"Quite often we see that our graduates, they want to come back and help, give back. And then they also appreciate that they wish they had someone, a mentor… when they were in the final years, making the hard hoices on where to go, how to apply, what to write in your (personal) statements..."
Aim
The aim of the industry mentoring programme is to provide undergraduate students, particularly those in their final years, with guidance and support from experienced professionals in their respective fields.
The mentoring helps students with:
Career Planning
Assisting students in making informed decisions about their career paths and understanding the various opportunities available in their industry.
Professional Development
Enhancing students’ soft skills, professional ethics, and goal-setting abilities, which are crucial for their future careers.
Real-World Insights
Offering students a practical perspective on what working in their chosen field entails, including site visits to workplaces and discussions about daily professional life.
Role Models
Providing students, especially female students, with role models in their industry to inspire and guide them through male-dominated sectors.
Networking
Facilitating connections between students and industry professionals, which can be valuable for future job opportunities and professional growth.
Overall, the programme aims to bridge the gap between academic learning and professional practice, preparing students for successful careers in their chosen fields.
To establish and manage a successful industry mentoring programme, these steps can be followed:
Recruiting industry mentors
- Leverage LinkedIn – create compelling posts and share them through team members’ profiles to reach potential mentors
- Tap into existing networks – connect with alumni and industry contacts who may be interested in giving back and supporting students
- Target diverse mentors – aim for a balanced representation of genders, disciplines and career stages to provide varied insights and role models
Matching mentors with students
- Align by discipline – match students with mentors from the same or similar engineering fields to foster relevant guidance
- Consider gender and diversity – where possible, connect female students with female mentors to provide relatable role models in male-dominated sectors
- Expand beyond direct matches – if exact matches are not available, consider mentors in related industries to offer diverse career perspectives
Facilitating introductions and initial meetings
- Email introduction – initiate contact through email, providing contact details and a brief overview of both mentor and mentee
- Provide a starter guide – share a simple guide suggesting conversation topics like career planning, goal setting, soft skills development, and professional ethics
- Encourage flexibility – allow mentor-mentee pairs to determine the structure, frequency, and format of their sessions based on availability and preferences
Supporting the mentoring process
- Host online touchpoints – schedule brief online meetings to outline programme expectations and provide ongoing guidance for mentors and mentees
- Offer guidance resources – create resources hub with materials on effective mentoring, common challenges and suggested discussion topics
- Monitor progress – check in periodically to address any issues, offer support, and ensure continued engagement
Tips to enhance mentoring experience:
-
Site visits and workplace exposure
Encourage mentors to invite mentees to their workplaces for real-world insights into engineering roles and environments
-
Networking opportunities
Organise events where mentors and mentees can connect with other professionals and peers to expand their network
-
Celebrate successes
Host a closing event to acknowledge the contributions of mentor and the progress of mentees, reinforcing the value of the programme