Introducing Veretec Connect: Our New Mentoring Programme

27.10.26 • Studio News

We have recently launched Veretec Connect, a mentoring programme open to everyone across the practice.

The programme pairs colleagues one to one, matched around individual development goals and aspirations. It gives people dedicated time with a more experienced colleague to talk through ideas, challenges and ambitions, away from the pressure of live project deadlines.

Why mentoring?

The best parts of our profession have always been passed on through conversation: on site, across a desk, over a set of drawings. Veretec Connect gives that knowledge sharing a little more structure, so it doesn’t depend on chance.

Mentoring is different from coaching. Coaching usually focuses on immediate performance or a specific outcome. Mentoring is longer term. It is about building confidence, broadening perspective and helping people make informed decisions about their own development.

How it works

Each mentoring partnership typically runs for six to twelve months. At the outset, mentor and mentee agree how they will work together: how often they meet, how they communicate, and a small number of development goals to work towards.

We have kept it deliberately simple. Meetings are usually an hour, face to face where possible, whether in a meeting room or over a coffee. There are no formal minutes. Pairs simply keep a light record of their goals and any actions they want to revisit, with a check-in at the midpoint and a reflection at the end.

What people focus on

Every partnership is shaped by the mentee. Area’s people can choose to focus on include:

Career development and leadership
Communication and stakeholder management
Technical expertise, including Revit
Business development and finance awareness
Confidence, personal growth and work-life balance

A shared responsibility

The mentor’s role is to act as a sounding board: listening, asking good questions and offering perspective and challenge, rather than handing over answers. The mentee takes ownership of their own development, coming prepared and following through between sessions.

The success of each partnership rests on both people: trust, openness, and a willingness to learn from one another. That last part works both ways. Mentors often find they learn as much as they share.

Looking ahead

Veretec Connect builds on something we have written about before in The Quiet Influence of Great Mentors. Good mentoring rarely announces itself, but its effects last a whole career. We look forward to sharing how the programme develops over its first year.