Student Mentorship Program Description
The Centre for Business (CfB) Student Mentorship Program at George Brown College aims to build successful mentoring relationships between business and industry professionals and CfB current students. Many of our students mention that “Opportunities to network” is one of the biggest challenges they currently face. We aim to tackle this challenge by establishing meaningful connections, and by providing a framework to facilitate communication among mentors and mentees.
The framework has been built on detailed research and best mentoring practices.
Purpose & Goals
Preparing students to be workplace ready is a core strategic goal of CfB. In alignment with this goal, the Student Mentorship program has been developed to help students connect with business and industry professionals as mentors. It aims to help students:
- Identify career paths that would better suit them
- Build the skills and network needed to land the right job
- Obtain industry insights to do well in their chosen career path
Program Summary
This structured mentorship program will run for a period of 5 months. The necessary professional and personal details of mentors and mentees are collected through an online form. Matches will be made based on current/ preferred career paths, mentor’s experience, and personality traits. The program starts with the “Orientation party” which is scheduled for March.
This program is comprised of 5 sessions/ milestones. They are as follows:
- Ice breaker & Initial career path analysis
- Industry exposure & Industry insights
- Mentees identify their preferred career path
- Resume & Cover letter Preparation
- Interview preparation
At the end of the program, there will also be a Mentor/ Mentee Appreciation party to celebrate the accomplishments of the participants.
Program Expectations & Commitments
Student Mentees: The minimum time commitment for the mentees of the program would be 2-3 hours/ month for a period of 5 months.
Industry Mentors: The minimum time commitment for the mentors is 1-2 hours/ month over a period of 5 months.
It is up to the mentor and mentee to schedule and plan for each of these sessions based on their availability. Each session will have a deadline date.
Program Process
- Program Status
- Mentor Eligibility and Selection
- Mentee Eligibility & Selection
- Mentors & Mentees Matches
Applications for the Winter 2025 cohort are now open.
Mentors will be selected based on a questionnaire with multiple choice and short answer questions that explore their needs and interest in working with a student mentee. Mentors will be chosen:
- Based on their explanation/ reason for joining the program.
- Based on the available mentors and the best matches we can find for our student mentees.
- If they agree to the time commitment required by the program (please refer to the program summary section above)
PLEASE NOTE: All mentors must have at least 1 year of experience in a business field/industry
Mentees will be selected based on a questionnaire with multiple choice and short answer questions that explore their needs and interest in working with an alumni mentor. Mentees will be chosen:
- Based on their explanation/reason for joining the program.
- Based on the available mentors and the best matches we can find for our student mentees.
- If they agree to the time commitment required by the program.
PLEASE NOTE:
- The Centre for Business holds the right to make final decisions on who will be chosen for every cohort.
- If you have been a part of the program and were previously matched you are not eligible to apply again as a mentee.
Mentors will be thoughtfully selected, and will be matched based on mentees’ preferred career paths, mentor’s experience, and personality-based questions. The matching process is done by the mentoring platform (Chronus). If accepted, mentors & mentees will also be using this platform to keep track update of your goals throughout the program.
Why should Business and Industry Professionals apply to be mentors?
- Develop personal leadership and coaching skills
- Invaluable networking opportunities through interactions with fellow mentors & senior mentors
- Gain access to current business concepts and fresh perspectives.
- An opportunity to acquaint yourself with upcoming talent
- A sense of fulfillment; the opportunity to give back to your alma mater, your industry, and the broader community.
- Add it to your resume, CV, and LinkedIn and celebrate your contributions. Let’s pay it forward!
