2021 Structured Mentorship Opening Ceremony
Students participating in this year’s Structured Mentorship Programme will benefit from the insight and expertise that comes from the ‘real world experience’ of alumni, says DCU President Professor Daire Keogh.
Speaking at the launch of this year’s programme, Prof Keogh says DCU’s award-winning Structured Mentorship Programme ‘adds another layer of our engagement with industry’
‘Mentorship is a mutually beneficial relationship. Mentors pass on priceless insights and expertise that can only come from ‘real world experience,’ he said.
First established in 2003, the Structured Mentoring Programme pairs DCU students with alumni of DCU.
It is a joint initiative delivered by the Careers Service and the Alumni Office in Dublin City University.
‘The success of the Mentorship Programme is underpinned by our graduates' commitment and loyalty to the university and their desire to enhance the DCU Student Experience,’ says Ross Munnelly, Director of Alumni Relations.
The Programme runs for six-months between November and April and pairs second-year students with alumni mentors for the purposes of personal and professional development. It is considered a great opportunity for students to gain insights into the world of work, develop key workplace skills, and explore career areas of interest.
‘This programme has an enormous impact on students’ employability skills and self-confidence when applying for future internships and work placements,’ says Yvonne McLoughlin, Head of Careers’ Service.
Mentors come from a wide range of top-tier organisations including: Oracle, Pfizer, Google, Microsoft, ESB, Vhi, Channel 4, European Commission, Arup, Kerrygroup, Zurich, Matheson and Diageo.
Mentor applications have come from members of DCU’s global alumni community in India, Canada, France, Belgium, Spain, UK, USA, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Poland, Switzerland, Scotland, Bangladesh, Bulgaria and Singapore.
This year saw 108 mentors matched with second year students for the 2021/22 programme.
‘Every year alumni have come forward to give their time and experience to the Structured Mentorship Programme, with many Mentors indicating they were previously a mentee on the programme,’ says Mary Larkin, Alumni Relations Officer.
In 2018, DCU was announced as the overall winner in the Coaching & Mentoring Category at the Irish Institute of Training & Development (IITD) National Training Awards, and was subsequently shortlisted for the same award in 2019 and 2020.
The programme provides mentors with a range of benefits they can capture on their CV. It also advances leadership and management skills in their own professional progression and graduates are actively contributing to the transformative student experience at DCU.