Become a CityZen mentor and watch students start thinking like civil engineers

Mentoring has been a big part of my career.

Most recently, I had the opportunity to participate in the 2023 ICE CityZen Award, where I served as a mentor to a group of young, aspiring civil engineers.

During the programme, students between the ages of 16 and 18 played the CityZen digital game.

They then created videos that considered real-world factors such as budget, sustainability, and ways to enhance outcomes for individuals and communities.

Stepping out of my comfort zone with online mentoring

When I initially signed up for the programme, I’d hoped to be paired with a local school as I prefer conducting mentoring sessions in person. Unfortunately, this wasn't possible.

At first, I had doubts about mentoring a team online as it was new to me, but I accepted the challenge as I'm always open to new experiences.

As a result, I was paired with Repton School, located in Derbyshire.

Quickly realising I made the right decision

Following our first virtual meeting, I was thrilled to meet four bright, enthusiastic, and driven young men.

Their strong communication skills reassured me that the virtual aspect of our journey would pose no issue.

It became clear to me straight away that I’d made the correct decision in taking on the role of their online mentor.

Read more: Why you should volunteer as a mentor for CityZen, too

A team of quick learners

The programme started with the team navigating the digital game, which was extremely user-friendly. They learned new things while tackling each task.

The team had a fantastic idea for their project pitch. They presented it eloquently on camera with their newly obtained engineering and project management knowledge.

They considered all aspects of the project such as planning, feasibility, schedules, costs, work deployment, and end-user handover, as well as the science behind their idea.

Blown away with the results

Typically, I like to offer constructive feedback, but upon viewing the team's video submission for the first time, I was blown away!

Not only was the production quality outstanding, but more importantly, the content exceeded all my expectations.

The team had absorbed everything we’d discussed throughout the programme and skillfully incorporated it all into an engaging, informative, and sophisticated video pitch.

I had a strong sense of confidence about their submission, believing that the judges would be just as impressed as I was!

Gold winners

I was thrilled to learn that the judges were, in fact, as impressed as I was with the team's performance.

It was incredibly rewarding to find out that they had been awarded first place with gold.

It was wonderful to finally meet the well-deserving winners in person at the celebratory lunch at the ICE headquarters, One Great George Street in London, earlier this year.

Read more: Why mentoring is key to improving diversity and inclusion in engineering

Securing work experience

I was so impressed with the team that I managed to secure places for them on my employer’s work experience programme.

Jacobs offer a brilliant, week-long programme which provides students with exposure to various disciplines of engineering.

It also includes health and safety and cyber security activities, offering comprehensive experience of working in a design consultancy office.

The students travelled to and stayed in Cumbria to take part in this scheme.

Already signed up to be a mentor again

Participating as a mentor in the CityZen Award was incredibly fulfilling, so much so that I've already signed up for the 2024-25 competition!

And I’m pleased to find out that the competition period is extended to March 2025 to allow more flexibility for student teams and mentors.

It was wonderful to witness the students' knowledge and confidence grow throughout the sessions.

I'm delighted to see that some of the students are now seriously considering a career in engineering.

In fact, a couple of them are even thinking about applying for Jacobs' degree apprenticeship after impressing the directors with their end-of-scheme presentations!

CityZen is great for first-time mentors

I highly recommend mentoring to anyone, but I understand that it can feel overwhelming if you're new to mentoring and unsure of where to begin.

That's why I suggest the CityZen Award, even for first-time mentors.

You’re given comprehensive information and a mentor guide at the start, as well as ongoing support from the ICE’s education and inspiration team.

This creates a safe environment for students to learn about engineering and mentors to develop their skills.

All in all, it’s a truly positive experience for everyone involved!

---

Interested in becoming a STEM ambassador?

It’s free to register through the STEM Learning organisation, who also provide guidance for engaging with young people.

Sign up as an ICE STEM Ambassador

Once you are a STEM Ambassador, or you are an existing one you can register to become a mentor ICE CityZen.

Sign up to be an ICE CityZen mentor