GCSE students at Forest Hall School in Stansted Mountfitchet are set to take part in a long-running mentoring programme with Stansted Airport.

The scheme, which is now in its ninth year, pairs Year 11 students with airport employees, who lend extra support during their challenging examination year.

Students benefit from learning about the airport employees' experiences, both in the business world and in life.

This year, 11 airport employees will participate, including those working in project management, the airport skills academy, security and compliance.

They have each been matched with a student who they will work with once every two weeks throughout the school year.

Alex Smith, education manager at London Stansted, said: "The feeling of looming exams and thinking about the future is something we all remember from school.

"The scheme, now in its ninth year, allows pupils to hear from professionals outside their school environment about how to prepare for life in the workplace, and hopefully pick up some valuable hints and tips ahead of their exams.

"Mentoring also allows us to hear first-hand from the workforce of the future about their hopes and ambitions."

More than 100 Year 11 pupils have been paired up with airport staff over the course of the partnership, which was set up as part of the airport's community education programme.

READ MORE

Previously in the scheme, airport employees have helped develop students' organisational skills, and helped them to plan their career paths and write their CVs.

Students have also spent time at the airport shadowing their mentor in a professional role.

Charlie Coe, head of Year 11 at Forest Hall, said: "We are very grateful for the opportunity offered by Stansted Airport; I'm certain the pupils will benefit greatly from this experience.

"Thank you to all the staff that are involved."

Stansted Airport has recently published its CSR report for 2022 to 2023, which details its progress over the last financial year in delivering on its CSR strategy - published in 2020.

Forest Hall School is a co-educational secondary school in Forest Hall Road, Stansted Mountfitchet, which caters to children age 11 to 16.