The success of the pilot programme, launched in March 2020 with 20 pairs of mentors and mentees, means that the PMI is expanding its initiative to enable 50 mentors and corresponding mentees to participate in the next iteration with plans for further expansion in the future. The new Mentoring & Development Programme will run for 12 months from March 2021 to March 2022, and see individuals assigned to mentors based on their profile and development needs. Throughout the year, mentors and mentees will have the opportunity to connect, with meetings taking place at least once every two months. Mentees will also be required to complete the Institute of Leadership & Management MyLeadership Programme (TILM).

Last year’s participants, both mentors and mentees, said that they would recommend the programme to their peers. Mentees described their mentoring experiences as interesting and insightful. whether coming from a pensions background or not, and, how supportive their mentors were in a variety of ways. Likewise, mentors have expressed delight in giving back, and also enhancing their own learning and development.

Corey Cook, Quatchi Enterprises, was the first mentee to complete all 49 MyLeadership modules on the Institute of Leadership and Management portal and said: “The ILM programme provided me with the current best practice in leadership skills and updated my thinking. The assessment process is very useful as you can focus on the areas with which you have a different viewpoint.”

Anna Darnley, Smart Pensions, said: “I’m thoroughly enjoying the mentoring programme; I’m able to draw on from my mentor’s wealth of experience, while developing my soft skills through TILM’s comprehensive and engaging training modules. All of which is very helpful as work towards the Professional Trustee Accreditation.”

You can register to join the programme and find more information here. Applications close on 5 February 2021.

• Apply to be a mentee here
• Apply to be a mentor here

To be a mentor, you must be able to demonstrate you have significant prior mentoring or leadership experience. Mentees are required to be a member of the PMI. If you are not currently a PMI member you can sign up to become an affiliate member for £85 here.

Gareth Tancred, Chief Executive, Pensions Management Institute, commented: “Due to the successes of our first year running the programme, we are excited to announce that we are expanding the Mentoring and Development Programme to 50 pairs, continuing our ambition to improve standards and knowledge in the pensions industry. We hope that this support and learning framework will provide many individuals the opportunity to develop new skills and knowledge as well as the chance to engage with someone beyond their immediate professional network, aiding their professional career development."

Roy Porter, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer at B&CE, provider of The People’s Pension, said: “We’re delighted to be once again supporting the PMI’s mentoring and development programme which has proven to be a real success. This is a scheme that aims at not only maintaining the highest industry standards, but helps knowledge transfer and encourages collaboration within the sector.

As an employer, we recognise the mutual benefits of developing staff through excellent programmes such as this one.”

A presentation of the programme will take place on 27th January via a webinar. More details are available here.