Register today to join our program as a mentor or someone seeking mentorship (mentee). Follow the links below to our online google form to register. Once you register, you will be placed on our mailing list and we will keep you informed about upcoming events. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to our Career Guidance Committee Chair, Henry Hammel.
The Western District has a long history of supporting our student and young professional members through annual initiatives and programming during our Annual Meetings. Two of the core tenets of our strategic plan are Student Initiatives and Career Development.
There is an old proverb that says “It takes a village to raise a child” that means that an entire community of people must interact with them for them to experience and grow in a safe and healthy environment. We feel that this approach can be applied to our support of students and young professionals in the Western District. By coming together as a community of professionals, we can provide a better, more consistent support system for our younger members that can quickly adapt to the constantly changing world we live in.
Our MiteY Mentorship program will support our core values through a community-based approach rather than the traditional one-on-one based approach. The District has tried a one-on-one version of a mentorship program in the past but with varying success. What we found was that the level of success of these traditional programs was often dependent on the willingness, availability, and needs of the individuals involved. We believe that a new community-based approach is a more sustainable path that will ensure that our program is successful in providing consistent support and guidance for our young members.
This program is targeted for young members within the Western District from ages 35 years and under which includes students (primarily those preparing to enter the workforce) and young professionals. The early phases of one’s career can be a challenging time for young members, but it is also a time of significant personal and professional growth. A mentorship program can be an invaluable resource to help young members navigate the ever-changing demands of the workplace, improve their chances at success in their careers, and strengthen their engagement with ITE.
Based on the community-based approach, we will establish a network of professionals to serve as mentors for interested students and young professionals. These professionals will work together to provide support and guidance to our participants through quarterly events and follow up one-on-one meetings as needed. The participants of our quarterly events may change from event-to-event based on the availability of our mentors and the needs of mentees. Our goal is to make sure there is always someone available when our mentees are looking for support and guidance even if that person changes over time. We believe that the needs of our mentees will change over time due to their professional growth or personal circumstances and being able to draw from a wide range of mentors will improve the program’s effectiveness. This program will allow us to match up the best fit mentor for every situation. Most of our events are expected to be virtual through the District’s Zoom platform with the option of an in-person event during our Annual Meetings.
You may be wondering what is expected of you now that you’ve signed up to be a mentor or mentee. Here’s quick summary:
Mentors
- You will receive invites for our quarterly events. Sign up to participate if you are available!
- Keep your contact information up to date with the Career Guidance Committee.
- Reply to communications from the Career Guidance Committee. We will be contacting you annually to confirm your continued participation.
Mentees
You will receive invites for our quarterly events. Sign up if you would like to participate.- Keep your contact information up to date with the Career Guidance Committee.
- Reply to communications from the Career Guidance Committee. We will be contacting you annually to confirm your continued participation.
- Let us know if you are looking to connect with a mentor in-between events. We would be happy to pair you up for a one-on-one session.
- Share your ideas for future events with the Career Guidance Committee! We are always open to ideas.
You will receive invites for our quarterly events. Sign up if you would like to participate.
