Last week saw the launch of this semester’s Industry Mentoring Program. During the event, mentors and mentees had the opportunity to meet for the first time, set their goals for the program, and to chat with other participants. They also had the chance to hear from Yasmin, a 4th year Bachelor of Psychology student here at Curtin, about her experience with the program last year.
Here’s a summary of what Yasmin had to say…
I discovered the Industry Mentoring Program at a time when I thought that knowledge and experience in the industry were somewhat crucial as I am approaching the end of my course. However, I did not know when to start or how to start.
Two main questions concerning the future revolved around in my head during that time – now that I am approaching the end of my course ‘am I ready?’ and ‘will I ever be?’.
At first, I just wanted someone who I could ask about how the industry works and how I can successfully reach my goals. During our first meeting, I remember asking my mentor really random questions – from as general as ‘what am I gonna do?’ to specific questions like ‘what are some career pathways that I can take with a 4-year undergraduate degree in psychology?’.
Looking back, I know that my mentor could tell that I was a bit overwhelmed. She walked me through possible approaches and outcome expectations that we could set for our subsequent mentoring meetings.
My mentor guided me in two main ways. One, through weekly catch-ups, and two, through a work placement. Our weekly catch-ups were a medium where I could get as much professional and personal support as I wanted while ensuring healthy boundaries. We genuinely got more comfortable as we actively and consistently engaged with this weekly mentorship, which mostly happened virtually. However, there were also some instances where we did catch up in person.
While we were setting mentoring expectations and approaches, I asked my mentor if there was a way to gain experience at this stage of my degree. She immediately asked about my interest in gaining general experience in the field. Of course, I thought about it as a great opportunity.
I was able to do a healthcare work experience placement with the clinical governance team my mentor manages. I was also able to work with other departments, such as the mental health and wellbeing department. I attended an inter-state conference and was given the opportunity to host a webinar for some employees of the organisation who work in different parts of Australia about a presentation that I have developed on goal setting.
I was lucky enough to be paired not only with a knowledgeable and compassionate industry mentor, but someone I now consider as a life mentor too. Even when the program ended, we remained in contact and do catch-up meetings once in a while, which I’m very grateful for.
Going back to the question ‘am I ready?’. Personally, I realised that we will never really know when we will be. However, mentoring can equip you with more knowledge about your industry and connect you with it in a creative, fun and engaging way.
Mentoring can give you more confidence to take on the real world. It is a great opportunity to have someone you can trust when you feel clueless, stuck, and hesitant. Little did I know, by the end of the program, I would be trusting myself more. And that’s the power of mentoring.
If you’d like to participate in the Industry Mentoring Program next year, register your interest now to receive an alert when applications open in 2024.
