You will motivate, inspire, and coach students, especially gifted and talented kids, to overcome hurdles that prevent them from realising their full potential as an apprentice learning mentor.
You will work with teachers and other staff members to identify and plan for the needs of kids who need help.
You might work with children or adolescents one-on-one in small or large groups. Priority is given to students who need the most support, especially those who face many obstacles.
Although you will be mainly responsible for educational settings (primary and secondary schools, as well as post-secondary institutions), you will also have a broader role that involves families and the greater community.
Learning mentors may work with adult students in the education system and criminals.
Responsibilities
Throughout your apprenticeship, you may help:
- develop one-to-one mentoring relationships with pupils
- support pupils while they take part in lessons and activities
- inspire, motivate and promote positive behaviour and relationships
- do home visits to give families advice about dealing with issues and concerns
- develop action plans with students and monitor their progress
- keep up to date records and prepare reports
- work with teachers and other professionals, like social workers, educational psychologists and education welfare officers.
Salary
- Salaries for apprentice learning mentors typically start at around £18,000.
- As you gain experience, this can rise to £22,000.
- Experienced learning mentors can earn around £26,000. You may earn in excess of this amount if you have supervisory or management responsibilities, or specialist expertise in areas such as safeguarding, for example.
Working hours
Working hours throughout the school year usually are 35 to 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday. Occasionally, you may need to work overnight to help with extracurricular activities, attend staff meetings, or visit parents.
If you have spent the day dealing with children, you may need some preparation and administrative work in the evening.
Working environment
You could work at a client’s home, at a school or at a college.
Your working environment may be emotionally demanding.
Qualifications
Qualifications you can achieve as an apprentice learning mentor include:
- Level 3 Learning Mentor – Entry requirements for this level include 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship. This qualification will take 12 months to complete.
Skills
On a learning mentor apprenticeship, you’ll learn:
- counselling skills including active listening and a non-judgemental approach
- knowledge of teaching and the ability to design courses
- sensitivity and understanding
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- customer service skills
- the ability to work well with others
- excellent verbal communication skills
- the ability to understand people’s reactions
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently.
Employers
You will often work with assigned students or as part of a team at primary and secondary schools, academies, and universities.
You might also work in special schools, postsecondary institutions, or student referral units.
Professional development
Coworkers and upper management often give on-the-job training. During your first year of employment, you should construct a portfolio of your efforts and attend multiple training days.
As a newly designated learning mentor, you will undergo an induction programme to ensure that all support workers are correctly and confidently carrying out their tasks. It should let you provide reliable support to pupils while keeping to school laws.
Courses in protection, counselling, and positive behaviour management strategies are available and may be covered by your company.
You are in charge of your professional development and must look for internal and external opportunities relevant to your job.
Career prospects
As your expertise builds, you might start as an assistant learning mentor or learning mentor and work your way up to the position of lead learning mentor or learning mentor coordinator, coordinating the work of a group of learning mentors in a cluster of schools.
With experience, you can specialise in working with specific client groups, such as excluded students or children with severe learning needs.