JOS GARBETT, of Oxford Brookes, on how the university prepares students for life outside academia

Can texting and going to the pub really help prepare students for the workplace? What do a psychology consultant and a history undergraduate find to talk about? The Oxford Brookes University mentoring scheme believes it has the answers.

Employers are looking for more than academic success in their graduate recruits, so this scheme is helping students to gain skills and experience that should give them the edge in the jobs market.

Under the scheme, graduates and friends of the university who are willing to become mentors post their CVs on a central list on the alumni website. Students who wish to take advantage of the scheme can then browse the details online and select their own mentor. The process is very flexible: it is up to the individuals concerned to decide how to take the work forward.

Daniel Wrapson and Julia Cartwright, for example, communicate by text, email, phone and face-to-face meetings (which are sometimes in pubs).

Daniel, a second-year history undergraduate, selected Julia, a psychology graduate who now works as a healthcare consultant. Six months on, both are enthusiastic about the benefits of the scheme.

"I'd done a psychology module in my first year and got a lot out of it, so I had an idea I'd like to work in a health or charity field," explains Dan. "But I didn't really know about jobs in the sector. Through Julia, I've been able to get an insight into jobs, and get a better idea of what I could do.

"I'm now thinking about doing an NHS management training scheme after university. Julia's put me in touch with a couple of people who've been through the training, so I can find out more directly from them."

"Most people assume that it's only the mentee who gains," says Julia. "But, as Daniel progresses, I'm having to change the way I'm mentoring. It's an evolving challenge. It also keeps me up-to-date with people at Daniel's stage in life. They are the next generation of employees so, in terms of professional knowledge, it's valuable for me.

"There's a whole set of interpersonal skills required to work in psychology and primary care. Also, people need to be able to respond when things don't go according to plan. I've seen so many graduates coming out of university with poor skills in these areas, yet believing they're well equipped. The mentoring scheme is a real opportunity to encourage students to value and develop these skills.

"Much of the work in the fields Daniel wants to go into will involve dealing with people he doesn't know. The mentoring process provides a secure environment for him to practise the skills and gain the confidence he'll need."

"My parents are always there to give advice and support," says Daniel. "But when it comes to talking about work, it's great to have someone who's impartial and who's got relevant experience."

In future, as Daniel's graduation approaches, they plan to focus on developing the presentation skills he will need for job applications and interviews.

Doesn't all this take up a lot of their time?

"It is a commitment," agrees Julia, "and employers will see that Daniel has been committed not only to his degree, but also to this process. For me, the commitment is just a matter of keeping the communication lines open. It fits so closely with what I do anyway. It's important to realise that you can achieve a lot, not only within a small timeframe, but in small chunks of time."

"It's fine because it's flexible," adds Daniel. "You've got to have a bit of drive and ambition to start off with, but the mentoring gives you more focus, so you're making the most of your time. And it's not something you feel you've got to put yourself through just because someone says it's a good idea it's actually quite enjoyable!"

For details, call 01865 484852, email awhitehouse@brookes.ac.uk, or visit www.brookes.ac.uk/alumni