E-mail: edoutreach@wise-ottawa.ca

The objective of this program is to develop partnership between the WISE professionals and the WISE university students. The program is aimed at helping the WISE university students make the transition from the classroom to the workplace through the valuable and varied experiences of the WISE professionals.

2. Mentorship

In a progressively more complex and competitive professional environment, mentoring has re-emerged as a powerful way to help people reach their goals and reaffirm their successes. In fact, mentoring is one of the oldest forms of influence. Popular mentoring literature attributes the origin of the term to Homer, one of the ancient Greek storytellers. In his classic tale, Homer tells of the King of Ithaca who asked his friend Mentor to look after his son Telemachus while he fought to win the Trojan War. Also, in Greek mythology, Mentor was a friend to Odysseus who led Greece's forces in the Trojan wars using clever strategies and wise guidance.

Today, the word Mentor remains synonymous with a wise and loyal adviser. Mentoring provides students with someone who is knowledgeable and interested and whom they can trust, respect, and learn from.

Often the best, most inspiring advice comes from listening to the personal experiences of others. Communication with mentors can provide realistic information about career options, employment conditions, and job responsibilities. Mentors may also lend insight regarding the city in which they live, and they may be able to refer protégés to other contacts in the industry.

3. Benefits for the Mentor

• Satisfaction of giving back and to re-acquaint with the universities
• Opportunity to share experiences
• Personal reward gained from helping another person move into an aimed career
• Ideas for feedback about own projects from a junior person who is eager to learn and commit to the project's success
• Network of former protégés who can collaborate on projects, thus increasing the mentor's influence and visibility
• Higher profile for your company or industry at the universities
• An opportunity to coach future professionals in your field for success, and to interact with the very people that will shape the future of your industry

• Get prepared for the transition from university to professional workplace
• Determine whether the career, industry or company matches skills, interests and expectations
• Receive tips and information about the job and guidance on professional image
• Understand business ethics & etiquette
• Give an opportunity to see an organization from the inside
• Learn the art of networking and have an established network upon graduation
• Research career trends and opportunities in your intended career or occupation
• Communicate with professionals with valuable and varied experiences

The purpose of mentoring is to encourage the development of the protégé's career objectives. This can include learning about the types of skills and experience the protégé could be developing now or planning long-term skills development. The goal of meeting the mentors for the protégés is to obtain information about mentor's career path and work environment. The mentors may provide advice, support and guidance on any of the following:

(1) Industry and job information
(2) Description of their day to day duties
(3) Career alternatives within the industry
(4) Emerging trends within the industry or organization
(5) Skills, experiences to help protégé's development
(6) Access to a network of contacts

The detailed responsibilities of the mentors can be described as

• Offer challenging ideas
• Encourage professional behavior
• Teach by example
• Inspire students
• Offer wise counsel
• Share critical knowledge
• Offer encouragement

The mentor's involvement is strictly voluntary. Usually, a meeting of approximately an hour in a neutral setting is all it takes for the protégé to acquire the information needed to move forward. The mentor and the protégé can organize additional meetings or different activities or an on site tour of the mentor's workplace. If the mentor is available and willing, more than one pairing is possible. The number of protégés met and the time commitment are completely up to the mentor.

Upon registering in the Mentoring Program, the mentor's portfolio will be included in a directory at the WISE. Students from universities wishing to meet a professional from the WISE consult an anonymous list of mentors that indicates the degree received, the position title and a short description of the mentor's responsibilities.

When the student's choice is confirmed, a liaison officer from the Mentorship Program, the Education Outreach of the WISE, contacts the mentor to verify his or her availability and advises that a student will be calling within at least 48 hours. Thereafter, pertinent contact information is relayed to the student regarding the mentor.

The meeting date, time and place are the responsibility of the mentor and the student. Once the pairing has been completed, a liaison officer will contact both the student and the mentor for their feedback on the meeting and will decide whether additional meeting will be needed or not.

• On site of the mentor's job
• Through a telephone conversation
• Through e-mail
• In a public place such as a restaurant or a café.

Questions related to a career

• What courses do you recommend for a person entering this field?
• How did you prepare for this field and do you have any recommendations?
• In what way are your studies related to your career?

• How did you get your current position?
• What gives you a sense of accomplishment in your job?
• What is a typical day on the job for you?
• What kind of tasks do you find challenging about your job?
• Do you get to express individuality in your work, or do you have to follow strict guidelines?
• What are the most stressing aspects of your job?

• What trends and developments in the field do you see affecting careers in the future?
• What are the professional organizations in this field?
• Where are the « hot spots » for employment in the industry?

• What are the work hours and is overtime common?
• What is the atmosphere like? (Relaxed, competitve, exciting)
• Do you share your own office with colleagues?
• How much flexibility are you allowed in your job in terms of dress, hours, vacation or job location?