Q&A: "Everything is a Two-Way Street" - Reflecting on Our AFBE Mentorship

Why did you choose to take part in this mentoring programme with the Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers (AFBE-UK) ?   

Aled (Mentee): “I decided to take part in the mentoring programme because after graduating I realised I wanted to get experience in F1, and I knew I needed to grow my understanding of the sport.

“From there I decided to apply for the mentoring programme between AFBE and Mercedes It has exceeded my expectations to be honest.” 

Rishab (Mentor): “Coming from India, I've moved to a different place compared to where I was before. I didn’t always know what I was going to do.    

“I think the big reason that I wanted to do mentoring wasto give a voice that I never had.  A third voice that can help steer you in a different direction or make you think in a different direction which isn’t your parents’ or friends.     

“To share a different point of view rather than having the same background or same understanding. That's what I aimed to do with my mentee.” 

Ginny (Mentor): “I really enjoyed the taking part in the mentoring scheme last year. I learnt quite a lot from it, so I was really looking forward to doing it again.   

“Spending time with another younger individual, early doors in their career to gain insight from them was really interesting again.” 

What Did You Learn?   

Juliana (Mentee): “I really loved meeting the other mentees and mentors because getting to hear other people's experience was really important.    

“Hearing how many processes have been so different and how people have taken so many different routes into F1. To learn of the different routes people have taken to get into F1 and how hard they worked has been very inspiring. 

“Even though we're all doing the same programme we've all had very different experiences.”   

Aled (Mentee): “Touring the team’s factory, I didn't expect to see what I saw. Everything is so amazing and really cool, a whole other level.  

“I've seen the chassis manufacturing process, I've seen the tyre stress analysis process, I've seen the composite manufacturing and the huge ovens that the chassis goes in and the mould and everything. 

“You see the car on track, which is actually the result of 50 or more departments working together. I never imagined that. There’s so much hard work that goes on behind the scenes.”

Ginny (Mentor): “I've never actually mentored someone outside of a subject to which I'm familiar, so to bridge the gap of the technical differences in terms of our studying and our knowledge bases was an enjoyable challenge.”      

Rishab (Mentor): “Everything is a two-way street. And that's when you learn the most and you're able to give back the most as well. My mentee was a privilege to mentor.    

“It’s been a good experience that both of us have benefitted from. Having graduated a few years ago. I could relate to what he's doing. I could share what I learnt in that time and pass it on.”    

What was your highlight of the programme?   

Rishab (Mentor): “I think the opportunity that the students get to have a chance to consistently interact with employees from Formula One, is a very rare opportunity.    

“Having the opportunity to ask If ‘I’m going to enter the Formula One industry, what am I going to face?’ My response to that is you don't need to be a superhero to get into Formula One. We are all just normal people.”  

Ginny (Mentor): “Meeting your mentee face to face is always really nice. Seeing them reach their goal that they've set themselves at the very beginning is a really nice feeling to end the programme with and something to celebrate.” 

How Will this mentoring experience Impact Your Future Career Decisions?   

Juliana (Mentee): “This programme has given me a lot of clarity in terms of what role I want to do. My degree was so broad and the time with Mercedes has allowed me to narrow down which role I would actually like to pursue.    

“It has also given me the assurance that I don't have to just stick in one direction, but I can go vertically and horizontally as well. Maybe I start off as an Aerodynamicist and then move into mechanical design, for example.    

“So, I think that was very helpful to know.”    

Aled (Mentee): “What I really learnt is that it gives you a background of each position. Now when I see positions posted online, I know what it is because I've been to the factory, and I've seen that role with my own eyes.

"I better understanding of what I would actually be doing, rather than just applying and not knowing much more than the job description.”