Mentoring and Coaching

Effective coaching and mentoring play an increasingly important role in developing people, strengthening workplace relationships and supporting organisational learning. This course is designed for professionals who want to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to build impactful coaching and mentoring relationships that promote individual development, workplace integration and professional growth.

Participants will explore contemporary coaching and mentoring frameworks, inclusive and ethical practice, and the communication techniques that underpin effective mentoring relationships. Through collaborative learning, reflective practice and Action Learning Sets, the course develops practical capabilities that can be applied to support learners, colleagues and teams while contributing to a positive organisational learning culture.

To view the module descriptor, please visit Programme Specifications and Module Descriptors.

 

Who is this course for?

This course is suitable for professionals who want to develop their coaching and mentoring capabilities to support individual, team and organisational development. It is particularly relevant for:

• Managers and team leaders responsible for developing and supporting colleagues
• Workplace mentors and coaches who want to strengthen their knowledge and practical mentoring skills
• Professionals involved in learning and development, talent development or workforce development initiatives
• Individuals with responsibilities for supporting employee induction, progression or professional development
• Professionals working in education, training or work-based learning environments who support learner or staff development
• Anyone looking to build more effective coaching and mentoring relationships within their organisation

 

Why take this course?

Organisations increasingly recognise coaching and mentoring as powerful approaches to developing people, strengthening leadership capability and fostering a positive learning culture. Effective mentoring relationships can support professional confidence, workplace integration and individual performance, while helping organisations develop and retain talent.

This course explores contemporary coaching and mentoring approaches, equipping participants with the practical skills to build effective mentoring relationships based on trust, ethical practice and inclusive communication. Through reflective learning and collaborative activities, you will develop techniques that support goal setting, constructive feedback and professional growth, while gaining the confidence to apply coaching and mentoring approaches within your own workplace.

Whether you are supporting colleagues, developing future talent or enhancing your own leadership capability, this course will help you build practical mentoring and coaching skills that can be applied across a wide range of professional settings.

 

What you will learn

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Evaluate the roles of coaching, mentoring and assessment within workplace learning and professional development
• Apply coaching and mentoring frameworks to support individual learning, workplace integration and professional growth
• Use inclusive communication techniques, including active listening, effective questioning and constructive feedback, to facilitate reflective and independent learning
• Support mentoring and development processes through effective goal setting, evidence gathering and feedback
• Reflect on your own coaching and mentoring practice, identifying opportunities for continuous improvement through collaborative learning and Action Learning Sets
• Develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to build effective coaching and mentoring relationships that contribute to individual development and organisational learning

 

How you will learn

This course combines expert-led teaching with collaborative and reflective learning, enabling you to develop practical coaching and mentoring skills through discussion, application and shared experience. Learning is designed to encourage active participation, helping you build the confidence to support others in workplace and professional learning environments.

Throughout the course, you will learn through:

• Lectures introducing key coaching and mentoring concepts, frameworks and approaches.
• Tutorials and workshops that develop practical mentoring and coaching skills through discussion, group activities and problem-solving.
• Action Learning Sets, providing opportunities to explore real-time mentoring challenges, share experiences and reflect with peers.
• Guided online learning materials, quizzes and resources available through the University's virtual learning environment.
• Independent study and personal development activities that reinforce learning and support reflective practice.

The course comprises approximately 200 hours of learning, combining lectures, tutorials, workshops, self-directed study and assessment. This flexible blended delivery model enables participants to progress their learning while balancing professional and personal commitments.

 

Course content

The course explores the principles and practices that underpin effective coaching and mentoring within workplace settings. Participants will develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to build supportive mentoring relationships, facilitate learning and contribute to individual and organisational development.

• Foundations of Coaching and Mentoring

Explore the purpose, principles and frameworks that underpin effective coaching and mentoring within professional and organisational contexts.

• Building Effective Mentoring Relationships

Develop the skills to establish productive mentoring relationships that promote trust, professional growth and workplace integration.

• Communication for Learning and Development

Strengthen your ability to use active listening, effective questioning and constructive feedback to support reflective learning and development.

• Supporting Professional Growth

Examine how coaching and mentoring can facilitate goal setting, evidence gathering, assessment and continuous professional development within workplace learning environments.

• Reflective and Collaborative Practice

Participate in Action Learning Sets and reflective activities that encourage shared learning, professional problem-solving and the continuous development of your own coaching and mentoring practice.

 

Assessment

Assessment is designed to help you apply coaching and mentoring principles to realistic workplace contexts while demonstrating your ability to reflect on and develop your own professional practice. The portfolio-based assessment encourages you to integrate course learning with practical experience, supporting the development of effective coaching and mentoring capabilities.

Through the assessment portfolio, you will evaluate coaching and mentoring approaches, reflect on your own practice, and demonstrate how key concepts, communication techniques and reflective learning can be applied to support individual development and organisational learning. This approach develops critical thinking, reflective practice and the practical skills needed to build effective coaching and mentoring relationships in the workplace.

 

Applying your learning

Throughout the course, you will:

• Apply coaching and mentoring approaches to realistic workplace scenarios and professional development challenges
• Practise communication techniques that support effective mentoring relationships, including active listening, questioning and constructive feedback
• Reflect on your own coaching and mentoring practice through Action Learning Sets and collaborative discussion
• Explore practical strategies for supporting learning, development and workplace integration

You will leave with:

• Greater confidence in establishing and sustaining effective coaching and mentoring relationships
• Practical coaching and mentoring skills that can be applied across a range of workplace and professional learning environments
• Enhanced ability to support individual development, reflective learning and professional growth
• Transferable knowledge that contributes to a positive organisational learning culture and workforce development

 

Entry requirements

There are no formal entry requirements for this course.

The course is suitable for professionals who wish to develop their coaching and mentoring knowledge and skills within workplace and professional learning environments. It may be particularly relevant for those with responsibilities for supporting the development of colleagues, learners or teams, although prior coaching or mentoring experience is not essential.

Participants should be prepared to undertake independent study and engage with learning at SCQF Level 9, including critical reflection, collaborative learning and the application of coaching and mentoring approaches to professional practice.

 

Certification

Upon successful completion, participants will be awarded 20 credits at SCQF Level 9.

These credits may contribute towards further undergraduate or postgraduate study at the University of the West of Scotland, in accordance with University regulations.

 

Sector and workforce relevance

Coaching and mentoring are increasingly recognised as essential approaches to developing people, strengthening leadership capability and fostering continuous learning within organisations. Across sectors, employers are investing in mentoring and coaching to support employee development, improve engagement, facilitate knowledge sharing and build inclusive workplace cultures.

This course reflects these workforce priorities by developing the practical knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to establish effective coaching and mentoring relationships. Through the application of contemporary coaching and mentoring frameworks, inclusive communication techniques and reflective practice, participants will be equipped to support individual development, workplace learning and organisational capability while contributing to a positive learning culture. Action Learning Sets further reinforce collaborative problem-solving and continuous professional development, reflecting approaches widely used in professional practice.

 

NOTE: This is a university module and upon approval of your application, you will be invited to register and then supported to complete enrolment. To enrol on the university system, the first step involves security set-up using the Microsoft Authenticator app; you will need to ensure that you have a compatible smartphone.

Further enrolment information is available at the Student Information Portal.

To access this module via the CPD route, individuals should be ordinarily resident in Scotland.