What Difference can One Hour of Mentoring Really Make?

For one sixth-form student, mentoring provided much more than career advice. It offered confidence, connections and someone willing to listen at a pivotal point in her journey.

At OCL, supporting and mentoring young people is an important part of our commitment to creating social value and helping the next generation discover the opportunities available to them – both within construction and beyond.

Through Essex County Council’s We Rise Mentoring Programme, members of the OCL team give their time to support young people as they navigate some of the biggest decisions about their education and future careers.

For sixth-form student Heshali Perera, that support came at an important moment in her journey.  Four years ago, Heshali arrived in the UK from Sri Lanka speaking basic English. Just five months later, she found herself sitting her GCSEs.

Given the extraordinary circumstances, she didn’t achieve the grades she needed to immediately progress to A-levels. What followed was rejection after rejection from colleges and sixth forms.

But Heshali didn’t give up.

She successfully completed a Level 2 BTEC, giving her another opportunity to pursue the academic route she had always wanted. She went on to study A-levels in Maths, Accounting and Engineering.

Fast-forward to today and Heshali has completed her A-level exams and is predicted A*AA.

An incredible achievement – but behind those grades is a story of determination, resilience and a young person determined to make the most of the opportunities her family had sacrificed so much to give her.  And the challenges haven’t stopped there. With limited careers guidance, Heshali found herself in limbo, unsure of what her next step should be. With international university fees of around £19,000 a year potentially putting higher education out of reach, and uncertainty around her eligibility for apprenticeship opportunities, the path ahead has been far from straightforward.

For a young person who has already overcome so much, navigating these barriers without the right guidance can feel overwhelming. This is where mentoring can make such a difference – not by providing all the answers, but by helping a young person understand their options, make connections and feel less alone in making decisions that could shape their future.

Sometimes young people just need someone in their corner

Over the past year, Heshali has had regular mentoring conversations with OCL’s Marketing & Communications Lead, Varsha Patel, through the We Rise Mentoring Programme.

An hour at a time, every month or two.

Time to talk. Time to ask questions. Time to explore possibilities. And, importantly, time with someone willing to listen and offer advice.

Those conversations have helped Heshali grow in confidence, make new connections, explore career opportunities and gain greater clarity about what her future could look like.

“Having someone outside of school and my family who I could speak openly with made such a difference. Varsha didn’t tell me what I should do – she helped me understand what my options were and introduced me to contacts that could help me gain work experience and advice around my HE options. Having someone believe in me and encourage me to think bigger gave me confidence when I really needed it.” – Heshali

For Varsha, mentoring Heshali has been equally rewarding.

“Heshali already had the determination, professionalism and ability. Hearing her story left me in awe of her – the resilience and passion she has shown at such a young age is remarkable. My role was simply to carve out an hour a month to listen, encourage and help see the potential that was already there.” – Varsha

Why mentoring young people matters

We often think that supporting the next generation means providing a job, apprenticeship or work experience placement.

Those opportunities matter enormously.

But mentoring can start much earlier.

Having access to professionals outside their immediate family or school environment can give young people an opportunity to ask questions, explore different careers, build connections and develop the confidence to pursue opportunities they might otherwise have thought weren’t for them.

Sometimes the most valuable thing a business can offer is remarkably simple:

Our time.

Someone who listens without judgement. Someone who asks the right questions. Someone who shares their experience. Someone who can open a door.

And occasionally, someone who sees potential in a young person before they fully see it themselves.

OCL’s commitment to mentoring the next generation

Mentoring forms part of OCL’s wider commitment to social value in construction and creating a positive impact within the communities in which we work.

Several members of our Senior Leadership Team have given their time to support the We Rise Mentoring Programme, helping young people build confidence and explore their future careers.

Last year, OCL Managing Director James Harris mentored student Logan Stanley, who was considering a future in construction. With James’ guidance and support, Logan went on to secure a trainee role with the National Infrastructure Consultancy.

Alongside mentoring, OCL continues to work with schools and young people through initiatives including our award-winning Girls Can Build programme, careers events, work experience and volunteering.

It’s all part of the same ambition: helping more young people recognise the opportunities available to them and giving them the confidence and connections to pursue them.

Heshali’s journey is an extraordinary example of what determination can achieve – and a powerful reminder of why businesses giving their time to mentor young people matters.

Because one hour might not feel like much to us.

But to the right young person, at the right moment, it could help change what they believe is possible.

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