Mel Beaman Student Programme

About the programme

The Mel Beaman Student Programme will offer students: a 12-month mentoring programme; four days of hybrid work experience from our Leeds office; and an opportunity for one student from the 2024 cohort to receive a bursary of up to £10,000. The bursary can be used to help the student with costs for higher education, or relocation costs for an apprenticeship. 

The programme is intended to give opportunities to those young people who live in areas of lower social mobility. In this pilot year the scheme will be focused on students in the Leeds area, and on those young people who are approaching the end of their full-time education, (i.e. 17 to 18 years old and in Year 13), but this will be reviewed in future years.   

As part of the programme, students will get work experience at the Bank of England; will receive mentoring from Bank of England colleagues; and could benefit from a bursary.  Further details about the different aspects of the Student Programme are set out below.

Mentoring

• Online monthly mentoring and coaching over a 12-month period, starting in Q4 2024
• One-to-one contact with a Bank employee who can acts as role model/mentor
• Mentor will guide students through key milestone events such as CV preparation and further education application processes
• Mentoring sessions will include master classes and career stories from senior members of the Bank 

Work experience

• Two days in the Bank of England Leeds office offering real office experience and opportunities for face-to-face networking, as well as two days virtual work experience, intended to replicate hybrid working
• A blended provision of online presentations and group exercises

Bursary 

• The opportunity to apply up to £10,000 of financial support towards further educational costs
• There is a minimum educational requirement of three grade Cs at A-level
• Students must have a household Income of £30,000 or less 

Background to the programme

The Bank of England has set up this student programme in memory of a colleague Mel Beaman who passed away suddenly in 2023. She made significant contributions to the Bank throughout her career and to our social mobility agenda. She mentored colleagues as she developed her career and spoke openly about her background to encourage others’ abilities and ambitions.  

Eligibility

Evidence from the Social Mobility Independent Commission shows that the financial services sector has lower levels of diversity of socio-economic backgrounds.^{footnote [1]}

To be eligible for the programme, applicants must:

• reside in the Leeds area i.e. the local authorities of Leeds, Bradford, Kirklees, Calderdale, Wakefield, Selby, York, Harrogate and Craven;
• able to commute to the Bank of England’s Leeds office, our Regional Hub, for the hybrid work experience (week beginning 28 October 2024). Expenses will be reimbursed as part of the programme;
• be starting Year 13 in September 2024; 
• attend, and have always attended, a state-funded (non-fee paying) school or college in the UK;
• have achieved at least five GCSEs at grade 4 including English and Maths;  
• have been, or are, eligible for free school meals while at secondary school; and 
• have a maximum household income of £30,000.