Developing Tomorrow’s Talent: Professional development

through an alumni mentoring

programme

Dr Judie Gannon

Angela Maher

Overview

• Explore the context

• Mentoring literature overview - benefits and

issues

• Bacchus Mentoring scheme

• Insights from the first two years: issues

• Where to next

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Context: Challenges of higher education

Demands for relevance and contribution

• Alumni

• Employer engagement

• Income streams

• Employability agenda

• Personalising learning (in mass education

systems)

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Context: Employability and HE

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Personalqualities,including

self-theoriesand efficacy

beliefs

EEmployability, Citizenship, etc

Subjectunder-

standing

Meta-cognition

U

Skills,includingKey skills

M

S

(Yorke & Knight 2006)

USEM MODEL

Context: Employability and HE‘Good curriculum designs will continue to be attentive to

helping learners to construct understandings of the subject matter and maintain more recent interest in developing a number of skilful practices or ‘skills’. However, they will also show care for the development of positive efficacy beliefs. Meta-cognition and other complex achievements that employers value.’ (Yorke and Knight 2006)

Designing ‘employability aware’ curricula• Curriculum auditing• Embedding employability• Employer engagement in curricula• Academics engagement

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Benefits of Mentoring

Mentee gains

• Career advancement – sponsorship, exposure, visibility, coaching, protection and challenge, more promotions, higher salaries, more job satisfaction, reduced turnover

• Psychosocial support – friendship, confirmation, acceptance, confidence building and counseling

(Allen et al., 2004; Clutterbuck, 2004; Klasen & Clutterbuck, 2002; Kram, 1985; Wang et al., 2008).…

Mentor gains

• Career revitalisation, • Ability to reflect, • Intellectual challenge, • Increased interpersonal

skills, • Social recognition from

peers and managers, and

• Personal satisfactionClutterbuck, 2004; Young &

Perrewe, 2000)

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Mentoring

• Prosocial behaviour – “will benefit the person, group or organization toward which the behavior is directed.” (Allen, 2003 p.137).

• Social capital and social networks (Bozionelos, 2006; Bozionelos & Wang, 2006; Hezlett & Gibson, 2007; Singh et al., 2009).

“the goodwill available to individuals or groups. Its source lies in the structure and content of the actor’s social relations. Its effects flow from the information, influence and solidarity it makes available to the actor.” (Adler & Kwon, 2002 p. 23)

• Transitions and socialisation – credibility• Developing graduates’ social capital in mass graduate

labour market

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Mentoring Programme within Hospitality, Leisure and Tourism Management.

• Developed in 2008 – two cohorts 2008/9 and 2009/10• Linked into final year career planning module

• 2008/9 44 mentors – 98 mentees• 2009/10 66 mentors – 91 mentors

• Bacchus Alumni Society and network of industry contacts identified potential mentors

• Common themes in the success of mentoring programmes: • Matching• Preparation• Interaction• Evaluation

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Objectives for the mentoring programmeAlumni/Mentors

Students

Help final year students prepare themselves for jobs/work

√

Avoid a mismatch of expectations in first job √ √

Useful for personal development – mentors and mentees

√ √

Useful skills for use as a manager/executive – developing tomorrow’s talent

√

Help with graduate recruitment, development and retention

√

Help shape thinking about future opportunities √

Chance to give something back √

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Reported benefits of the programme

Mentees Mentors

• More industry knowledge

• Better understanding of industry opportunities

• Enhances network of contacts

• Someone outside the dept/Uni supporting me

• Helped me reflect on career goals

• More confidence about career

• Greater self-awareness

• See managers at work

• Value of contact networks,

• Broadens opportunities,

• Real world insights,

• Insiders view of the industry

• Importance of seizing opportunities,

• Value of being challenged, questioned and pushed, • Understanding of younger workers esp. graduates

• Range of different opportunities available

• Satisfies desire to ‘give something back’

Bac

chus

Me

nto

ring

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Contribution to future talent pool - mentors

• “I think it bridges the gap between university and workplace and encourages bright students to remain in this truly brilliant business with so many opportunities.” JR – MD hotel co.

• “Very positively as you learn first hand what today’s graduates expect from the work place and how they see the world of work and (it) gives them a better view of what employers can offer and expect of them.” LH – MD of recruitment co.

• “Positively, it helps provide a sense of reality, develops social and networking skills which are essential. Also bringing in thinking and experience from outside the field of education and OBU can only add richness to the students’ experience.” GD – Exec Coach, Ex-HR director contract catering co.

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Contribution to future talent pool - students

• “My experiences of the mentoring programme have proven to be one of the most worthwhile components of my university education. I have been in regular contact with my mentor since we first met in October. David has facilitated my learning by providing me with feedback on my CV, work placement days and workplace visits. His constant support and belief in me has given me far greater confidence in pursuing my career on graduation.” Archie, Hospitality and Tourism Management

• “Building a relationship with an industry professional not only helped me understand the industry further, but also helped my communication skills. My mentor was extremely kind and helpful.” Courtney, Int’l Hospitality Management

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Contribution to future pool of talent - students

• “I have not only gained a mentor but also a friend and our relationship will continue to grow.” Joanne, Int’l Hospitality Management

• “The mentoring programme was spot on – a perfect kick start to my career and professional life. The only thing is that I have a few ‘less motivated’ friends on the module who did not really bother with their mentor and missed a huge opportunity in life … the team should monitor more and identify those less interested in their mentor to encourage them to make the most of an opportunity many students would give an arm and a leg for.” Edward, Int’l Hospitality Management

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Impact

• Critical time to provide such an intervention – most challenging graduate labour market

• Value of contacts and networks in career and business development

• Strengthening relationships with Alumni• Gap in expectations is being addressed here –

further work to do• Buzz about the scheme – lots of interest• Helping to shape degree programme re-development

– social capital as well as human and intellectual capital

• Demonstrating industry engagement

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Issues

• Student engagement

• Mentor engagement

• Assessment (no marks attached)

• Where to start the mentoring process (i.e. what year of course?)

• Facilities for mentoring meetings

• Regularity of meetings

• Resources to support programme

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