Abstract
This paper examines the disruptive role of personalised mentorship in enabling the progression of Black students in the academy and industry. It focuses on the Accomplished Study Program in Research Excellence (ASPIRE), a unique intervention and an innovative approach designed to provide mentorship and well-being to Black and Black heritage students, and improve their graduate outcomes and access to doctoral study. Drawing from the evaluation data of the first cohort of the programme, and the broader literature on the attainment gap and underrepresentation of Black students in higher education, the paper will examine the extent to which participation in ASPIRE leads to improved work-readiness of Black students to access doctoral level study and acquire jobs in the industry.