Mentoring
Do you still remember what it was like to start studying? What kind of choices did you make as your studies progressed, how did it feel to submit your thesis or what did you write in your first job application to a job in your own field?
Turku UAS’ mentoring programme offers an inspiring opportunity to share your knowledge and experience with future professionals.
Would you like to be part of the journey of future professionals? Our mentoring programme invites experienced professionals to support and inspire students on their career path. As a mentor, you will be able to share your own expertise, develop your mentoring skills and show your interest in developing your field, e.g. by mentioning it on your CV. By offering support in the student’s professional growth, you will also gain a new perspective on the future working life.
The mentoring programme is partly in English. It is up to the mentor and the actor (i.e. the student) to decide which language to use between them, but the programme of the joint meetings are held in English. The mentoring is therefore also an opportunity to refresh your language skills.
Mentoring takes place annually from October to April. The next call will be in early autumn 2025.
Are you studying with us? As a degree student at Turku UAS, you can apply to become an mentee at Messi.
The ABCs of Mentoring
Terminology
A mentor is a skilled and more experienced employee who wants to support an mentee in their learning/work transition.
A mentee is a student who wants to develop and who wants a mentor to help them with their studies/preparation for work.
A mentoring relationship is an interaction between a mentor and a mentee based on openness, trust and equality. Ideally, the mentoring relationship strengthens the competences of both parties.
What is mentoring?
Mentoring is a goal-oriented activity designed to develop the learning skills of the person being mentored (the mentee) and to support them in their transition towards working life. In turn, the mentor has the opportunity to develop their own guidance skills and gain valuable insights into educational trends in the sector.
Mentoring is between a mentor and a mentee:
- Active, committed and confidential interaction
- Sharing ideas, experiences and skills
- Learning and listening
- Identifying goals, strengths and resources
Mentoring does not include:
- Therapy
- Judging or criticizing
- Monologues
- Ready-made answers
- Providing a traineeship, work placement or networking opportunities
- One-way cooperation
What does a mentor get?
Mentoring often focuses on the benefits and support the mentee receives, but an active mentoring relationship also strengthens the mentor’s skills.
Mentoring provides an opportunity to strengthen not only your own interpersonal skills, but also your mentoring skills. Mentoring also gives the mentor the opportunity to reflect on his/her own skills and reflect on their own career development. In addition, active mentoring is an excellent way to support the meaningful development of your own work and to help you shape your future.
Mentoring is also a great addition to your CV.
What does the mentee get?
Mentoring is a great opportunity for a mentee to develop themselves and prepare for working life. Unlike larger group trainings or courses, mentoring focuses on the individual and the issues that are important to them.
Whether you are considering different orientations at the beginning of your studies, or you are meeting the first steps in your transition to working life, mentoring gives you personal support from a more experienced professional and allows you to address even the most challenging issues in a confidential interaction.
Tips for Succesful Mentoring
Mentoring requires a commitment and time commitment from both parties. Open and confidential interaction is built through collaboration.
Let’s succeed together
For successful mentoring it is important to
- Make a mentoring agreement that sets out the objectives and concrete actions on how to achieve them
- Agree on the rules of the mentoring for meetings: time, place, length, elimination of distractions
- Stick with what has been agreed on together
- Make appointments well in advance and prepare for them
- If something is not working, be honest and discuss it
- Share professional networks where possible
Kupittaa Campus offers excellent premises for the mentoring meetings: meet at Taidonportaat or Aurinkokahvila in EduCity or visit in a Pub Kaivomestari. Calm coffeeshops and riverboats in warm weather are also good meeting places.
Progression of mentoring
The mentor application period for the academic year 2024-2025 will end on 30.9.2024. Pairs will be formed within a week after the application deadline and everyone will be notified personally when a pair is found.
A joint starting meeting is arranged on 10.10.2024 at 16:30-18:30 at EduCity (also possible to participate remotely at Zoom). At the kick-off event, the mentor and the mentee will meet for the first time, get to know each other and start planning their own mentoring journey.
The joint interim meeting will take place on 22 January 2025 at 17:00-18:30 and the closing meeting will take place on 24 April 2025 at 17:00-18:30. The modalities of these joint meetings will be decided on a case-by-case basis and will be announced closer to the date of each meeting. The joint meetings will be held in English.
The pairs decide together how often they will meet one-on-one (at least 1 time/month). They also decide which language they will use (Finnish/English).
Support for Mentoring
We offer mentoring support throughout the process. We organise a joint kick-off meeting, where mentor and mentee meet for the first time and learn about mentoring. We also organise joint mid-term and closing meetings for all participants and a dedicated meeting for mentors, where they can network with other mentors and actuaries.
The participants receive an agreement template and mentoring-appropriate exercises and tips to support the discussions between the mentor and mentee.
