Mel Beaman Student Programme

About

The Mel Beaman Student Programme will offer students: 

• a 12-month mentoring programme
• four days of hybrid work experience from our Leeds office
• an opportunity for one student from the 2025 cohort to receive a bursary of up to £10,000

The bursary can be used to help with costs for higher education or relocation for an apprenticeship. 

The programme is aimed at young people who live in areas of lower social mobility. After the launch of the scheme in 2024, it will again focus on students in the Leeds area who have recently taken their GCSEs and are coming to the end of their full-time education (i.e. in Year 12 and between 16 and 17 years old).

Further details about the different aspects of the programme are set out below.

Mentoring

• online monthly mentoring and coaching over a 12-month period, starting in Q4 2025
• 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 Leeds office offering 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 

• there is a minimum educational requirement of three Cs at A level
• students must have a household income of £30,000 or less

Background to the programme

The Bank has set up this programme in memory of Mel Beaman, who passed away suddenly in 2023. She made significant contributions to the Bank throughout her career and to our social mobility agenda. Mel mentored colleagues as she developed her career and spoke openly about her background to encourage others’ 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 able to commute to the Bank’s Leeds office for the hybrid work experience (week beginning 21 July 2025) – expenses will be reimbursed;
• be in Year 12 as of September 2024 and moving into Year 13 in September 2025; 
• attend, and have always attended a state-funded (non-fee paying) school or college in the UK;
• have 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.