Discovering Black Construction Mentorship Programs

Receiving mentorship can be key to achieving career or educational goals, and a range of mentorship programmes exist for people from black, Asian or ethnic minority backgrounds. Find out more with our guide to black construction mentoring schemes.

Importance of Mentorship for Black Aspirational Individuals

Some young black professionals and students appreciate what mentorship programmes can do for their career prospects, perhaps more so than workers from other backgrounds. They might feel in need of a little more support or guidance in order to achieve their potential, whether in education or work, because of the legacy of discrimination, unconscious bias or any racial disparity that may still exist in some companies or institutions. In the same way professional networks can boost self-confidence and reduce isolation, mentorships are an important additional source of support for black construction workers.

The experience of being a mentor can also be hugely empowering for black people, contributing to continued professional development.

Notable Black Construction Mentorship Programs

There are a number of mentoring schemes in the UK which are either exclusive to people from black, Asian or ethnic minority backgrounds or are tailored more towards them.

SHAPE (Built By Us)

The SHAPE Programme for Built Environment Entrepreneurs is designed to help new entrepreneurs working in construction who have a built environment business idea or want to start a new business. The programme consists of workshops and mentoring, provides support to develop ideas for an enterprise, and has a particular mission to increase the diversity of leadership positions within the built environment. People from black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply to SHAPE, along with women, people with a disability and those from the LGBTQ+ community.

FLUID (Built By Us)

The FLUID Diversity Mentoring Programme is also provided by the built environment mentoring experts Built By Us. FLUID is a 12-month mentoring scheme that addresses barriers to diversity and inclusion in the built environment sector. It is available to students, construction professionals in the early stages of their careers and managers looking to advance in their careers. Again, like SHAPE, this mentoring programme is targeted at cohorts from diverse backgrounds, so is an ideal opportunity for black, Asian and ethnic minority applicants.

10,000 Black Interns programme

The 10,000 Black Interns programme is exactly that: an initiative launched in 2020 to develop opportunities for black people to gain experience in sectors where they are underrepresented. In 2024 the programme is around halfway to its target of creating 10,000 black internships. Applicants receive training throughout the process, so even if they are not successful in ultimately achieving an internship, there are still benefits in the pre-application, pre-interview and pre-internship mentoring sessions. The application process begins in September and if successful leads to a paid, 6-week internship the following summer.

The Black Excellence Network

The Black Excellence Network was co-founded by Oyinda Adeniyi and George Obolo in order to encourage black students to aspire to attend leading universities in the UK and to address the racial disparity that exists in higher education. According to the Race for Equality report published by the NUS in 2020, black students are more negatively affected by a lack of information and guidance about applying to university. Members of the Black Excellence Network are given support and guidance to enable them to reach their desired university, course or career, with mentors giving advice about interview techniques, and supporting them personally and professionally while they are an undergraduate.                  

Black Professionals Mentorship Programme

Black Professionals is a free platform with over 5,000 members, supporting black professionals with a range of services, from work placements to interview preparation, and CV tips to networking events. The Black Professionals Mentorship Programme pairs applicants with a compatible mentor who can offer support throughout an individual’s career journey. Both mentees and mentors have said that they benefit hugely from the programme, which fosters meaningful connections and promotes professional growth and personal empowerment.