put the students through their paces and allowed them to showcase their personality and potential to the group of mentors. The day began with a team challenge, described by many of the students as "like being in The Apprentice". Teams were sent out into Covent Garden on a fact finding exercise and were then required to present back to the group.
 
Following a lunch provided by The Waldorf, the students underwent a series of informal 10 minute interviews with the mentors to establish their suitability for the scheme and to match them with a suitable mentor. In between interviews, students enjoyed blogging on The Savoy Society website to record their impressions of the day.

Benjamin Veale, a student of Surrey University, has gained a placement at The Dorchester. He explained:  "All the Mentors have been where we are now, so they are best placed to offer us good guidance and help us progress in our careers."

Words: Maria Bracken

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