When Ben signed up to Habs Aspire, he wasn’t quite sure what to expect. What he found was a mentor who helped turn a niche career ambition into a clear, confident plan for the future.
Diving in with an open mind
“When I first signed up to Aspire, I had no clue what to expect – and for me, it was that unknown and the curiosity that came with it which made me so excited to start the programme,” Ben explains. Given the specific nature of his chosen field, he assumed a good match would be difficult to find. “I honestly thought there was no way they would be able to match me up with somebody in my career field due to the niche nature of what I want to do, but the match was more or less perfect!”
Insight you can’t find online
For Ben, the real value of the programme came from the depth of knowledge his mentor could offer. “The best thing about having a mentor was being able to gain such a valuable insight into my desired career, with information that you simply wouldn’t get online,” he says. His mentor, an experienced journalist, was able to speak candidly about both sides of the industry – “exactly what it was like to be freelance as well as employed by a broadcaster” – filling in gaps that Ben had struggled to research on his own.
A newfound confidence
That insight didn’t just inform Ben’s decisions – it changed how he felt about his future. “The biggest change I noticed within myself through having my mentor was a newfound confidence for what I wanted to go into, as I now had plenty of information which further informed my decision,” he reflects. “But also, this gave me a clear road map of how to get to my desired career, which allowed me to be more confident.”
Ben’s advice to future students
Ben’s message to any student weighing up whether to apply is simple: “Just go for it! Even if you are a bit unsure on what you want to do as a career, still just go for it! You will gain such valuable insight into not only a certain career, but also the real world and life after school – through talking about CVs and interviews, and from just hearing about other people’s experiences.”
And to future mentors…
Ben also had a message for anyone considering becoming a mentor. “Why not become a mentor? You may not realise it now, but through mentoring someone like me, you can inspire that student in more ways than you may ever realise, and that alone is so powerful. If you are thinking of becoming a mentor, my simple message to you is: why not – because the difference you can make to people like me will be immense.”
