‘I don’t think our learning journeys ever stop’

Head of College Natalie Brett says schemes such as LCC’s Industry Mentoring Programme can play a key role in graduates establishing their creative identities.

London College of Communication has a long history of close relationships with the creative industries, and the LCC Industry Mentoring Programme plays a key role in supporting postgraduate students in their progression from education to professional practice.

As Head of College at LCC and Pro-Vice-Chancellor of University of the Arts London since 2013, Natalie Brett believes the postgraduate mentoring scheme offers a valuable learning experience for both mentors and mentees.

“It’s one of the reasons why it’s so important to have these mentoring partnerships: they are two-way relationships, so I think students actually give as much to the mentors as the mentors give to the students,” says Natalie, a regular contributor to the development of enhancing student experiences and opportunities. 

“It’s all about people learning about different aspects of the design world or the media world or the screen world via the experiences, skills and opinions of someone else, and that is very much a two-way thing.” 

The LCC Industry Mentoring Programme is entirely voluntary and matches postgraduate students from different disciplines with industry professionals to support the development of their professional practice as they plot their route into the creative industries.

The mentors are mostly, but not exclusively, LCC alumni who, says Natalie see their participation as part of their own continuing learning process, rather than just passing on wisdom and advice. “I don’t think our own personal learning journeys ever stop,” she adds.

Participating in the programme allows students to develop or even redefine their career plans, as well as enhance their professional attributes and creative practice. Another benefit is the chance to embrace challenges such as presentation, public speaking and teamwork skills.

For Natalie, all of these positives spring from mutually beneficial relationships built on trust, where each person has an open mind about what the other can offer and is prepared to really listen to what they have to say.

“I think what’s really important is that people get to know each other so that they know what the benefits are going to be from the relationship,” she says.

“When students go into mentoring, I’ve said to them that when they meet their mentor for the first time, they should actually prepare a list of questions to find out the things they want to know about that person — and equally be expected to answer similar questions from them.” 

The mentoring programme is a two-way street where students and industry professionals develop a symbiotic understanding as they navigate both current practices and chart a course through the constantly evolving nature of the creative sector.

I was mentored as a student by somebody who worked in the design industry. They made me rethink a lot of things and actually challenged my self-perceptions”  – Natalie Brett

Mentees learn what is required to establish themselves and thrive in their chosen field, whilst mentors and their companies get to tap into the fresh thinking and innovative ideas of the next generation. The programme is about helping students to build their confidence and strengthen their skills for the professional challenges which lay ahead.

Natalie says: “They have as much to give as they’re likely to get back – I think that’s really important. I know that many of the mentors who so kindly volunteer their time and energy are completely blown away by some of the things that our students tell them.”  

Introducing external voices and influences to students at LCC, whether it is through mentoring schemes, masterclasses or the College’s varied programme of events, allows students to broaden their understanding of the creative sector’s complexity. It prepares them for the many bumps in the road they will encounter as they establish their careers, and also clarifies what they already know about the sector: it is forever growing, adapting and developing. 

Natalie says: “By engaging with professionals who work with people across the creative industries, you then start to understand the complexity of the human relationships in all of this, and you are then better equipped to explore what your role might be and how to manage its demands and expectations.”

Networking is thus an essential aspect of the LCC postgraduate mentoring scheme, helping students to make connections, build relationships and discover opportunities that might otherwise have been difficult to access. This is particularly important as the creative industries seek to become more diverse and reflective of our multicultural societies.

Networking can put you one step ahead in what is an extremely competitive sector and allow you to connect with opportunities that are tailored to your skills and competencies. Through mentoring schemes such as LCC’s, students develop the abilities and mindsets that are sought after by recruiters.

Mentoring can, as Natalie herself attests, also challenge any existing notions you might have about who you are and where you are heading. She recalls: “I was mentored as a student by somebody who worked in the design industry. They made me rethink a lot of things and actually challenged my self-perceptions.” 

Natalie Brett illustration by Afra Al Majed